Centenarians share secrets of longevity

J. Craig Anderson

Monday, Sept. 26, 2005 | 9:59 a.m.

Nancy Harris was born into a country of just over 70 million people living in 45 recently reunited states.

In the year 1900, American women faced the threat of being arrested if they were caught smoking in public, and deaths by lynching outnumbered vehicular deaths, 115 to 96.

The life expectancy for white males was 46, and the typical white woman lived just one year longer. The average life span for black Americans was 33 years.

Historians may want to recalculate that average to make sure Harris hasn't single-handedly increased it.

The 106-year-old was one of six Las Vegas Valley residents -- three of whom are 100 or older -- asked to share their secrets for longevity last week during a conference for businesses that provide services to seniors.

"We've got more than 600 years up here," said moderator Dr. Thomas Perls, including Harris' 80-year-old daughter, who occasionally refreshed her mother's memory when Perls asked for specific facts.

There are five living generations in Harris' family, which means she has children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and great great grandchildren.

So how did Harris make it into her second century? It's simple.

"My secret? Oh, I'm just a religious, saved lady," she said.

Perls pointed out that Harris may have gotten a little help from genetics, considering that her older sister lived to be 107.

Panelist Lucille Salter, 100, had a mother who lived to be 96. Perls, director of the nation's largest study on centenarians -- people who live to be 100 or older -- said family history plays a major role in longevity.

Other factors include lifestyle, environment and attitude. The ability to handle stress appears to be important, said Perls, who has written a book called "Living to 100."

"Some of these centenarians have been through horrific stress," he said, including the deaths of spouses and children. "They seem uncannily able to just shed it."

Diet is another thing researchers have studied to determine its effects on aging. Panelist Luise Broker, 102, attributes her long, healthy life to one food in particular.

"My secret is I ate, all my life, oatmeal," she said. "I still eat it every morning."

Broker added that she never smoked or drank alcohol, two more lifestyle choices that significantly promote longevity.

"It does boil down somewhat to doing everything your mother told you to do -- except clean your plate," Perls said.

Gender, too, plays a role. About 85 percent of centenarians are women.

Panelist John Heckman isn't a centenarian yet, but at 97 he isn't showing any signs of slowing down. He said the key to reaching 100 is to stay active.

"My secret is, if you want to live, keep on living," which for Heckman includes remaining an active member of the Society of Certified Senior Advisors, the trade association that invited the panelists to speak.

Heckman said he is also running for Congress because the country needs "some new people," and because existing leaders are too focused on forcing seniors out of the workplace.

"The reason they make you retire at 65 is because they want you to die at 67, so they can get you off the Social Security and Medicare," he said.