The world’s oldest person has died in perfect health at the age of 117. Maria Branyas Morera’s tips for a long life include avoiding toxic people and maintaining strong family ties.
Branyas, who lived in the Spanish town of Olot, was healthy apart from hearing loss and some mobility problems and had a sharp memory even in her later years, Spanish news site ABC reported. in 2023.
Despite her age, she was active on X and posted in December 2022 that she believed a person’s lifespan depends on luck and genetics.
She was right – some people are genetically predisposed to live longer. But lifestyle factors can also influence lifespan.
Thanks to greater awareness of healthy behaviors, as well as medical advances and public health initiatives, more and more people are living past the age of 65, according to a 2020 report from the U.S. Census Bureau. The Pew Research Center estimates that the number of centenarians in the U.S. will triple in the next 30 years.
Here are some of the factors that Branyas says helped her reach triple digits.
Avoid toxic people
As Business Insider previously reported, Branyas said her long life was made possible by “staying away from toxic people.”
And she may be right: A 2020 study published in Health Psychology found that people who were criticized by their partner had a higher risk of dying early — especially older adults.
LongeviQuest researcher Fabrizio Villatoro with María Branyas Morera. Thomas Williams, LongevityQuest
Have “strong” family ties
“Strong, rich and caring family ties act like a mattress that cushions loneliness,” Branyas posted on X earlier this year, adding that she is “lucky” in that regard.
Staying in touch with loved ones is linked to longer life, according to a 2023 study. It found that older people who were socially isolated because they lived alone, did not receive frequent visits from family and friends, or did not participate in group activities were up to 77% more likely to die early.
Be positive and have no regrets
Branyas posted on X in December 2022 that she was not worried and had no regrets, but was very positive.
Two centenarians who work for LongeviQuest, an organization that determines the age of the world’s oldest people, also told BI that many of the supercentenarians they met did not worry about things that were outside of their control.
And a 2023 study by researchers at the Complutense University of Madrid found that looking for the positive things in life is a common trait among centenarians.
Avoid excesses
In another post on X in 2022, Branyas said she had never been on a diet but had “always eaten little.”
Yumi Yamamoto, a centenarian expert at LongeviQuest whose great-grandmother lived to be 116, had previously told BI that the Japanese supercentenarians she had met had a balanced diet and did not eat or drink too much.
Eat yogurt every day
Yogurt has “infinitely many positive properties for the body,” Branyas posted on X in December 2022. She ate a cup of natural yogurt every day.
A 2020 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that there are no consistent links between yogurt and a lower risk of death. But dietitians often recommend eating yogurt because of its high protein content, and a 2022 study published in BMC Microbiology found that yogurt can increase the diversity of gut microbes, which has positive effects on gut health.
