But Besse Cooper, the world's oldest person according to the Guinness World Records, chose to use numbers instead of actual candles when she celebrated her 116 th birthday Sunday. Guinness claims Cooper is one of only eight people who have reached 116.
In honor of Cooper's achievement, a bridge was named after her in Monroe, Ga., where she lives by the Walton County Board of Commissioners, according to the Walton Tribune. A ribbon cutting ceremony was held Friday, Aug. 24 for the bridge opening.
"The older she has gotten the more wittier she has gotten," her son, Sidney Cooper, told the Walton Tribune. He also relayed a message from Cooper, who was unable to attend the ceremony, who said, "I'm glad I gave them a reason to name it."
Cooper was certified as the world's oldest person by Guinness World Records in January 2011, although she briefly had to give up her title when it was discovered that Brazilian-born Maria Gomes Valentin was 48 days older. But when Valentin died six months later, Cooper was reinstated as the world's oldest person.
Cooper was born in Sullivan, Tenn., in 1896, according to the Walton Tribune. She moved to Monroe during World War I to become a teacher. In 1924, she married her husband Luther and the couple had four children. Today, Cooper has 12 grandchildren and many great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren, according to the Guinness World Records.
Cooper has a secret to achieving 116 years of life.
"I mind my own business," she told the Guinness World Records. "And I don't eat junk food."
"I mind my own business," "and I don't eat junk food."
This is her secret for her long life.
What kind of medical sense her statements do make ?
That is my question.
We can understand not eating junk food would help us live longer.
But what about the statement, "I mind my own business."
In my opinion it also makes good medical sense.
We all know how fast being the president of USA speeds up the aging process?
It's well known that any responsible job being a doctor or other professionals or
being in higher governmental or business company positions would do the same.
In other words, the amount of stress involved has everything to do with longevity.
Stress is the original culprit, the original sin, of all ailments and the most critical determinant
of the human longevity.
There are numerous ways dealing with stresses, we know.
And "minding my own business," I believe, is one way dealing with it.
I often tells my elderly cardiac patients not to watch CNN or other world news on TV
in order not to stress themselves unnecessarily.
This is, I believe, consistent with what this lady is saying, "minding my own business."