In early August last year, American Elizabeth Francis reached a memorable milestone: she became the oldest living person in Texas after celebrating her 114th birthday.
“I thank God for keeping me,” the woman said after receiving the recognition, according to statements restored by CNBC.
And at the same time, she, her granddaughter and a geriatrician were unraveling how she achieved this longevity.
These are the secrets to a longer life for a 114-year-old woman.
One of the most important factors in his case is his family’s genetics, as his sister reportedly lived to be 106 years old.
His daughter is now 94 and his granddaughter and carer is 68 years old.
When Francis was asked what she ate to sustain herself, she jokingly replied, “Everything.”
However, her granddaughter Ethel Harrison said she was very careful about her diet.
“He always grew his vegetables in the backyard. I never saw her go to a fast food restaurant (…) or to all the places I liked to go. “She never did,” he explained.
Likewise, he said, “If you went to his house, no matter what day of the week, he would cook.”
“I think that had a lot to do with it too,” Harrison emphasized.
Francis also emphasized that she never smoked or drank alcohol.
For her part, geriatrician Holly Holmes explained that she “did everything right” to maintain her health.
“Things we know we need to do, such as more exercise, a better diet, a more plant-based diet, socializing, avoiding loneliness and isolation,” the doctor said.
However, beyond the factors analyzed by the scientific community, Francis expressed that his faith also helped him.
Under this point he explained that living to the age of 114 is a blessing, the blessing of the Lord.
“She is the oldest living person in Texas, number two in the United States, number seven in the world and number two in the world living at home,” says researcher Ben Myers, who studies longevity of people dedicated around the world.
