No matter what you hear about how to live a long and healthy life, there will always be longevity rule breakers who make it to 90 and beyond doing everything wrong.
George Burns smoked cigars, drank hard liquor, and most likely never worked out in a gym. Nevertheless, he lived to be 100 years young. His great sense of humor, the fact that he always stayed busy and worked well into his 90s, and his positive attitude toward life, contributed to him becoming a centenarian.
Whatever happens to you in life, whatever comes to you, welcome them with an “I love it attitude.” Develop a positive attitude. Don’t allow negative thoughts. Avoid mixing with negative people. Avoid watching the TV news. It’s not uplifting.
~ George Burns
Bob and Delores Hope, who both lived to 100 and 102 respectively, loved stopping by Bob’s Big Boy in Toluca Lake to have dinner. As we all know, Bob’s Big Boy is known for big juicy hamburgers and is not exactly what you’d call “health food.” Bob Hope played golf, kept working, and was involved in many charitable causes. He and his wife had a stable marriage, even though he was known to fool around. The Hope’s weren’t obsessive about trying to stay healthy. They had a wide circle of friends and drank alcohol in moderation. Bob Hope had several relatives who lived to be 100 so good genes were definitely a factor.
Fitness guru Jack La Lanne, who lived to 96, was once asked in an interview if drinking red wine was healthy. He responded:
“Absolutely! I’d rather see you drink a glass of wine than a glass of milk. So many people drink Coca-Cola and all these soft drinks with sugar. Some of these drinks have 8 or 9 teaspoons of sugar in them What’s the good of living if you can’t have the things that give a little enjoyment? I never drink wine unless I’m eating though. I take it with my meal.”
Zsa Zsa Gabor who had 9 husbands and a few unfortunate accidents was a fighter. She passed away at 99.
Feisty Betty White was always on our TV screen. She lived to be 99, worked until the end, and was involved with animal rights groups for decades. She found tranquility hanging around her furry friends. True to form, Betty credited her longevity to blind luck and was known to eat hot dogs.
A friend of mine had grandmothers who lived to be 101 and 102. I was sitting at her Passover table one year and she brought out a recipe box that belonged to one of them. Almost every recipe was for some type of dessert, including multiple recipes for chocolate cakes. We all know chocolate, in its natural state, is a healthy food, right?
Both grandmothers stayed active throughout their lives. I remember hearing one of them complaining, as she neared 100 years old, that she wanted to go out and look for a job. She’d worked as a salesperson up until her mid 90’s. Neither of the grandmothers drank, which in the Jewish religion is common during the holidays. It must have been the chicken soup.
Men who have had long stable marriages, like Irving Berlin, who lived to be 100, tend to live longer. This isn’t necessarily the case for women because they often outlive their spouses.
Norman Lloyd was an actor who starred in St. Elsewhere. He lived to be 106 and was active and alert. I wrote about conversations I had with him as a centenarian here.
What longevity rule breakers do you know who have lived to be 90 and beyond? Please leave a comment below.
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