Blue Zones Travel Episode Destination Sardinia

This episode is a dream come true for me producing a show that combines my two series, "The New 100 Longevity Campaign" and my national travel TV show "Travel Time with Linda",

You see, I was in pre-production for season three of my travel series at the time when the pandemic hit. I was planning to showcase the world’s most beautiful geothermal hot springs around the globe all of which have incredible health benefits as season three’s show theme.

Geothermal water contains 15 different minerals—boron, calcium, chloride, sodium, sulfate, lithium, potassium, magnesium, manganese, iron, silica, zinc, fluoride, phosphate and nitrogen—each one possessing unique healing qualities.

I was writing the season’s first show episode to take place at Sarasota County, North Port Florida; the actual location of Ponce-de Leon’s famous “Fountain of Youth” at Big Salt Springs/Little Salt Springs which are the only hot springs in all of Florida.

But alas, with travel “indefinitely postponed” so was my national Travel TV show and that is why I created my Longevity series, a topic that was a side hobby for me, which could be shot from the comfort of my own home while quarantining.

It was my way of making lemonade out of lemons and in retrospect I am so happy and grateful I did because creating The New 100 Longevity Campaign has been extremely rewarding for me.

Last season I had the pleasure of interviewing Blue Zones Founder, Dr. Michel Poulain, who stamped the first Blue Zone region in Sardinia back in 2000 outlining in blue ink its epicenter of longevity in the region of Ogliastra, hence the name where “Blue Zone” originated.  Later he went on to discover several more centenarian Blue Zone regions in cooperation with Gianni Pes and Dan Buettner.

What was not largely publicized however is the population in this Sardinian Blue Zone region, the centenarian men live as long as its centenarian women.  Not only does this not occur in any other Blue Zone region it does not occur anywhere else in the world!

Do I have your attention?  I know it got mine because as you may know, women globally outlive men on average by about six years, so it was very important for me to further investigate this phenomenon.

I had the incredible opportunity to do just that this summer and with the expert help and guidance of Ana Canelada, a local resident and Blue Zones expert, I explore the region like it’s never been showcased before with some very interesting findings. I’m so excited to share my Blue Zones “sequel episode” with all of you and I look forward to hearing your feedback!