122-year-old woman shares 3 reasons how she lived so long – It’s not diet, exercise or genes

Diet and exercise are considered the two most important ’keys’ to a long and healthy life. Indeed, they are important, but for Jeanne Calment, the longest-living person on record, things were a bit different.

The key to her long life was neither any specific diet nor any exercise routine, but it was likely some exceptional factors.

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Jeanne Calment outlived her daughter and grandson

Jeanne Calment outlived her daughter and grandson. (Photo via Instagram/ethnographics)

Jeanne Calment, who lived to age 122 and earned the title of the longest-living person, even outlived her daughter as well as her grandson.

Sadly, Calment died in August 1997, but before her death, she discussed a few things about her lifestyle with an expert demographer named Jean-Marie Robine who studies longevity.

Calment discussed her life with Robine and spoke about three unique things that likely helped her achieve a long life – and no it’s not a particular diet, exercise, or genes, but the factors are somewhat unique. Take a look.

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Factors that likely contributed to Jeanne Calment’s long life – and no, it’s not a diet

1. Jeanne Calment was from a wealthy family

One of the top reason the 122-year-old woman was able to live for so long was due to being from an upper-class family. She was a wealthy woman who hailed from a Bourgeois family in the south of France. Growing up in a well-to-do family benefited her as she was allowed to go to school until the age of 16, which was rare for women during that time period.

Robine also revealed that Calment received private classes in art, dance, and cuisine until she got married. She also had very low levels of stress because she never worked, making it another factor that likely contributed to her long life.

Calment didn’t cook or even shop for her basic items as she always had someone to assist her at home, said Robine.

Jeanne Calment was a wealthy woman. (Photo via Instagram/newyorkermag)

2. Jeanne Calment didn’t smoke until later years

Nowadays, unhealthy diets along with unhealthy lifestyle habits such as consuming alcohol and smoking cigarettes are a big risk factor for all kinds of health conditions and untimely deaths. Luckily, Calment didn’t have an unhealthy diet or bad habits at a young age, which could also be a potential reason for her life expectancy.

According to Jean-Marie Robine, Calment was not allowed to smoke until marriage. And of course, it was forbidden, especially for women as it was the end of the 19th century, and impossible for a girl to do that. And because Calment came from a bourgeois family, smoking was absolutely forbidden.

But after Calment got married, she started smoking only to quit some years later. Initially, Calment was happy smoking because she wasn’t allowed to do it before, but she did not find cigarettes nice and later, stopped smoking.

Jeanne Calment started smoking after marriage. (Photo via Instagram/womeninactionr)

3. Jeanne Calment enjoyed her social life

Calment’s social life was another factor behind her long and happy life. As per Robine, Calment had nothing to do as she never worked, and with so much free time, all she did was take care of herself, visited France, and attended social activities.

She often travelled to Paris with her husband to see the Eiffel Tower and was frequently traveling to new places to discover the world in the 19th century.

Calment also spent her time meeting new people at social events and balls that were mostly organized at home during that time.

Jeanne Calment enjoyed her social life. (Photo via Instagram/394histoires)

For Jeanne Calment, the longest-living person, it was no such thing as a specific diet or a workout routine, but it was all about travelling, living her life to the fullest, and staying happy.

All her life, she led a leisurely lifestyle within the wealthy neighborhood of Arles, pursuing what she loved, like playing the piano, tennis, swimming, cycling, and socializing with friends.