The Herb That Has People In This Italian Village Living Past 100

"Rosemary, that's for remembrance," Shakespeare wrote more than 400 years ago. Those words ring true today.

I just returned from a trip to southern Italy, where I fell in love with Rosmarinus officinalis. Rosemary, a fragrant herb related to mint that you can grow in your garden or buy at your local grocery store, has been the talk of the health world ever since researchers at the University of California, San Diego, announced new findings. They identified a small fishing village south of Naples inside the Cilento National Park that has an unusual concentration of citizens over the age of 100, with very low rates of Alzheimer's and heart disease. Many research studies are now under way to identify why these people live so long and so well.

I was able to visit Accioroli and see the markets, streets, and people of this picturesque city. A quick perusal of the crystal-clear waters and sandy beaches, the mountainous backdrop requiring climbing hills, the clean air and the produce-packed stores indicated that this town was a living history of the now famous Mediterranean diet. In fact, Dr. Ancel Keyes, honored for introducing the Mediterranean diet to the United States, had a home he frequently visited just a few miles down the road from Acciaroli in Pioppi. (I also visited that town, and the beautiful museum honoring Dr. Keyes’ career is worth a visit.)

"Living well, longer" is the phrase used by the Blue Zones to describe a decade of research on five areas around the world that are also packed with centenarians. Whether Accioroli will prove to be a sixth Blue Zone remains to be seen.

In a study randomizing 50 men to rosemary oil for hair loss compared to a prescription drug used for that condition, a similar increase in hair count was seen in both groups.

The bottom line: The key lessons of Cilento National Park, the home of the Mediterranean diet, are to eat a locally sourced plant-based diet low in fats (2 tablespoons a day of freshly pressed olive oil is typical, without butter or animal fats), complemented by low-alcohol red wine and whole-grain breads made at home, surrounded by friends and family.

The long-living people of Acciaroli also remind us that herbs and spices, preferably homegrown or sourced organic in markets, are some of the most concentrated forms of life-sustaining phytonutrients.

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