Another secret to the Sardinians' long lives? Red wine. "It's actually polyphenols, which is a type of artery-scrubbing antioxidant. We actually had this wine tested. It has three times the level of antioxidants than any other wine," Dan says.
Dr. Oz says 90 percent of the benefit of wine is because of its alcohol. The other 10 percent is because it's got an antioxidant called resveratrol.
But the real benefits of drinking wine—red or white—aren't nutritional. "Wine happens at 5 at night when you get together with your friends. It happens with your family. And it's as much the ritual and doing it a little bit every day," Dan says. "They say people who drink two glasses of wine a day outlive those people who don't drink any. But you can't save up and drink 14 on Saturday."
Living like a Sardinian means putting family first and celebrating those in your closest social circles. Studies show that people who live in healthy families suffer lower rates of depression, suicide and stress. "The biggest determiner of how long you live is who you hang out with. If your three best friends are overweight, there's a 50 percent better chance that you'll be overweight yourself," Dan says.
Published 11/18/2008
As a reminder, always consult your doctor for medical advice and treatment before starting any program.
