Actor Zac Efron stars with wellness expert, Darin Olien in new Netflix series, Down to Earth, that this week became one of the most viewed shows in the US.
For this timely program, Zac and Darin travel the world in search of healthy lifestyles and habits that they can’t find in America. In episode four, the Californians jet off to Sardinia to meet some of the world’s most upbeat elderly people and eat some traditional dishes.
The trip begins with a quick visit to Seulo, the town with the highest number of centenarians in the world, and a tour with Dr. Gianni Pes and Valter Longo, who are Italian experts on the science of aging, nutrition, and of course, “blue zones”.
Collecting impressions of families, kitchens and farms, the Californians examine the Sardinian recipe for aging well– is it genetics, the low-protein, carb-rich diet or just relaxation?
Before too long, they wind up in the kitchen with Vittoria Murgia, a master roller of the typical flatbread, pane casarau. Later, Zac stops by an enoteca for a drink with a “dapper” 97-year old named Francesco.
“What better way for us to study this Blue Zone phenomenon than through the local diet?” says Zach.
Don’t miss the minestrone-eating and sheep-milking moments as the duo realize that longevity has many ingredients, especially, food made with love, communal living and a bit of walking.
“Living a life is one thing,” says Zach, thinking about his late cousin who died young. “But living disease-free is what the goal should be.”
Watch the trailer here.