Forget plasma infusions – the secrets of longevity are much more simple and fun | Arwa Mahdawi

While tech bros pour money into cryopreservation, centenarians have a very different story to tell

Health and wellness advice tends to be obvious and irritating. Eat more vegetables! Drink less booze! Exercise! Who wants to hear all that, eh? Not me. Which is why my favourite genre of health advice is weird wisdom from the uber-elderly.

Every now and then there will be a profile of one of the oldest people alive where they say something delightful such as: My secret to a long and healthy life is eating crisps and drinking gin." Admittedly, I'm not sure I have ever seen that exact advice imparted, but there have been some gems over the years. Plymouth resident Doris Olive Netting, who died aged 100, for example, credited her long life to drinking a glass of Guinness a day. Susannah Mushatt Jones, who died at 116, swore by a daily breakfast of bacon. Richard Overton, who died at 112, smoked cigars and liked a little whiskey in his coffee. And, several years ago, at the age of 102, Eunice Modlin extolled the health-giving properties of chocolate.