At 127 years young, Leandra Becerra Lumbreras knows a thing or two about living life to the fullest. So when she recently let it slip that her secret to living a long lifehas been eating chocolate to her heart's content and sleeping in, you'd better believe I went out and bought myself the biggest box of Godiva I could find and ate myself into a chocolate-induced coma. But to be fair, I do that every Tuesday
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All jokes aside, it seems Lumbreras is on to something. I can respect a woman who has lived so many years indulging in the very things so many of us deprive ourselves of, like sweets and sleep. But more than anything, I really admire Lumbrera's refusal to slow down for anyone or anything. According to Lumbreras' family, the feisty Mexican centenarian has remained rather active for a woman her age. "She was always a woman who fought. She was still sewing and weaving until about two years ago," granddaughter Miriam Alvear, told El Horizonte. "She never ceased to be active, that's why we think she's lived so long."
Well, what else would you expect from a woman who once fought in the Mexican Revolution as a leader of the "Adelitas"—a group of mujeres who joined their husbands in battle? It sounds like Señora Lumbreras has always been a bit of a badass, I'd even argue that she's the originator of YOLO!
If you ask me, we can learn a lot about living a long and fruitful life from Lumbreras, who officially became the oldest person on earth Saturday. Here are a few things we should all be indulging in, if for no other reason than to look and feel forever young:
- Chocolate. Lumbreras wasn't lying about the dark stuff's health benefits. Eating up to 25 grams of dark chocolate a day may help boost your mood.
- A healthy hobby. You don't have to be a fitness junkie to stay healthy and fit into your golden years__.__ Indulging in a fun but active pastime, like Zumba, 2-3 times a week is all you need to work up a youthful glow and keep your ticker healthy.
- Sleep. Want to avoid looking like a living, breathing nightmare? Get more sleep. People who get fewer than 6 hours of sleep a night look significantly more haggard and worn out than those who get 7+ hours of shut eye.
- Feeding our faces. Eat a balanced diet rich in skin-loving vitamins, such as A, C, and E to enhance your already radiant complexion.
- Smiling. Several studies have proven that smiling makes you look up to two years younger on average. Bet that tidbit of info will make you smile!
Image via Televisa, UNYVIDEOINNformativo/YouTube
