We all know that traveling improves the quality of your life, but can it affect it’s quantity as well?\u00a0 There are certainly a number of factors that suggest that it can.\u00a0 I also have a theory that, due to slight differences in when daylight savings time is observed in various countries, you could “fall back” several times a year and avoid “spring forward” all together, gradually accumulating extra hours to your life. I don’t know if that outweighs the perpetual jet lag, but I’d certainly be willing to try!<\/p>\n
In a more real sense though, it does seem that happier people do tend to live longer.\u00a0 Take Sardegna for example, this Italian island is just a short ferry ride from mainland Italy<\/a>, yet it’s people live remarkably longer healthier lives than their mainland counterparts (and most of the rest of the world).\u00a0 Sardegna boasts the highest concentration of centenarians anywhere in the world.\u00a0 The average consumption of beer is also twice that of mainland Italy, coincidence? I think not!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n (photo by Luca Giudicatti under creative commons license<\/a>)<\/p>\n I wouldn’t mind looking at that for 100 years!<\/p>\n Sardegna is one of 5 “blue zones” where people live the longest, (the others are Okinawa, Japan, Nicoya Pennisula, Costa Rica, Icaria, Greece, and oddly enough, a group of Seventh Day Adventist\u00a0 in Loma Linda, California that may be the exception to the following list).\u00a0 So what do these places do, besides have incredible genetics?<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n ~Booze~<\/p>\n I’ve always said that what drinking takes away from the liver it adds to the soul.\u00a0 Turns out that might be more than just a thing I tell concerned family members and facebook friends. I already mentioned Sardegna’s beer consumption, but they also drink plenty of Cannonau, a dark red wine that has the highest antioxidant count in the world.<\/p>\n ~<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n ~Diet~<\/strong><\/p>\n Not the kind of diet I’m always about to start on Monday.\u00a0 The Sardinian diet is heavy on veggies and legumes, and light on the meat.\u00a0 While that’s not something I can totally get behind ( I do love my meat), I think more than anything a diet of fresh, non-processed food can do wonders for your health.\u00a0 That is one of my favorite side effects of traveling, I almost always lose weight, and I NEVER diet on vacation.\u00a0 Here in the United States it is near impossible to find food that’s made of food, so going almost anywhere else likely adds years to your life.<\/p>\n ~<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n ~Exercise~<\/strong><\/p>\n Turns out exercise is good for you.\u00a0 Who knew?\u00a0 Sardegna has a long shepherding history that is still alive today.\u00a0 This career keeps the people active, especially the men who in most cultures have a lower life expectancy than women, but in Sardegna men are just as likely to make it to the 100 year mark.\u00a0 Sardinian’s walk an average of 5 miles a day through the rugged terrain, American’s push their 10-year-olds in strollers… with their motorized scooters.<\/p>\n ~<\/p>\n