The Oldest Person in the World: Jeanne Calment's 122-Year-Old Longevity Protocol
Women
Longevity
- Wealthy start. First and foremost, her family was bourgeois. Therefore, she could go to school until the age of 16, and this was not so common for women at that time
- No stress. Another one factor responsible was that “ she never worked”. She did not have to cook for herself or even shop for her necessities.
- Free time. Jeanne Calment had so much free time, that she had absolutely nothing to do . She took care only of herself. She visited social events, met new people . No illnesses. On television she exclaimed “J’ai jamais été malade, jamais, jamais”. This translates as “I have never been ill, never ever”. She has never suffered major injuries. Her first injury was at the “retirement age” when she broke her ankle
- Skincare. Throughout her life, she looked after her skin with olive oil and a puff of powder
- Cognitive and Physical Assessments. Despite her age, we could notice that cognitive functions were more like other people’s work at much younger ages, without any signs of progressive neurological disease
- General Health. When 114 years old, Jeanne was relatively healthy; she did not take many medications in her lifetime. The diet was also specific, sometimes including up-to a kilogram of chocolate a week
- Smoking was forbidden to do before marriage as a woman should not smoke in bourgeois family status.
- However, her husband gave her a cigarette after they got married, but she did not like it. In fact, the most of the life, she was a non-smoker.
- She didn't smoke the most of her life, but she picked up this habit at around age 112. Calment continued smoking in her elderly years until she was 117
- Waking up: Calment got up at 6:45 A.M.
- Spiritual and Mental start: she started the day with a long prayer by the window in front of the sun. She reflected on her life and expressed gratitude
- Physical activity: while listening to the stereo through her headset, she would do her seated gymnastics and make some quick movements despite her advanced age.
- Breakfast: Calment had coffee with milk and rusks.
- Personal care: she washed with a flannel and soap, then put olive oil and powder on her face
- She washed her glass and cutlery as a sign of independence
- Lunch: Calment prefer daube to boiled fish, red wine, and had dessert after every meal.
- She also made her fruit salads daily with a mix of bananas and oranges
- Leisure: After lunch, she smoked a cigarette, drank a small amount of port wine, and then took a two-hour nap
- Social Interactions: She visited neighbours in the nursing house to share news and stories
- Dinner time: Dined early, listened to music, smoked her last cigarette of the day, and went to bed by 10:00 PM
- Religious Observance: Attended Mass on Sundays and Vespers on Fridays, maintaining her spiritual practices