Doctors investigate DNA of 117-year-old woman to find one food that contributes to longevity
Doctors have studied the DNA of a woman who managed to live until she was 117-years-old, and they've identified the one type of food that she regularly consumed that allowed her to have such a long life.
Many people expend countless amounts of money, time, and effort into finding the secret for eternal life, and while you don't quite have to as extreme as some billionaires taking 'zombie' pills, or biohackers measuring their nighttime erections, there are still plenty of ways to keep the birthdays rolling each year.
While the average life expectancy worldwide is around 73 and a half years, there are many people who manage to survive for years, if not decades, beyond this total.
One particular individual who did this in record fashion was supercentenarian Maria Branyas Morera, who had lived until she was 117-years-old before she sadly passed away last year.
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That meant that, following his birth in March 1907, she lived through two world wars, 21 American presidents, and more than a lifetime's worth of technological advancements that make the world a completely different place from when she was born.
She was originally born in the United States, before moving to Catalonia in 1915 where she lived the rest of her life. She even managed to make it the COVID-19 pandemic at the start of this decade, which is miraculous considering she contracted the virus herself and survived.
Astounded by her own staggering age, Maria asked doctors to study her DNA to find out why she had been able to live for so long, and it was a mix of different reasons with one key food item potentially at the heart of it all.
As reported by LADbible, samples collected of her blood, saliva, urine, and stools revealed that she had a particularly strong genetic profile that she did inherit from her parents — something most people aren't lucky enough to receive.
This indicated that her biological age was actually around 10 to 15 years younger than her actual age, so she was merely a spring chicken of 100 by the time she passed away.
However, alongside regular exercise, a good social life, and a lack of bad habits like smoking or alcohol, one key ingredient to Maria's miraculous health was seemingly her love for yoghurt.
She had seemingly consumed her favorite spanish brand La Fageda around three times every single day for years, and doctors have linked this to increased immunity.
This could be the secret to how she's been able to fight through many illnesses over the years that would otherwise prove dangerous to people her age, and she would apparently also consume a smoothie with eight different cereals for breakfast every day too.
"The conclusion is that the clues for extreme longevity are a mix between what we inherited from our parents and what we do in our lives," explained Dr Manel Esteller in an interview with The Times, adding that "this mix, the percentage depends, but it can be [...] half and half."
So, while your genetics do play a significant part in how successful you'll be in achieving a longer life, taking on as many good habits – which includes consuming yoghurt like Maria – will definitely make a difference.