Rethinking Wellbeing with Dr Ingrid Yang & Irene Forte

There has never been more information about how to live well. New research, emerging technologies and a growing focus on longevity continue to reshape the wellbeing landscape, yet many of the strongest ideas share something in common: they're remarkably simple.

Speaking with longevity physician Dr Ingrid Yang and Irene Forte, Wellness Consultant for Rocco Forte Hotels and founder of Irene Forte Skincare, it quickly becomes clear that lasting wellbeing isn't built around one breakthrough or one perfect routine. Instead, both point towards the cumulative impact of everyday habits, from the way we move and to how we connect with others.

It's a conversation that they will continue at Alma by ANÍMA wellness festival, taking place at Verdura Resort in Sicily this September.

Longevity in motion

Through her work with ANÍMA, Dr Ingrid has studied communities across Sicily where many people live well into their nineties while maintaining their physical health and cognitive function.

"For these groups, walking is transportation, not exercise. The afternoon pause is not self-care; it's just an ordinary Tuesday. Food is grown close by and prepared by someone you know, and meals take long enough for conversation to happen."

Long before they became the focus of scientific research, these everyday habits were simply part of life in these communities. Habits that highlight “activities of daily living” — the steady movement that comes from walking to the market, tending a garden or climbing the same stairs every day. It's this continuous activity we often underestimate.

Weaving movement naturally into daily life is also essential for Irene, who suggests that staying active is at its most meaningful when it's combined with discovery: "The combination of culture with movement makes you feel well, because culture ultimately enriches you. Even something simple such as sightseeing through walking or cycling can be extremely beneficial."

While movement often provides the starting point, Irene believes it's the feeling of belonging that leaves the greatest impression. Whether guests arrive at Verdura Resort with friends or embark on a solo wellness journey, the shared activities — and the warmth of the people around them — help create an environment where everyone feels welcome. As she puts it, "Even if you're coming here to do a wellness programme on your own, you've got all the team talking to you and making you feel like you're part of a community.”

Wellness from within

Nutrition has long been recognised as fundamental to resilience, but experts are now discovering that how we eat can be just as important as what we eat.

According to Dr Ingrid, digestive health is one of the most exciting frontiers in the science of ageing. "The microbiome is not separate from longevity; it is one of its primary architects,” she explains, pointing to evidence linking the gut with immunity and inflammation.

Equally important are the rituals that surround food. "The table in Sicilian culture is the place where time slows down in a way it does almost nowhere else, where generations actually meet, where food becomes something other than fuel and the act of eating becomes a kind of confirmation that you are present, and that your presence matters." Eating together in a state of rest aids digestion while strengthening the relationships linked to long-term vitality.

This thinking also guides Irene's approach who prioritises making time to gather with family and follows a Mediterranean diet. She sees nutrition reflected in the health of the skin: "Sugar is a killer for skin," adding that excess sugar contributes to glycation, while eating seasonally, and increasing omega-rich foods and fibre, helps support the body's largest organ.

The new fundamentals

Today's ever-evolving landscape is rich with advice and innovation, but with so many voices, it becomes harder to distinguish between evidence and enthusiasm.

For Irene, diagnostics have an important role to play, but they've become overshadowed by an increasingly crowded wellness market: "A lot of people are taking supplements that haven't been clinically tested, without even knowing whether their body needs them." Instead, she extols the basics done well: regular movement, building muscle and protecting sleep.

Despite travelling frequently for work and raising two young children, she still aims to get to bed early whenever possible, considering quality sleep one of the foundations of her own wellbeing.

Dr Ingrid reaches a similar conclusion: "Move your body regularly, eat mostly whole foods, sleep enough, maintain close relationships, find something that gives your days meaning. That is not a protocol. It is a life."

Hear from Dr Ingrid Yang and Irene Forte in person at Alma by ANÍMA, taking place at Verdura Resort from 17–20 September, where they will join an inspirational line-up of experts exploring the future of holistic wellbeing.