Over the course of twelve years and twenty journeys to small villages across Italy, my field research has uncovered invaluable insights into longevity—insights that go beyond the conventional advice on diet, exercise, and stress management.
What has become clear is the longest-living populations share two essential components for living a long, purposeful life—elements that are often overlooked.
These two factors hold the key to understanding why, despite knowing the “pillars” of longevity, many struggle to make meaningful progress. Knowledge alone is simply not enough.
Here are the Two Components That Can’t Be Ignored:
Your Mindset and Your Perception of Time
Note: While my findings stem from these Italian communities, similar patterns emerge in other countries known for their long-living populations.
Your mindset influences lifestyle choices for reducing stress levels and can get you engaged in healthy behaviors. In other words, if you think you can make necessary changes you can. And if you think you can’t, you can’t.
Your sense of time shapes the way you live, prioritize, and ultimately age. It’s not just about passing hours or years but how you connect with a deeper, more purposeful understanding of your place in time and how you want to use it.
The longest living populations seem to be born with both of the above. These two “gifts” are passed down from generation to generation and practically hard wired at birth while tied to a cultural emphasis with time that reflects a holistic approach to life that aligns with living a balanced, pleasurable and community-oriented life.
Here are ways mindset and sense of time improves longevity.
Pace of Life
Long living populations value a slower more deliberate pace of life. They prioritize savoring moments whether it’s enjoying meals, spending time with family or appreciating nature.
This approach helps reduce stress, a key factor in longevity.
Mealtime as Sacred
Meals are not rushed but seen as opportunities to connect with friends and loved ones and enjoy high quality fresh food.
The social aspect of shared meals fosters emotional well-being and strong social ties, both linked to a long life.
Work-Life Balance
Italians often place family and personal well-being above work, which contrasts with cultures that prioritize career over everything else.
This balance contributes to lower levels of chronic stress positively impacting longevity.
Seasonal and Natural Rhythms
Especially in rural areas life often revolves around the natural rhythms of the seasons. People adapt their activities and diets to what nature provides at a given time, promoting a healthy lifestyle.
The Long View
Italians often embrace a “tomorrow” mindset, understanding that many things can wait. This attitude fosters patience and acceptance—traits that are strongly linked to better mental health and longevity.
While the core principles of a longevity-focused lifestyle are easy to grasp, they can be difficult for highly industrialized populations to adopt. This is where our mindset and relationship with time become particularly important.
One thing is clear: cultivating a purposeful mindset and adopting a realistic perspective on how we spend our time and make decisions will carry us far beyond the pursuit of the latest supplement, workout, diet, or longevity hack.
On a related note, some leisure and work continues in Italy for the next month as I prepare for the spring lifestyle excursions to Calabria and Sicily and to finalize details for my workshop this spring.
Let me know by reply to this email if you would like to be placed on the wait list for the workshop. I’ll take you to Italy right from your desk with more insights on longevity!
Until Next Time!
Carol Amendola D’Anca
MS, LDN, CNS
Check out more at my website here.
I teach you how to live the lifestyle of longevity – Italian Style!
Exposure to ancient cultures and their seasonal markets changes our perspectives for living life well. Photos taken on “Authentic Italy” excursions
