They were born in the days when it was rare to meet a car light bulb and the telephone, and they’re still alive. One of these centenarians is, for example, Richard Overton, 112-year-old resident of Texas. As a prescription of his longevity, he calls the 12 cigars and four glasses of whiskey a day.
The UN estimates that in 2012 lived in the world 316600 people older than 100 years, and by 2050, these centenarians will be around 3.2 million. In General, according to UN estimates, by 2050, 20% of the population will be over 65.
Journalists American website A Place for Mom conducted a survey of 100 centenarians, who passed for 100 years to find out what they think the secret of his longevity. As it turned out, not in all cases, these people live a healthy lifestyle and adhere to a healthy diet. If a quarter of centenarians claimed that the secret of longevity to healthy eating, more (29%) advised not to listen to recommendations on this matter.
As for physical activity, only 21% of centenarians said that exercise regularly and lead an active lifestyle. While some respondents claimed that the activity, healthy diet and family relationships help them to live longer, others talked about a completely different way of life. 16% drink alcohol regularly, while 12% do not drink alcohol.
Zhann Kalman, who died in 1997 at age 122 years, been married 46 years, and then another 55 years to live alone. She believes the secret of his longevity olive oil, wine, cigarettes and chocolate.
Richard Overton, a veteran of the Second world war and the oldest man in the United States, a recipe for your longevity believes ice cream, cigars and Bourbon whiskey.
Emma Morano, 117-year-old Italian claimed to live to her age, she was helped by the fact that she once kicked her husband, and then never married.
Among other recipes of the surveyed centenarians called sweet donuts, 30 cigarettes a day, 5-7 push-UPS a day or a pint of beer. Called centenarians and sexual relationships. 103-year-old Italian Vincenzo Baratta claims that his secret to longevity: eat only once a day and a lot of women.
Elizabeth Sullivan, at the age of 104, tells of his conversation with the doctor: I went to the doctor, and he asks me: do You care about what you eat? And I said of Course not, I drink three bottles of Dr. pepper a day (carbonated soft drink). And he said to me: Oh my God, there’s too much sugar! You will die if you continue to drink it. But after 10 years he died, and I had to find another doctor. And I still drink three bottles of Dr. pepper a day, and people are still telling me that it’s bad, but you know not very many people live to be 104.
American gerontologist, Dr David Demko claims that longevity is due to our genetics and lifestyle, but what is more important is still the subject of debate.
It is now recognized that genetic risk factors play role in 25%, and lifestyle factors 75%, and this ratio ranges, as are new studies on reducing risks of morbidity and mortality. Whatever the precise correlation of these factors, it is obvious that the secret of longevity is not confined simply to such factors as genetics or luck, says Demko.
Dmitry Kolesnik