"Eat well, run well and be happy". It is the recipe for longevity of Claudio Franceschi, one of the great world experts on this subject, emeritus professor of Neurological Sciences in Bologna, author of a Lectio Magistralis at the Golinelli Opificio, on the occasion of conference "Living ageing, a multidisciplinary reflection".
For centuries man has been searching for the elixir of life, never as in this era, however, has the goal seemed close and "one hundred years as a lion" could become the motto of the new millennium. Firstly because the average age has more than doubled in a century, secondly because the mass of studies, means and interests on eternal youth has now become enormous. Today in Italy there are more than 19 centenarians, 872 people are 105 or more, 27 have already turned 110. A small army of great old men, mostly destined to leave this earth in a few days, without going through the ordeal of disabling diseases. Their curriculum is enviable: most have centenary ancestors; their biological age is less than their chronological age; managed to postpone pathologies associated with age for 20-30 years. A fortune largely written in the DNA, but this is not enough, we also need an adequate lifestyle. Franceschi and his collaborators study centenarians on a global level not only to uncover the secrets of their genome, but also to offer prospects of vitae of care even to those who are not as lucky.
Along this path they have established some very important milestones, in particular the fact that the elderly find it more difficult than young people to dispose of the "garbage" of their bodies and this, in the long run, favors a state of latent chronic inflammation, a trait common to all major disabling pathologies of age, such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, cancer or cardiovascular problems. In a sort of internal short circuit, the disease reverberates its sinister echo within the body causing it to accelerate aging.
“All age-associated chronic diseases – explains the scientist – share the same fundamental mechanisms”. This means that one day diseases can be fought as a whole and not just one at a time. A revolution. “It is no coincidence – observes Franceschi – that some medicines, indicated for a certain pathology, actually work for others as well. We will soon realize that today's 160 specialists will also have to deal with this biological reality which requires an integrated and unified vision, or rather systemic medicine".
The secret dream is therefore not only that of a long life, but also that of a long, healthy and active life. What we do and what we eat can help us: “A slice of ham or a grilled steak every now and then does not compromise our future – claims the scholar – it is instead important to have a balanced approach towards everything. In general, centenarians have not had a particularly rich diet during their life, but not too poor either, because malnutrition is the worst prerequisite for those who aspire to longevity. At the same time we must accept the idea that each of us is a singularity. There are generally valid indications, but even these must be calibrated on each individual. Some of our centenarians, based on their genome, should have become very obese, but they have avoided this drift thanks to their lifestyle. In short, there are no general principles which, when taken down to detail, cannot be corrected”.
In conclusion, even if we don't have centenarian parents, we can try to keep fit and we mustn't surrender to what is written in our DNA, because if the road is traced, we are still the ones to follow it, speeding up or slowing down, making stops and detours. Cultivating hope, why not, that science will one day guarantee us not to grow old or even die anymore. Is it a mirage without parallel in nature? "Less than you think - concludes Franceschi - the jellyfish Turritopsis Nutricula, in fact she does not age and her life would be eternal if sometimes she did not end up in the nets of some fisherman". Watch out for traps then and let's look to the future and to science with optimism and confidence.
