A Texas woman is being celebrated as the oldest person in the Lone Star State as she was seen with friends and family on her 114th birthday. Elizabeth Francis was the woman of the our, as many folks all around the country looked on in awe at the more than century old woman as she continued to appear to be in decent health.
Speaking to KTRK, Francis said, “I just thank the good Lord for keeping me.” That mentality of gratefulness was present throughout the interview and her children made it apparent that the same virtue was passed down by their mother.
Francis was wearing a tiara as she celebrated alongside her 94 year old daughter Dorothy Williams and 3 more generations of family. Five generation of family in one room gathering to celebrate a 114th birthday. That is an awe-inspiring sight.
Francis’ granddaughter Ethel Harrison commented on the health habits that have kept grandma alive for so long. “She always grew her vegetables in the backyard. I never saw her go to a fast food restaurant … like Chick-fil-A and all the places I liked to go. She never did that.”
Harrison added that “Whenever you went to her house, I don’t care what day of the week, she was cooking. So, I just think that had a lot to do with it, too. Just how she took care of her body and things like that.”
As is often the case with centenarians, a lot can be learned from the habits of the worlds oldest people. For that reason, a researcher was present to celebrate the birthday. Researcher Ben Meyers works in the field of longevity and offered this describtion about how incredible Francis’ age truly is. “She is the oldest in Texas, the oldest living person in Texas, number two in the United States, number seven in the world, and number two in the world who lives at home. You live in your castle”
Geriatric Physician Dr. Holly Holmes also spoke about the good habits that have kept Francis moving after all those years. “Things that we know we need to do like moving more, eating better, having a more plant-based diet, having social connections, avoiding loneliness and isolation.”
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Medical News Today offered a summary on the myths surrounding aging and those who reach the triple digits in years. Among their most important pieces of advice, the article made it clear that a positive outlook on the life and optimism at the prospect of aging is crucial to being able to live a long and healthy life.
Dr. Scott Kaiser, however, points to the immune system as a key player I longevity, saying, “So there’s a lot to look at in terms of the immune function over time and how our immune systems changes with age may either make us more vulnerable or protect us.”
The featured image is a screenshot from an embedded YouTube Video.