In 1995, the world's oldest inhabitant - a 120-year-old woman living in Arles in Provence - gave a television interview. During the course of the interview she attributed her incredible longevity to three principal factors:

* She used only olive oil for cooking, flavoring, marinating, etc.

* She drank red wine every day

* She gave up smoking at the age of 117!

This charming (and completely true) story illustrates very effectively something that has come to be known as The French Paradox.

Basically, the French Paradox can be stated as follows:

As a nation, the French eat more than anyone else, drink more than anyone else, smoke more than most people, have more liver, kidney and gastro-intestinal problems than their UK/ US counterparts - yet also tend to live longer and have one third fewer deaths from heart disease!

And this phenomenon is even more apparent in the South of France than anywhere else!

So.....why?

Dieticians and nutritionists have been mulling over this question for some time. They have conducted all manner of tests and trials, and have come to the conclusion that the secret to a long and healthy life resides in three factors:

• Olive oil
• Fresh fruit and vegetables
• Red wine!

It would appear to be the combination of these three elements that is responsible for the long and healthy lives of people living in the southern Mediterranean area.

Let's look at each of these factors in turn:

Olive Oil:

As you drive down through France - through the great wine-producing regions of Champagne, Burgundy and Beaujolais - you are also moving, slowly but irrevocably, from the land of butter and cream to the land of olives and olive oil.

Dieticians and nutritionists believe that the single overriding factor in the low rate of heart disease and other cardiological disorders in the communities living around the Mediterranean is the increased use of olive oil for cooking, dressing salads and flavoring food.

It is a medically proven fact that those countries and regions where olives and olive oil are used extensively - e.g. Greece, Spain, southern Italy, southern France - have a much lower incidence of heart disease and other cardiovascular complaints than the rest of Europe.

Doctors say that in order to reduce bad cholesterol we should try to ensure that at least 15 per cent - and preferably more - of our daily calorific intake comes from monounsaturated fatty acids. Olive oil has higher levels of these acids than any other naturally produced product, so replacing butter, margarine and other animal oils with olive oil is an excellent way of achieving this minimum 15%.

Olive oil also stimulates the metabolism, lubricates mucous membrane and helps in the treatment of peptic ulcers, constipation, heartburn and stomach upsets.

So....the first step in our quest for a new, healthy lifestyle is to get rid of all our butter, butter substitutes, margarine, lard, animal fats, etc. - and get ourselves some good-quality olive oil!

The finest olive oil - the huile d'olive vierge, produit naturel, 1ere pression a froid ( virgin olive oil, natural product, first cold press) is the olive oil with the finest flavor and the highest pedigree: in other words, the connoisseur's choice.

It's the natural acidity of the final product that determines its "virgin" status. Oil with an acidity of less than 0.8 per cent can proudly boast the "extra virgin" label. It seems that oils with an acidity of between 0.8 per cent and 2 per cent are just everyday, common-or-garden virgins!

This lighter, less richly flavored olive oil is perfectly suitable for frying, sautéing, etc. But for salad dressings, marinades and last-minute flavoring of dishes, it is always best to use first-pressed, extra-virgin olive oil. This is certainly the "queen" of the olive oil family, and has a superior scent and flavor all its own.

It is also extra-virgin olive oil which, because it is subjected to less processing, contains the highest levels of antioxidants, particularly vitamin E and phenols.

So, to recap, two excellent (and immediate) ways to start to lessen the risk of heart disease are:

i) reduce the amount of animal fat and dairy produce in your diet; and

ii) replace saturated fat as far as possible with mono- unsaturated fat - in other words, with olive oil.

Fresh Fruit & Vegetables:

There is considerable medical evidence to show that a high intake of fresh fruit and vegetables can protect us against many of the world's most feared diseases: heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, cataracts and certain cancers (particularly those of the stomach, pancreas, oesophagus, bladder and bowel).

Fresh fruit and vegetables contain significant amounts of potassium, antioxidants and fibre. Tomatoes in particular are rich in antioxidants, while garlic is as effective as olive oil in reducing amounts of "bad" cholesterol and increasing amounts of "good" cholesterol in our blood stream

It's surely no coincidence that both garlic and tomatoes figure so prominently in the Provençal diet!

It is estimated that the average Provençal diet contains as much as 60 per cent more vegetables than the average US and UK diet, and that during an average lifetime a person in Provence will consume twice as much fresh fruit than their US/ UK counterparts.

Furthermore, a Provençal cook will invariably under-cook vegetables, ensuring that valuable minerals and proteins are not lost during the cooking process.

So why not follow the Provençal example and try just lightly cooking your vegetables - steaming them, perhaps, or cooking them very briefly in the microwave - and then tossing them lightly in extra virgin olive oil, with perhaps a sprinkling of fresh herbs?

And don't use too much salt!

Red Wine:

There is also well-established between red wine and the absence of heart disease. Although an excessive intake of alcohol is never beneficial, and can lead to a whole range of medical and social disorders, people who drink wine in moderation tend to have a lower risk of heart disease than people who drink excessively or who don't drink at all!

Yes, that's right. Scientific studies have demonstrated that, purely from a health and fitness point of view, it's far better to drink a glass of wine (preferably red wine) a day than to abstain completely.

(Is this good news or what?)

This is because a moderate intake of red wine actually lowers our blood sugar levels and inhibits the body's production of insulin. It also contains the compound Resveratrol which has powerful antioxidant and cardioprotectant properties, protecting us against the production of cell-damaging free radicals.

So there!

Another significant difference between US/UK and French habits is that on the whole the French tend to drink while they are eating.

In the US and the UK the normal practice is to come home from work, have a quick evening meal and then go out drinking - mostly beer and spirits.

In France, people still tend to eat more formally, with the whole family sitting around the table for a long, leisurely meal accompanied by a glass or two of local wine. This is considered a much healthier practice, and much less conducive to stress/ anxiety/ tension/ etc. - apart, of course, from being an extremely enjoyable activity in its own right!

The recommendation, therefore, is to spend a bit more time with your partner or family, eating healthy food and wine, rather than gulping down a ready-cooked meal that's probably full of salt and saturated fat, just so you can spend an extra few minutes at the local pub or bar!

The Best Cooking In The World?

And that, basically, is what the French Paradox is all about: harnessing the natural eating and drinking habits of southern France in order to create a new, healthier lifestyle that will significantly reduce the risk of heart disease and hopefully add many more years to your life.

And the bonus is that, if you do decide to follow this new and healthier lifestyle, you will almost certainly lose weight as a natural development and automatic consequence of your actions.

Surely, it's got to be worth a try!

For what it's worth, I genuinely believe that the cooking of Provence is the lightest, tastiest, most colourful, most elegant and above all healthiest cooking in the world.

Why do I say this?

Well, just think about it for a moment .....

No cream ....no butter .... no flour .... no heavy sauces .... very little red meat .... very few dairy products ....

And lots and lots and lots of fresh fruit .... fresh vegetables .... fresh herbs .... fresh fish and seafood .... lean cuts of poultry and game .... light reductions of wine and stock - and everything marinated in, cooked in, drizzled with and flavoured with extra-virgin olive oil (with a cholesterol level of nil!).

You can certainly lose weight, stay slim and healthy and - who knows? - maybe even live longer by harnessing the secrets of the French Paradox.

Really, what more is there to say?

If you are interested in finding out more information about the French Paradox, this is a good place to start: