5 Italian Sayings to Live By
By: Giulia Penni
Tags: Italy, Longevity, Wellbeing, Italian, Health

Una mela al giorno toglie il medico di torno

Translation: An apple a day keeps the doctor away.

One thing common to people who live exceptionally long lives is that they eat a 95% plant-based diet. They aren’t necessarily vegetarian, they just consume meat in moderation.

The plant-based diet of my grandparents didn’t include exotic fruits or superfoods like avocados or açai berries, just locally grown, seasonal produce. So no worries if you can’t find spirulina — a daily dose of fresh spinach, kale, and beet will do. Science shows that eating fruits and vegetables on a daily basis is associated with lower mortality and can significantly reduce the risk of heart disease and several cancers.

Keep your favorite fruits or vegetables on hand, don’t try to force yourself to eat the ones you don’t like. If you can’t access fresh or affordable vegetables, buy frozen veggies — they have even more nutrients than fresh ones. Consume meat no more than a couple of times per week, favoring free-range meats.

If you’re worried about getting enough protein, you can consume more fish. Choose small fish such as sardines or anchovies which are less exposed to the high levels of mercury or other chemicals like PCBs in the sea. Legumes are also a great substitute for meat: on average they are made up of 21% protein and are a great source of fiber. Plus, they are cheap and hearty.

Chi vuol viver sano e lesto mangi poco e ceni presto.

Translation: Those who want to live healthily and be quick should eat little and dine early.

In a nutshell: don’t eat too much or too late.

A number of studies have shown that long-term calorie restriction may help longevity: the key to a longer life may be to reduce the amount of food on our plates.

The idea that indulgence is harmful dates back to the 15th century, when Alvise Cornaro, an infirm aristocrat from a village near Venice, Italy, tried to find out if a reduction in the amount of food he consumed per day would be helpful. He decided to eat only 350g (12oz) of food per day (roughly 1000 calories). Cornaro died after 40 years, claiming that he had achieved perfect health with his diet. Considering that he died at 84 in the 16th Century, a time when 50 or 60 years old was considered elderly, eating less certainly helped him.

Although Cornaro’s findings are not to be taken as fact by science, calorie restriction may really enhance the length and quality of our lives, according to many researchers.

Eating early is also generally advisable as it allows the body to fully digest the food before bedtime, positively affecting the quality of sleep and energy levels.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to eating less, but there is a simple rule you can follow to control how much you eat: fill your belly up to 80%, not to 100%. Aim to be satisfied, not full. In Japan, a country where people have the longest life expectancy in the world, this principle is called “Hara Hachi Bu”.

Coricarsi presto, alzarsi presto, danno salute, ricchezza e sapienza.

Translation: Going to bed early and getting up early bring health, wealth, and wisdom.

It’s very common to hear older people in my village say that they wake up at 5 o’clock in the morning. They also tend to go to bed quite early and take naps during the day, especially in summer.

Getting adequate rest is incredibly important for our health. Poor sleep is associated with weight gain and a higher risk of stroke and heart disease. Poor sleeping patterns are also linked to depression and increased inflammation.

One way of getting adequate rest is to develop a sleep routine: going to bed at the same time every night (even on weekends) helps create your internal sleep/wake clock. Also, you should ditch all types of electronics at least one hour before bedtime. Lights from these devices disrupt the production of melatonin (a hormone that helps control your sleep patterns), making it harder to sleep. Try to put all electronic devices away at least an hour before you go to bed: you’ll see you will fall asleep more quickly and get more quality sleep.

Chi beve vin, campa cent’anni

Translation: Those who drink wine, live to 100

It’s very common for Italians to drink one to three glasses of wine per day. My parents, for example, drink red wine with every meal, one glass. I have never seen them tipsy or drunk.

People who drink in moderation usually outlive people who don’t. A few studies have shown that drinking one to two glasses of wine per day can significantly reduce mortality. Wine has anti-inflammatory benefits because of its very high levels of antioxidants, anthocyanins, flavonoids, and polyphenols, which could help prevent heart disease, dementia, and cancer.

It is important to remember that these benefits are only seen for moderate alcohol consumption and may depend on the type of alcohol as well. Red wine is probably the best type of alcohol because of its antioxidants.

Mens sana in corpore sano

Translation: A healthy mind in a healthy body

This is probably my favorite saying of all. Okay, technically it is a Latin phrase, but Italians use it a lot.

“Mens sana in corpore sano” means “both the mind and the body should be healthy”: you should take care of your mind AND of your body if you want to live a long healthy life.

Exercise is an incredibly important factor in aging. In Italy, and in rural areas especially, people exercise a lot. No, they don’t go to the gym: they walk.

Daily physical activity is an essential aspect of life in Italy. It is common to walk to do errands and in villages, people walk up and down steep terrain, or stay active by tending the garden, cleaning, cooking, and maintaining their houses.

I am an active person who enjoys lifting weights and moving her body through high-intensity circuits, but I understand that not everybody has the time or is motivated to go to the gym. However, I think that people should try to build moderate physical activity, such as walking or climbing the stairs, into their daily lives, and even squeeze a workout or two into their weekly schedule.

“Mens sana in corpore sano”. Exercise is great for the body, sure. But you shouldn’t forget about your mind, your psychological well-being.

Our health is mental, emotional, and physical. It’s good to have aesthetic (physical) goals, but you shouldn’t neglect your emotional and mental health to achieve them. Use healthy methods to train. Don’t exercise because you hate your body, don’t exercise in the name of discipline and self-control. Exercise because you love yourself and want to take care of your body. Only in this way physical activity, along with diet and sleep, will be a way to care for your health, as well as a tool to achieve longevity.