The death of the oldest woman in world, Maria Brañas Morera, at the age of 117, has once again drawn attention to the question of the secrets of longevity. Morera herself believed that her long life was due to “order, tranquility, good relations with family and friends, closeness to nature, emotional stability, the absence of worries and regrets, and avoiding toxic people.” However, scientists warn against taking such advice directly.
This was reported by URA-Inform, citing The Guardian.
Professor of biogerontology at the University of Brighton Richard Faragher explains that scientific explanations for longevity are still a subject of debate. There are two main theories. The first is that long-livers are simply lucky, and their lifestyle is not necessarily a determining factor in their longevity.
“The fact that someone has survived smoking 60 cigarettes a day does not mean that smoking is good for them,” Faragher notes.
The second theory is that centenarians have special genetic characteristics that allow them to live longer. So longevity may have more to do with genetics than lifestyle.
Faragher concludes:
“Never take health and lifestyle advice from centenarians. They often do not exercise, their diet may be unhealthy, and some even smoke.”
David Sinclair, director of the International Longevity Centre, stresses that at the population level, the main factors contributing to increased life expectancy are improved health care, hygiene, vaccinations and access to clean water. However, he warns that a long life does not always bring happiness, as centenarians often face loneliness and other difficulties.
We also wrote about which foods are best to avoid during breakfast.