Fountain of Youth Puzzle: You are NOT what you eat?

A study of the Georgia centenarians found that the following 4 traits are far more common among the centenarians, more than diet and genetics:



1. Optimism

2. Commitment to something you care about

3. Activities/keep moving

4. Ability to adapt to loss

Fountain of Youth Puzzle Piece: Yoga and Dancing

After watching this video, I signed up for ballroom dancing lessons, dragging my husband along, not that he had a choice! Enough said.

Fountain of Youth Puzzle Piece: "Age is just a number"

Ernestine Shepherd didn't step into a gym till age 56. At age 71, she decided to pick up body building. She is now the worlds oldest body builder, according to the Guinness Book of World Record.



Watch what keeps her going...

"Fountain of Youth" Puzzle Piece - Optimism, Gratitude, Music, Keep Busy.

At 108, Alice Herz-Sommer lived in a London flat by herself with no assistance. She survived the Holocaust and later, cancer at the age of 83. 

She passed away today (Feb. 24, 2014) at 110. 

Here are her secrets to the Fountain of Youth:

Alice's mother taught her two most important lessons that led to her living a happy long life: 

1. "Learn, learn, learn." Up until the end, Alice practiced the piano 3 hours a day. "I felt that [music] is the only thing which helps me to have hope. It's sort of religion actually. Music is God."

"The worst thing in life in my opinion is boredom. When people don't know what to do with themselves, they are very very bored." Besides her passion of music, Alice also swam very day till 96.

2. "To be thankful for everything.. seeing the sun, seeing a smile... Everything is embraced." The secret of being happy as she gets older? To think backward, think of the good things that's already happened. "I know about the bad, but I look at the good thing."

RIP, Alice.

Here is an interview with Alice when she was 108.

"Fountain of Youth" Puzzle Piece - Belief in a Higher Power & "Horse Sense"

103 year old Fern Groh had saved $1,000 from her teaching job at in the 1940 - which is a lot of money back then. But wait till you see what she did with her savings. She is one financially savvy lady.

"Save as much as you can" and life below your means are her financial M.O.

But when asked what she values more, she said without missing a beat: "To be in good health & enjoying life means more than money." - "If you are in good health, you will enjoy anything.... If you are not in good health, you will not enjoy anything."


To find out how to be in good health, watch the other posts on this blog for what worked for so many.

"Fountain of Youth" Puzzle Piece - "I work at it."

Carmon Dell'Orifice, world's oldest working model at 82 years old, tells her secret of staying young:  "I work at it."



Besides her elegance and intelligence, she strikes me as one of the most down-to-earth person that can look beyond the glitter and embellish and just enjoy the process of living. This may sound ironic for a fashion icon, but it might as the be the very foundation to her longevity in the here-today-gone-tomorrow modeling world.

"Fountain" Puzzle Piece - Healthy Diet - Recipe: Barley Soup

Career chef Bernando Lapallo is 112 years old and has his own Youtube channel. Watch as he demos, at 109, how to make barley soup. According to Bernando, the soup "keeps the colon clean" - just “don’t over cook it”. 

Read Bernando's story here.