Longevity Quotes & Longevity Secrets of Super-Centenarians: Daily Habits for a Long and Healthy Life
- Anca Alexandra Pasareanu
- Oct 19
- 7 min read
Contents
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Lessons in Longevity from the World’s Oldest Voices
We often think of longevity as a matter of luck—a genetic lottery where some win the right combination of DNA, and the rest of us make do. Genetics matter, of course. But when we listen closely to those who have lived past 110—or even 120—a different picture emerges from super-centenarian longevity tips.
Their wisdom doesn’t come from medical studies or wellness trends. It comes in small, deceptively simple daily habits for a long life: eat less, smile more, keep learning, don’t take yourself too seriously. The words are small, but the impact is enormous.
These aren’t prescriptions. They feel like reminders whispered by grandparents who’ve lived long enough to know what really matters.
Here’s a curated collection of wisdom from some of the world’s longest-lived people—super‑centenarians who often lived past 110—and their healthy lifestyle tips from centenarians, shared below.
Daily Habits for a Long Life: Wisdom from Super-Centenarians
Long Life Advice from Jeanne Calment (age 122)
“Always keep your smile.”
“Everything’s fine.”
Long life advice Jeanne Calment emphasized light-heartedness, optimism, and the simple joys of daily life. She credited her long life to staying active, enjoying chocolate, olive oil, and maintaining a sense of humour.
Centenarian Diet and Moderation with Jiroemon Kimura (age 116)
“Eat less and live long.”
He focused on centenarian diet and moderation, saying he never ate until full and enjoyed a slow, measured lifestyle. Daily routines, discipline, and family connections were central to his longevity.
Healthy Lifestyle Tips from Other Centenarians
Nabi Tajima (age 117)
“Eat and sleep and you will live a long time, you have to learn to relax.”
Tajima highlighted balance—proper nutrition, rest, and the ability to let go of stress were key elements in her approach to life.
George Burns (age 100)
“Avoiding worry, stress, and tension.”
He attributed his long life to laughter, positivity, and not taking life too seriously—humor as medicine.
Gladys Rollins (age 100)
"Stay active, avoid smoking, moderate alcohol consumption, and maintain a healthy diet."
JoCleta Wilson (age 100)
"Stay busy to keep mentally and physically sharp."
Miriam Banister (age 111)
"Attributed her longevity to 'simple foods, avoidance of overeating and abstinence from worry'
Dr. Howard Tucker (age 102, world’s oldest practicing doctor) suggests:
Lifelong learning, including adapting to technology, keeps the mind sharp.
Emotional well-being: practice kindness and avoid negativity.
Embrace life’s humor, stay mentally resilient.
Dr. John Scharffenberg (age 101, Harvard-trained physician) suggests:
Gardening and strength training; constant hydration; treat exercise as essential.
Maintaining curiosity and purpose in life promotes both physical and mental health.
Bonita Gibson (age 114)
Credits longevity mainly to potatoes in her diet, cheerful outlook, abstaining from smoking and drinking, and an active lifestyle. She emphasized consistency over extremes, simple meals, and staying socially engaged.
Additional Insights from Other Super-Centenarians
Doris “Dorie” Smith (age 110) stresses daily walking and connecting with family.
Emma Morano (age 117) credited her longevity to raw eggs daily, a positive mindset, and independence.
Misao Okawa (age 117) advised eating sushi, loving life, and taking pleasure in small things.
Across these examples, common threads emerge: moderation in eating, staying active, mental resilience, humor, lifelong learning, and strong social ties. These simple, consistent habits seem to underpin remarkable longevity.
Life Lessons on Longevity, Perspective, and Living Fully from Centenarians
The beauty of these teachings is in their ordinariness. Jeanne Calment, who lived to 122, once shrugged off her aches and limitations by saying: “I see badly, I hear badly, and I feel bad, but everything’s fine.”
It’s not a denial of pain—it’s a choice about perspective.
Life, even when imperfect, can still be lived with grace. For me, that’s both grounding and challenging. How often do I let small inconveniences spiral into frustration?
How often do I postpone joy until conditions are “better”?
Walter Breuning, who lived to 114, put it another way: “Your mind and body. You keep both busy, and by God you’ll be here a long time!” His words remind me that passivity shrinks life, while engagement—physical, mental, emotional—stretches it.
And then there’s George Burns, who made it to 100 with humor intact: “If you ask what is the single most important key to longevity, I would have to say it is avoiding worry, stress, and tension.” That’s not about supplements or workout regimens. It’s about mastering the inner terrain.
These centenarians don’t lecture. They laugh, shrug, and keep moving. And maybe that’s why their advice feels more like wisdom than rules.
The Habits Behind Extraordinary Longevity
When you sift through the interviews and anecdotes, certain longevity habits of centenarians rise to the surface.
Longevity Habits of Centenarians You Can Adopt
Jeanne Calment (age 122) : “If you want to live a long and happy life, don’t take yourself too seriously.”
Nabi Tajima (age 117): “Eat and sleep and you will live a long time, you have to learn to relax.”
These voices echo the same point: joy and relaxation are not indulgences, they are lifelines. Laughter, curiosity, and a refusal to stew in bitterness may do more for our years than any medication.
Jiroemon Kimura (who lived to 116): “Eat less and live long.”
Emma Morano (who lived to 117): “I eat two eggs a day, and that’s it… I do not eat much because I have no teeth.” She pointed to positivity and singledom as keys to her long life.
Dr. John Scharffenberg (lived to 101, Harvard-trained physician): no tobacco or alcohol, plant-based diet, intermittent fasting.
Notice the pattern: fewer extremes, simpler routines. These people didn’t chase fad diets; they practiced restraint.
Purposeful Living for Longevity
María Esther de Capovilla (lived to almost 117) - “I still do some of the things I did when I was in school”—crafts, dancing, staying active.
Dr. Howard Tucker (age 102, world’s oldest practicing doctor), still practicing medicine at 102: "Stay purposeful—don’t regard retirement as an endpoint."
Walter Breuning (age 114): “Your mind and body … you keep both busy … you’ll be here a long time!”
Purpose, whether in work, hobbies, or community, threads through these lives. It’s not about “staying young”—it’s about staying engaged.
Social Connections for Long Life
Christian Mortensen (age 115): “Friends, a good cigar, drinking lots of good water, no alcohol, staying positive and lots of singing will keep you alive for a long time.”
Kane Tanaka (age 119): “I eat delicious food, study, play, that’s all.”
There’s lightness here. Relationships, joy, a bit of ritual (even if it’s a cigar), social connections for long life, and the refusal to isolate.
A Declaration from the Town Where People Live Longest
In 1993, the Ogimi Federation of Senior Citizens Clubs—from a village in Okinawa, Japan, often called the world’s capital of longevity—issued a declaration. Its spirit matched what supercentenarians around the world have voiced:
Nurture cheerfulness.
Avoid worry.
Eat lightly.
Stay socially connected.
Honor purpose throughout life.
It wasn’t a scientific paper. It was a lived manifesto.
Practical Daily Habits for Longevity, Mindful Living, and Emotional Well-Being
Here’s what I’m experimenting with, inspired by them:
Eating just a little less. Not restrictive dieting, just pausing before “full.”
Walking every day. Not as exercise, but as movement that clears the head.
Letting go sooner. Worry will always knock on the door, but maybe I don’t need to invite it in for dinner.
Staying curious. Jeanne Calment reminded us: “You’re never too old to learn something new.” If she could say that past 120, I can surely keep learning at my age.
Practicing lightness. Smiling more, even when I don’t feel like it.
None of these are dramatic changes. But maybe longevity isn’t built on drama—it’s built on small, daily choices.
Your Turn to Reflect
Reading all these voices together, I keep circling back to one question: Am I making life more complicated than it needs to be?
These centenarians lived through wars, depressions, epidemics—yet their advice points not to grand solutions but to daily simplicity. Smile. Move. Eat a little less. Laugh often.
It makes me wonder: in chasing wellness, productivity, or success, do we sometimes forget the most basic habits of being alive?
If you set aside all the big health trends, the supplements, the constant stream of advice—what’s one small, everyday habit you could change that might actually bring more ease, joy, or vitality into your life?
Frequently Asked Questions
What diet do most centenarians follow?
Most supercentenarians report eating simple, modest meals—often plant-based, often smaller in portion. From Okinawa’s sweet potatoes and vegetables, to Emma Morano (age 117)’s daily eggs, the theme is moderation, not excess.
Is genetics or lifestyle more important for longevity?
Genetics provide a foundation, but research (and centenarian voices) suggest lifestyle habits carry more weight. Purpose, diet, movement, and stress management consistently appear in longevity studies.
Do centenarians exercise?
Yes, but rarely in the “gym” sense. They garden, walk, dance, stretch, carry groceries, or do chores. The secret seems to be continuous, low-intensity movement, not occasional bursts of high-intensity effort.
What role does mindset play?
A huge one. From George Burns 9age 100)’s “avoiding stress” to Jeanne Calment (age 122)’s humour, a positive and resilient outlook appears almost universal among centenarians.
What about social life?
Strong connections are essential. Studies confirm what Mortensen and others voiced: friendship, family, and community singing are medicine. Loneliness shortens lives; belonging extends them.
Final Takeaway
The consensus among centenarians and supercentenarians is clear: longevity is not just written in genes. It is written in how we live, every day.
Stay active. Eat simply. Keep learning. Laugh at yourself. Release worry. Sing with friends. Smile.
And perhaps the real secret is this: stop searching for the secret. Live well, and let time take care of itself.
