Did you know that the world’s oldest person was a French woman?
She lived to an incredible 122 years and 164 days. Jeanne Louise Calment was born on 21 February 1875 in Arles, South of France, and died on 4 August 1997. In 1988, at 112, she was already reported to be the oldest person ever, and this was confirmed and officially declared in 1995, two years before she died.
It astounds me to think that she lived through the opening of the Eiffel Tower in 1889, two World Wars, the development of television, the modern motor car, and airplanes. Even more astonishing, yet not as diverting, is the fact that she outlived her daughter and her grandson… Doctors were fascinated by this, and wondered what her lifestyle was and if there was a secret behind such incredible longevity. Some were so sceptical that they even questioned whether her daughter took her identity at some point, leading the world to believe she lived for longer than she actually did.
No matter what these sceptical people say, one thing is sure, the French must have a secret! Jeanne’s compatriots generally live longer than most other nationalities. France is rated sixth in the OECD for life expectancy at birth at 82 years: 85 years for women and 79 for men. This phenomenon is called by some the “French paradox”’; how do French people live longer when their diet is one of the fattest in the world?
Being half French myself, I can confirm! Cheese, bread, meat, wine,… French people do not hold back on alcohol or on delicious products full of fat! My father eats red meat and cheese every day, and he is one of the healthiest men I know! But aren’t we told meat and cheese are bad for us?
The secret is said to lie in quantities and in avoiding processed sugar! Indeed, my French family is really good at “eating a little bit of everything”, without overdoing it in terms of quantities. And last but not least, the French seem to be the healthiest nation in terms of cardiac problems because they eat a lot less processed sugar! Call me controversial, but as a psychologist, I have read from numerous – debated – sources that cardiovascular problems stem more frequently from a heavily sugary diet than from a heavily fat diet.
That being said, I do not believe a sumptuous chocolate mousse once in a while can be bad for you, soooo…let’s head down the streets of Paris and enjoy a nice sunset on the Seine with a glass of red wine, a baguette, some cheese, and a delicious crème brûlée. Who’s with me ?
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