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Do these Italian villagers hold the secret to a disease free life?
Posted on Feb 2nd 2007 7:00AM by Bethany SandersFiled Under: Diet & Weight Loss, Celebs & Entertainment
What if you could eat a diet full of rich sauces, creamy cheese, and fatty meats and not suffer the inevitable health consequences? Seem unlikely? Some Italian villagers do just that, and have experts mystified.
The citizens of the small village Stoccareddo -- which sits in the foothills of the Alps -- often live into their 90s and enjoy a life virtually free of heart disease and diabetes, two diseases that plague Americans today. What's their secret?
Experts have two theories. Surprisingly, nearly everyone in the village is related. The original family arrived about 800 years ago and the town's remote mountain location made finding a suitable (non-related) mate difficult. So for centuries, distant cousins have been marrying each other, carrying on what researchers believe is a very fortunate gene pool that's resistant to common health problems. Another theory is that spending every day enjoying the pristine air and water of Stoccareddo, as well as the stress-free environment, contribute to the villagers longevity.
Whatever the answer may be, genetic researchers will soon be studying the DNA of these lucky people, as well as other relatives who have left the mountain town, to see if they can discover an answer they can share with the rest of us. The story will air on Primetime: Medical Mysteries on ABC.
The citizens of the small village Stoccareddo -- which sits in the foothills of the Alps -- often live into their 90s and enjoy a life virtually free of heart disease and diabetes, two diseases that plague Americans today. What's their secret?
Experts have two theories. Surprisingly, nearly everyone in the village is related. The original family arrived about 800 years ago and the town's remote mountain location made finding a suitable (non-related) mate difficult. So for centuries, distant cousins have been marrying each other, carrying on what researchers believe is a very fortunate gene pool that's resistant to common health problems. Another theory is that spending every day enjoying the pristine air and water of Stoccareddo, as well as the stress-free environment, contribute to the villagers longevity.
Whatever the answer may be, genetic researchers will soon be studying the DNA of these lucky people, as well as other relatives who have left the mountain town, to see if they can discover an answer they can share with the rest of us. The story will air on Primetime: Medical Mysteries on ABC.
