The Roseto Effect
In the 1880's people from Roseto Valfortore a small village in Southern Italy immigrated to the United States. They ended up in Eastern Pennsylvania where they found work in the Slate Mines. They built their own town on the side of a mountain and eventually named it after their homeland.
Roseto Pennsylvania was born.
Fast forward to the 1960's. A doctor serving the town shared with another doctor that no one in the town seemed to have any heart disease. The next thing you know, doctors descended upon the town to study the people.
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Roseto, Valfortore, Italy
The first thing they studied was the obvious: the diet. But, what they found when they studied the Rosetan diet was contrary to their beliefs. Even though they grew wonderful gardens, they ate a lot of salted, cured meats, fatty cheeses, food fried in lard,(no olive oil being imported back then!) were overweight and they smoked and drank... YET, they were healthy and happy!
People in this town lived 3 generations under one roof. They lived a community centered, church centered, family centered life. People spent time together, stopped and talked on their porches or while walking down the street. There was a true sense of community and belonging. No one was ever alone. They found that the Rosetans were nourished by each other.
Roseto, PA was built based on the traditions and values and way of life from their heritage and faith lived in their homeland- Roseto Valfortore Italy. Many other Rosetan immigrants built very similar communities in towns like Akron and Cleveland Ohio, Washington DC and in Toronto, Canada, but none were quite a unified community like that in Roseto, PA.
"The Roseto Effect is the phenomenon by which a close-knit community experiences a reduced rate of heart disease." BUT when you think about it...isn't it more than just that?
It is also lower incidences of other diseases, less mental health issues, less broken families, less crime, more love and support from family and friends, less loneliness and more attention. Isn't this what we all crave?
Doesn't that just simply equal ---happiness?
Dorina's Kitchen is reviving the Roseto Effect with cooking classes, trips to Italy and our Back to the Table Movement. Learn traditional ways to improve the quantity and quality of your relationships and enhance all the aspects of each day. Be inspired! Let's work together to all live longer, healthier, happier lives!
Remember ....It's not JUST what we eat... but how we eat it. TOGETHER.
That's where community starts. First within the home, then outside.
When the cornerstone and foundation are set, the whole building is stronger.
SO.... if you want to come with me to Roseto... see what it's like to live in an authentic village on a trip that will truly change your life... just click on the Italy Trips link above! You won't be sorry!
Love, Dorina
Visit Roseto
Valfortore, Italy
Take a
Cooking Class
