Many strive to live a long life, but there are very few that have been able to achieve it like the supercentenarians. These people live to be 110 years old or even older! It is known that there have been about 1,500 supercentenarians reported in history, 28 of them still living now and all of them being women. There are a few questions that must be asked: What traits do all of these people have in common? Does long life depend just on genetics? Why is it that women seem to live longer? Let’s explore.
What traits do the supercentenarians have in common?
- They age much slower than the rest of the population. When they are 50, they may look 30.
- Most of them live in or around the Blue Zones of the world: Sardinia, Italy, Okinawa, Japan, Ikaria, Greece, Loma Linda, California, and Nicoya, Costa Rica.
- They live by the “Power 9” lifestyle habits:
1. Move Naturally – They do work that requires physical movement such as gardening rather than lifting weights or other styles or methods of “working out.”
2. Purpose – They make sure to have a self-identified purpose for waking up in the morning.
3. Down Shift – They have ways to alleviate stress and therefore decrease inflammation that can cause aging. They may take regular naps, honor their ancestors, pray, or even enjoy a happy hour.
4. 80% Rule – They only eat until they are 80% full and don’t eat their biggest meal for dinner.
5. Inner Circle – They have a strong and supportive social circle.
6. Loved Ones First – They put their family first and keep them close by. They invest their time and effort into a life partner and their children.
7. Belong – They are a part of a faith-based community or spirituality.
8. Wine @ 5 – They drink moderately and regularly (one glass of wine at night with dinner).
9. Plant Slant – They eat meat in smaller portions and less frequency, only about 1-2 a week. They have beans and vegetables as a staple in their diet.
Does long life depend on genetics?
According to an article in the Scientific American, genetics play 20-30% of the part in determining someone’s life-span.
Why are most/all supercentenarians women?
There is no clear answer yet, but an article from Science Daily suggests that it has to do with how sex hormones like testosterone and estrogen affect stem cell aging.
Living to be 110 years old or older depends on a mix of different lifestyle choices and also having the genetic luck. Most people may not hit 110 years old or even 100 years old, but incorporating as many of the “Power 9” into our daily life as possible is a way to extend our life-expectancy. Stress can cause detrimental effects on the body, so working towards stress management and alleviation is the best thing one can do to improve quality and their length of life. At the end of the day, many may not aspire to live as long as these “superhumans,” but aspiring to live a better quality life is just as important.
WellPath Partners is your senior resource referral guide. Follow us on ALL social media platforms and join us weekly for more content and public health discussions.
By: Leila Lagandaon
Placement Coordinator at WellPath Partners
B.S. in Health Science, California State University, Long Beach
