LONGEVITY ACADEMY

I first met Ivo Pirisi in my first research trip to the Island of Sardinia in 2007. Ivo is a native of the place who is well acquainted with and deep in the customs of the people and the mood of the young and old residents alike. His scientific background, along with the love of tradition and cooking, make him today one of the best and most knowledgeable people, what are the reasons that may be most significant for the phenomenon of successful longevity in the mountains of Sardinia. Since that first meeting, I have led seven groups of patients and my students to Sardinia, to get to know the local people and to study the secrets of their longevity. Each time Ivo's accompaniment and knowledge were among the most important factors in making the visit special, enriching and professional. I’ve been learning and researching the concept of the blue Zones and healthy longevity since 2001. After reading books and many medical articles I had my first investigating visit to Sardinia, where I was lucky enough to meet Ivo Pirisi and his Tasting Sardinia team for the first time. Following that great learning experience, I could understand many things one can’t learn just by reading the medical data. I would be happy to have direct contact with anyone who would like to hear from me about Ivo Pirisi and his skills (ofir-vogel-naturopath.co.il/אודות-אופיר-פוגל/).

As the study abroad program manager at Brigham Young University, I found the Longevity Academy with Ivo Pirisi to be the best academic experience possible in Sardinia. It is perfectly designed for a short-term study abroad group with rich interpersonal experiences with locals, insights and hands-on experiences like organic farming and cheesemaking, and living local customs and cultures that influence longevity and wellness. It would serve as an awesome field-trip for a course on your campus, a stand-alone study abroad program of its own, or a short-term visit to pair with other European study abroad visits. Our guide was Ivo Pirisi, a renaissance man of many skills, interests, and academic backgrounds. He was both highly professional and personal. His special touch was on everything we experienced, and it was all organized perfectly. He introduced us to other locals, scholars, and artisans, who helped to reinforce the themes of our experience. Ivo organized all our accommodations, some charming, some basic, all appropriate. He also organized for us meal after mouth-watering meal – all included in our package trip cost. Change your life, go to Sardinia – a different culture, a different place from Italy and the other Mediterranean nations. It is the heart of the Mediterranean.

We had the most magical tour of Sardinia thanks to Dr. Ivo Pirisi and the Tasting Sardinia Longevity Academy. I couldn’t have dreamt of a more perfect trip! We felt more like Family than tourists. What a treat it was to be invited into the homes of so many lovely local villagers for hands-on cooking classes. We covered it all, bread baking, fresh pasta, cheese making out in the field with Shepard’s. No Sardinian stone was left unturned. As a chef and restaurant owner, Culinary Travel has always been a passion of mine, especially traveling to the Blue Zones of the world. I have been fortunate to take many tours during my life but my time in Sardinia and with Dr. Ivo and the Tasting Sardinia Longevity Academy was my favorite by far. We were shown a side of Sardinia that we’d never get to see on our own. I can’t wait to go back and pick up where we left off!