Don't be scared to splurge on your favorite items.
You may have heard about Kane Tanaka, the Japanese woman who held the Guinness World Record for the oldest living person, passing away recently. At the age of 119, Tanaka died after a long and fruitful life spent doing and eating the things she loved. After Tanaka's death, the Guinness World Record is now held by Sister André, a 118-year-old French nun.
So it's only reasonable to want to learn everything there is to know about André's life in case she has any shocking secrets to living a long life, mainly since he survived receiving COVID-19 in 2021!
However, her keys to a long life are simple: helping people and eating and drinking her favorite meals and beverages every day.
André's sister Lucile Randon was born in 1904 and grew up in the south of France. Randon has spent most of her life serving others, most notably as a Catholic nun. But, according to CNN, before becoming a nun, Randon worked for more than 30 years in a hospital, aiding orphans and the elderly, a job she began during World War II.
Sister André's passion for helping others, which became her life's mission, has given her a lasting sense of purpose throughout her life. She told reporters in a recent interview from her hospice home in Toulan that one of her secrets to longevity is working hard to help others.
"People believe work kills you, yet labor saved my life; I worked until I was 108," Sister André stated. "Instead of hating one another, people should help and love one another. Things would be a lot better if we shared everything."
If you know anything about the world's Blue Zones, which are the five places with the largest concentrations of centenarians, this comes as no surprise. Having a life's purpose and committing yourself to your community are high on the habits that many individuals in these regions share.
Sister André values service to others, but she also knows a thing or two about self-indulgence. Indeed, one nursing home resident told CNN that André enjoys eating chocolate and drinking wine and that she enjoys a glass of wine every day!
Sister André has a lot to teach us,
especially maintaining a good balance. We don't have to choose between serving
and indulging; we can have both. And it appears that this is the key to living
a longer and more satisfying life.