Healthy Lifestyle of Centenarians
In 2006, during the Year of the Dog, I visited relatives in Atlanta. The greatest gain wasn’t business expansion or client meetings, but seeing my sister-in-law’s 103-year-old mother, Mrs. Liao Ying.
Born in July 1903, Mrs. Liao impressed me most with her century-long consistency in habits and self-discipline. She wakes around 7 AM, does morning exercises, eats breakfast, rests for one hour from 10 to 11 AM, takes a four-hour nap after lunch, does light activity after dinner, and goes to bed around 8 PM.
Beyond strict adherence to routine, her dietary habits are textbook-perfect. For over a century, she never overeats. As she puts it, “Once full, I couldn’t eat even one more sesame seed.” She eats vegetables daily, never eats fatty meat, and eats only small portions of lean meat.
TCM assigns various properties—tonic, drying, wind-damp, clearing, tonifying—to many foods. Mrs. Liao firmly believes in these and strictly follows them, never indulging in cravings. When she occasionally feels back pain, TCM considers chicken “wind-inducing,” though she loves chicken. Still, she refuses to eat it until her back improves. Following doctors’ advice to eat on schedule, she watches the clock—only eating when the time comes, immediately sitting down. Her breakfast is always varied: yesterday’s fried dough, today’s different. She drinks about four liters of water daily, only warm water.
The maxim “Life lies in motion” is perfectly embodied in Mrs. Liao. She worked hard in youth—farming, housework, business—always diligent. In old age, she still insists on doing exercises. With poor hearing, she performs ear massages; with weak eyesight, she does eye exercises; when her legs feel numb, she lifts and kicks them—never missing a session. Even while watching TV, she keeps her feet on a foot massager.
Family members going shopping or attending events always invite her along—whether hosting banquets, singing karaoke, or hiking. Whenever sunlight appears, she wants to bask in it.
People often say broad-mindedness is the secret to health. Mrs. Liao enjoys playing Hakka card games. Some elders get upset losing a few dollars. She, however, plays for fun, calmly accepting losses, never angry at the table, always enjoying herself. Even when facing minor annoyances, she adjusts herself, avoids anger, and never broods. She regards everyone around her as friends, socially active, caring for others. My husband’s father once fell ill in New York. Years later, she still cared deeply about his health. Hearing he was fine brought her visible joy.
Occasionally, Mrs. Liao is quite clever. When caught making mistakes, family complaints go unheard—she pretends deaf. But when on the phone or chatting, her hearing instantly returns!
In 1997, when she moved from China to America, many relatives and bystanders thought it nearly insane. Yet she traveled back and forth between China and the U.S. repeatedly, treating long-haul flights as trivial, always saying, “Just sleep and you’re home.” Years ago, we applied for the highest-age passenger discount with airlines. At the time, Soong Mei-ling was still alive, so our application was denied. I wonder if airlines have now discovered another centenarian?
Doctors say Mrs. Liao’s current health is comparable to that of a 60-year-old. She’s never had serious illness. Even minor ailments resolve quickly with proper eating and rest. She never skips meals due to poor appetite. If beneficial, she forces herself to swallow even disliked foods.
In our work, study, and daily lives, we hear countless teachings—knowledge matters, exercise is necessary, socializing and tolerance bring benefits—undoubtedly true. But in Mrs. Liao, I’ve seen what we lack most—and perhaps what matters most: perseverance. We know the benefits of certain actions, maybe start immediately, but can we sustain them for a lifetime? The success of 24 hours is insignificant in a lifetime. Mrs. Liao treats each day of her life with religious devotion—this is perseverance. If we had such spirit, how could we regret anything? If we pursued our goals with Mrs. Liao’s perseverance, “wasted life” would never exist in our vocabulary.