The animal kingdom has a lot to say about the things that can keep us alive longer than we deserve. Take the story of the longest living trapdoor spider, who survived in the Australian outback to the ripe age of 43. Her secret? She stayed in her same burrow for her entire life and subsisted on an austere diet of small insects she would ambush via one of her trap door entrances.
Or, consider the Greenland shark–the longest living vertebrate known to science, capable of living up to 500 years. The Greenland shark cruises the depths of the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, preferring to subsist in near-freezing waters where it can keep its metabolism slow. Its diet consists of cold water fish such as cod, herring, salmon and halibut. It has also been known to scavenge the carcasses of marine mammals, including seals and whales. Importantly, it prefers a slow and deliberate hunting style–relying primarily on its keen sense of smell–which allows it to conserve energy.
Some humans have learned to embrace the slow and simple lives of the longevity champions of the animal kingdom. For instance, the famous “blue zone” research, conducted by Dan Buettner and Sam Skemp, which studied regions with the highest concentration of centenarians (people who live to 100 or beyond), found that lifestyle plays a critical role in longevity and overall health. These areas share common habits that contribute to longer, healthier lives, including:
- Diet. People in blue zones eat predominantly plant-based, with an emphasis on vegetables, beans, whole grains, and nuts. Meat is eaten sparingly, often as a small portion in meals. Foods are minimally processed and often locally sourced.
- Regular physical activity. Daily, natural movement is important, such as walking, gardening, or other non-sedentary tasks. Exercise is not typically formal but embedded into daily routines.
- Strong social connections. Family and community bonds are prioritized, and people actively participate in social networks that support one another emotionally and practically.
- Sense of purpose. Known as ikigai in Japan and plan de vida in Costa Rica, having a reason to wake up every day contributes to mental and emotional health.
- Stress reduction. People in blue zones incorporate daily rituals to reduce stress, like prayer, naps, or time with loved ones.
- Faith or spiritual practices. Many centenarians belong to faith-based communities, which provide a sense of belonging and regular practices that reduce stress.
- Environment. Environments in these areas encourage movement and social interaction. Access to nature and limited exposure to harmful influences, like pollution or high crime, contribute to well-being.
While blue zone research may offer longevity’s most tried and true playbook, others have found their own way to make it to 100 years old. Here are a few stories that prove that there’s more than one lifestyle that can make a centenarian.
Jeanne Calment – The World’s Oldest Person
The daily routine of France’s Jeanne Calment, the world’s longest-living verified person at 122 years old, went something like this: She requested to be woken up at 6:45 a.m. each day by nursing home staff and began her mornings with prayer. Seated in her armchair, she would do light exercises, wearing a stereo headset. Her routine included stretching and flexing her hands and legs. For breakfast, she typically had coffee with milk and rusks.
She washed herself independently using a flannel cloth rather than taking a shower. After breakfast, she cleaned her own breakfast dishes before heading to lunch. She had a preference for braised beef and was not fond of boiled fish. She enjoyed dessert with every meal and often remarked that she would prefer fried or spicy foods over the plain options provided. She made her own fruit salads daily, usually with bananas and oranges, and had a particular fondness for chocolate, sometimes consuming up to two pounds in a week. Following her meal, she would have a small glass of port wine and smoke a cigarette.
In the afternoons, she took a two-hour nap in her armchair before visiting neighbors in the care home to share the latest news she had heard on the radio. In the evenings, she ate a quick dinner, returned to her room, and listened to music since her poor eyesight made it difficult to read. She ended her day with one last cigarette before going to bed at 10 p.m.
Violet Brown – Lived To 117 Years Young
Violet Brown, who reached the age of 117, was the first known Jamaican centenarian. She had six children, four of which were still living at the time of her death (Jeanne Calment had only one child). Her diet was varied but she stayed away from chicken, pork and rum–commenting in an interview with the Jamaican Gleaner, “I don’t eat dem tings.”
She also attributes her longevity to her habit of eating three eggs per day, two of them raw.
George Johnson – American, Male, 112
Leave it to an American to live to 112 on a diet that would strike fear in most nutritionists. Supercentenarian George Johnson of Richmond, California–at one point, California’s oldest living person–ate sausage and waffles everyday for breakfast and sometimes for lunch or dinner too. Somehow, all that cholesterol never caught up with him. He died of pneumonia in 2006.
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