Column #389     February 10, 2023

Recently the world’s oldest woman died. Lucile Randon, known as Sister André, was born in the town of Ales, southern France, on Feb. 11, 1904. She was 118 years old. The oldest living person in the world, currently listed by the Gerontology Research Group, is now American-born Maria Branyas Morera, who is living in Spain, and is 115.¹

What are our chances of reaching 100 years of age? In the United States there’s about 1.7 centurions per 100 people. Women make up more than 80% of the centurions. The odds are not uniform for the whole country. In some states folks age way better than in others.²

There are numerous steps in living longer—none of which require government assistance. What longevity requires is independent thinking, the ability to do one’s own thing, and maybe have the right parents. Before getting into some of the details such as avoiding stress, getting enough sleep, and a good diet, it’s thought that maybe the trait most centurions have in common is that they follow established routines. Amazingly some of their habits may not even be good ones, but routines seem to play an important role in their longevity.³

Of course, most experts say the most important thing to longevity is a healthy diet. And every website that ranks high in the search engines about diet and longevity recommend basically the same thing. That is that animal proteins should be eaten in moderation whereby fruits and vegetables (which include whole grains) should be the mainstays of the diet. But there isn’t an expert on the planet who can explain why red and processed meats cause harm!

If you think about it, humans are red-meat animals. That means our nutrient profiles replicate that of other red-meat animals. That makes sense because for millions of years humans thrived by eating other animals and very little vegetation. Yes, they always ate some vegetation, but the idea that humans lived in Gardens of Eden where vegetation was always just ripe for the eating is total hogwash. So, if edible vegetation was scarce, what wasn’t scarce was animals which is why humans became apex predators.⁴

There is one aspect of food that can be harmful. Anytime a fresh food is processed it can be contaminated with harmful substances. This is true of products made with grain, fruit, vegetables, and meat. Additionally, it’s believed that the two most prevalent food groups negatively affected by over cooking are starchy foods and meat. But the connection between charred food and increased cancer risk is not proven for certain. So burnt food causing cancer might be a myth just as a century of believing that saturated animal fats caused clogging of the arteries.^{5 6}

Another aspect few “experts” address is the actual nutrient and toxin loads that are in various foods. For instance, maybe only 5% of all plants are edible. Many “edible” plant-type foods must be cooked to remove toxins! On the other hand, more than 95% of all animals are safe to eat—raw. Josh Bloom wrote an article for The American Council on Science and Health titled “99.99% Of the Pesticides We Eat Are Made by Plants.” Well, it’s a scientific fact that plants make toxins but very few animals are toxic.^{7 8}

The bottom line is that eating grass-fed, Omega-3, and wild-caught meat and seafood properly prepared is most likely the healthiest food man can ingest. Second best are modest helpings of some low carbohydrate foods and selected fruit. But once again, it seems routine can actually trump these selections. Some of the eating habits of centurions are appalling. Some had daily rituals of consuming alcohol or soft drinks. Some ate ice cream every day they lived. Some were almost exclusive meat eaters while others were vegetarians.

Based on the variety of what centurions ate and drank for most of their lives, maybe all of the other recommended steps for a long life are just as blurred. That means there is no simple formula that guarantees we’ll live to 100. In spite of that, below is a brief review of the most recommended steps for a long life. Generally they work, which is supported by the variation from state to state in the odds of reaching 100. Additionally, the longevity statistics from the states compare favorably with the statistics for obesity. Thin people live longer as well as those with family histories of longevity.

Here’s a list of suggestions for “How to Live to Be 100 Years Old” by Chris M. Matsko, MD from Wiki How. He broke them down into groupings.⁹

Extending your Life with Healthy Living
●    Exercise.
●    Get an annual checkup.
●    Don’t gamble with your life by using illegal drugs.
●    Go easy on alcohol consumption.
●    Don’t smoke, and if you do, quit.
●    Wear appropriate safety gear.
●    Limit your exposure to toxic substances.
●    Avoid exhaustion by getting enough sleep.

Nourish Your Body to Last 100 Years
●    He listed six steps that are typical woke claptrap about nutrition that I have already addressed.

Having a Low-Stress 100 Years
●    Enjoy your 100 or more years of life.
●    Keep in touch with those you love.
●    Relax.

Another site that had some really good suggestions was titled “9 Secrets to Live to 100" from Black Doctor. Here’s how he listed them in order of importance.¹⁰
●    Surround Yourself with Like-minded People
●    Go to Church, Temple, or Mosque
●    Cultivate a Sense of Community
●    Walk…DAILY
●    Take a Placebo Once Per Day
●    Have Sex—Lots Of It¹¹
●    Never Give Up Your Purpose
●    Grow & Eat from Your Own Garden
●    Sleep In and Take Naps

I think some of the worst situations that shorten lives are stress, loneliness, depression, and unhealthy lifestyles. Being around people who cause stress will certainly shorten your life. Some of the best habits for longevity involve social and loving connections, having a purpose for living, nutritious food, proper rest, exercise, having pets and hobbies, playing games, and being involved with others.

Looking into the future, scientists have shown that a longer life might also involve young blood. “Young blood has a rejuvenating effect when infused into older bodies, according to recent research: Aging hearts beat stronger, muscles become stronger, and thinking becomes sharper.” You never know, maybe in time reaching 100 will be commonplace.¹²

To your health.

Ted Slanker

Ted Slanker has been reporting on the fundamentals of nutritional research in publications, television and radio appearances, and at conferences since 1999. He condenses complex studies into the basics required for health and well-being. His eBook, The Real Diet of Man, is available online.

For additional reading:

1. World’s Oldest Known Person, a French Nun, Dies at 118 by The Associated Press from ABC News

2. What Are the Odds of Living to 100? from Discover the odds

3. People Who Live Past Age 100 Often Have One Trait in Common: a Penchant for Routine, Even Unhealthy Ones by Anna Medaris from Insider

4. Were Humans Ever Apex Predators? by Ted Slanker

5. LDL A & B by Ted Slanker

6. Burnt Food and Carcinogens: What You Need to Know from Dana Farber Cancer Institute

7. 99.99% Of the Pesticides We Eat Are Made by Plants by Josh Bloom from The American Council on Science and Health

8. Plants vs. Plant Eaters by Ted Slanker

9. How to Live to Be 100 Years Old by Chris M. Matsko, MD from Wiki How

10. Nine Secrets to Live to 100 from Black Doctor

11. Viagra and Heart Disease by Ted Slanker

12. Will Revitalizing Old Blood Slow Aging? from Columbia University Irving Medical Center