What’s the secret to living to be 100? This town knows

You might recall the Italian hamlet of Acciaroli. Earlier this year Starts at 60 wrote about how at least one in 10 of the village’s residents are living to at least 100 years of age and revealed the secret to their longevity could be found easily.

Read more: This herb could have you living to 100 and it’s in your backyard

The Italian village is making headlines again because it turns out it wasn’t just ‘only eating healthy stuff’ was keeping the residents young.

Scientists recently spent six months researching why this village south of Naples has what is thought to be the largest number of residents reaching 100 years of age.

While there has been much commentary on their healthy diet, it appears the elderly living in the village also enjoy a rampant sex life.

Antonio Vassalo, who is one of the 81 centenarians living in Acciaroli, and his wife Amina, who still has lots of life to live at the youthful age of 93 swear by the health benefits of a Mediterranean diet based on olive oil, vegetables, fish and fresh fruit.

“We only eat healthy stuff,” he tells the Daily Mail.

It helps that the pair has their own rabbits and chickens and that locally, Acciaroli produces large quantities of olive oil and that wonderful herb, rosemary.

Sapienza University has found that locals seem to be largely immune from heart disease, dementia and other conditions associated with ageing that the rest of the Western world battles with.

Does a long life appeal to you or do you prefer a good life? Do you balance your diet with regular physical activity?