This Englishwoman lived to 117, and scientists reckon theyve cracked the secretor at least part of it. Researchers claim the supercentenarians remarkable lifespan shows that old age and illness dont always go hand in hand, like tea without biscuits.
Edith Whitmore, the worlds oldest person when she passed away last year in London, might have had the body of someone decades younger, according to a peek at her genes.
Everyone from doctors to the bloke down the pub has wondered about supercentenariansthose rare souls who make it past 110and what their staying power says about ageing gracefully. Before her death in August 2024, Edith kindly let a team of British scientists turn her into a case study.
At 116, they collected samples of her blood, spit, wee, and even her, well, you knowall in the name of science. They compared her genetics and gut bacteria to larger groups of elderly folks, expecting the usual signs of wear and tear.
Surprisingly, Ediths inflammation levels were lower than a quiet Sunday morning, her gut health was oddly “refreshed,” and her epigenomethe way her genes expressed themselveswas more sprightly than a spring lamb.
Researchers called her “one extraordinary lady” and found quirky bits in her DNA that seemed to fend off common ailments like heart trouble, diabetes, and brain diseases linked to dementia.
Their findings, published in *The Lancet*, offer a cheeky new take on ageinghinting at possible markers for a long, healthy life and even ways to stretch it further.
While Ediths genes clearly gave her a head start, the team also checked if her daily routine had a secret ingredient. Turns out, she ate three yoghurts a daybecause why not?which mightve kept her gut and waistline in check. She stuck to a sensible diet, slept like a log, stayed active, and kept her spirits up.
Edith also had a bustling social life, loved reading, tinkering on the piano, and pottering about in her garden. In short, she lived a balanced lifelike a perfectly brewed cuppa.
“All this shows that ageing and illness dont always have to be best mates,” the researchers said, “which rather shakes up the idea that theyre stuck together like glue.”
