According to the United Nations, the estimated global average life expectancy as of 2019 is said to be at 72.6 years. Their research also shows that Norway has the best health since the 1950s, with a life expectancy of 72.3 years. But despite this, some individuals thrive way beyond the average age. Who is one of the oldest living persons?
Kane Tanaka was 119 years old and has lived through all five imperial reigns that comprise modern-day Japan. Unfortunately, this store owner passed away recently on April 19, 2022 at the Fukuoka hospital.
Kane Tanaka: One of the Oldest Living Persons
Tanaka, who was born in 1903, the year the Wright brothers made their first powered flight and the first Tour de France was held, has lived through five Japanese imperial reigns and has set her sights on reaching her 120th birthday, according to family members quoted by the Kyodo news agency.
Tanaka has witnessed five Japanese monarchies as well as two world wars. Tanaka is the youngest of nine siblings and married when she was 19 years old. She supported her family by running a noodle shop while her husband and eldest son fought in the Second Sino-Japanese War, which began in 1937.
The number of centenarians in Japan has increased. Jiroemon Kimura, also of Japan, died in 2013 at 116, making him the world’s oldest man. Jeanne Calment, a French supercentenarian, lived to the age of 122, making her the oldest confirmed known person in history. She passed away in 1997. (Source: Times Now News)
What was Kane Tanaka’s Secret to Longevity?
Kane wants to keep her mind occupied, so she rises at 6 a.m. at the nursing home regularly. She enjoys number puzzles and studies arithmetic in the afternoons as part of her daily routine.
Tanaka attributes her longevity to her family, her faith in God, sleeping well, remaining cheerful and hopeful, eating correctly, and practicing mathematics.
According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Kane’s favorite pastime is playing Othello, and she’s become an expert at the traditional board game, regularly defeating the staff.
Her love for fizzy drinks continues. Her great-granddaughter says chocolate and carbonated drinks are the centenarian’s guilty pleasures.
Kane Tanaka comes from a loving family but lives in a nursing home and hasn’t seen her great-granddaughter since December. This measure was imposed by the growing COVID-19 epidemic.
According to the World Health Organization, Kane Tanaka is proud to be a citizen of a country with one of the world’s highest life expectancy rates. The sense of community, inclusion, and care for the elderly in the family and society keeps their stress levels low and the society culturally rich.
The Japanese diet consists primarily of fermented foods, roots, greens, and fish. This also results in a high intake of Omega-3 fats, known to protect against heart disease, a curse that the Western world is fighting.
The Japanese never eat until they are complete but instead practice Hara Hachi Bu, which means eating until you are about 80% full. (Source: Times Now News)