Unraveling the mystery of age: why did the world’s oldest woman live 116 years?

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“She is incredible,” researcher Manel Esteller says about Maria Branyas Morera to TV channel ABC. The Spaniard has lived in this world for 116 years. Nowadays she lives in a retirement home.

“She is completely clear-headed,” says Esteller. «She remembers with impressive clarity events that took place when she was only four years old. She does not have cardiovascular disease, which is common in older people.” The old lady’s only problems are her mobility and her hearing.

Eat natural yogurt and avoid toxic people

Such good health is astonishing because the Spanish woman was born more than 116 years ago, on March 4, 1907, in San Francisco. Due to her father’s financial and health problems, the family returned to Spain in 1915, where Branyas spent the rest of her life. The oldest woman in the world survived Corona, a civil war, a deadly earthquake and a major fire.

But what is the secret to her long and fulfilling life? Branyas herself believes that avoiding ‘toxic people’, avoiding ‘excesses’ and daily consumption of natural yoghurt were crucial for her old age.

Moreover, she always ate little, but never ran out. She has never dieted. “I have never had an illness and have never had to undergo surgery,” Branyas told ABC.

Also important are “order, peace, good relationships with family and friends, contact with nature, emotional stability and a lot of positivity” – as well as their genes and “happiness”.

Combating diseases with DNA analysis

The scientists were not satisfied with that. They took DNA samples from the 116-year-old to reveal her secret. To do this, they analyzed six billion DNA segments from Branyas. The focus is on 200 genes that are directly related to aging. The results are compared with those of her 79-year-old daughter.

Manel Esteller hopes that the research can contribute to the development of medicines against age-related diseases and cancer. He added: “It is clear that she is a person of exceptional resilience. She is a true survivor.” (gs)

Source: Blick