Blue Zone Interview with Dr. Sestu - Centenarians in Arzana, Sardegna - Part 1

Dr. Bojana Jankovic Weatherly interviews Dr. Raffaele Sestu and his patient nonna Assunta in the town of Arzana, Sardinia, belonging to one of the 5 Blue Zones in the world. (2018) Two years ago, I was fortunate to be in one of the 5 blue zones in the world, one of the regions with the highest density of centenarians. I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Raffaele Sestu, the doctor to the centenarians in Sardinia, and interview one of his patients, who was 99 years old at the time. Dr. Sestu’s prescription for a long and healthy life: 1. Environment: how and where we live plays an important role in our health. 2. Nutrient: eating whole foods in season, that grow in our own geographic area. 3. Integration: movement throughout the day - the 99 year old lady, nonna Assunta, whom I interviewed, walked 5 km each way daily to a field where she worked and back, from her childhood into adulthood. Integration in our communities and positive contribution to our families and communities is crucial. 4. Autostima: self-esteem. 5. Genetics: while we cannot alter our genetic make up, our lifestyle habits can influence the expression of some of the genes.