We’d all like to live longer, happier lives. But how do you make it to 100 or even 110 years old? These super-centenarians reveal the lifestyle habits that helped them reach their impressive birthday milestones.
Alida Victoria Grubba Rudge, a native of Brazil, lived to the age of 113—and stayed sharp as a tack. She credited playing cards and enjoying a daily brain teaser puzzle. Born in 1903, she also advised people to have regular checkups at the doctor and enjoy a glass of wine before dinner. Cheers to you, Mrs. Rudge!
The fabulous Susannah Mushatt Jones once held the title of “world’s oldest living person.” At 116, she claimed that a simple life without alcohol or cigarettes helped her stay spry well into her 11thdecade. But Ms. Jones loved bacon—and surprisingly, lacy lingerie. She also said that one way to stay young was to remain single. It seems to have worked for her!
Agnes Fenton was once advised by her doctor to drink three beers a day. So she did, every day for 70 years! She chased her Miller High Life with a shot of scotch, and the drinking didn’t seem to do her much harm. She lived to be 112 years old.
Jeanne Calment holds the record for the longest human lifespan ever recorded. She lived to be an astounding 122 years old. She enjoyed chocolate, port wine, and cigarettes. Mrs. Calment also stayed active well into her long life, taking up fencing in her 80s and riding her bicycle until she was 100. She passed away in 1997, but it sounds like she had a heck of a life.
Pearl Cantrell discovered the fountain of youth, and it is delicious. She said that bacon is the secret to making it past 100. “I love bacon,” she said. “I eat it every day. It’s got to be crispy. I don’t feel as old as I am. That’s all I can say.”
Spain’s oldest living person, Ana Vela Rubio, was born in 1901. Her daughter says that Mrs. Rubio’s kind heart and cheerful attitude have kept her mother going. Her mother “always sought the best for us [and] made us happy.”
Emma Morano, born in 1899, has said that being single is the main reason she has lived such a long life. She left her abusive husband in 1938 and has never regretted staying on her own. “I didn’t want to be dominated by anyone,” she said.
As far as her diet, the Italian super-centenarian eats two raw eggs a day—plus the occasional cookie—but avoids meat.
