Sister Jean, 104, threw the first pitch at the Cubs-Brewers game. Here are her 4 secrets to a long, happy life.
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- Sister Jean is a 104-year-old nun and the chaplain of Loyola University men's basketball team.
- She threw the first pitch at the Brewers-Cubs game recently.
- She has spoken in the past about her secrets to living a long, happy life.
A tiny portion of the US population (0.027% to be exact) is aged above 100, and one of them, 104-year-old Sister Jean, threw the first pitch at the Brewers-Cubs baseball game on Monday.
The chaplain for Loyola University men's basketball team has gained attention for her unwavering courtside support for the side, as well as for her longevity. Over the years she's shared advice for people wanting to live a life as long and full as hers.
While genetics is thought to play a big role in how long people live — and Sister Jean seems to have genetics on her side, as her dad and his seven siblings all lived to be at least 95 years old — lifestyle factors can also add years to your life, as Insider previously reported.
Eat well, including occasional treats
Sister Jean always eats breakfast. "I have eaten hot mush, like oatmeal, every day for breakfast since I was a small child," she told thehealthy.com earlier this year. "It's filling and delicious and has lots of fiber."
Sister Jean drinks coffee every morning, too. Drinking coffee every day has been linked to increased longevity and a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
She always has protein and a vegetable at every meal, but enjoys the occasional treat, too: she loves the mac and cheese in Loyola's cafeteria, and said "good pizza is, well, really good!"
Have a routine and stick to it
Sister Jean goes to sleep at 8 p.m. and wakes up at 5 a.m every day. When she was a youthful 100 years old, her bedtime was a little later at 10:30pm, but the main thing is to maintain a regular sleep schedule and get enough sleep every night, she told NPR in 2019.
She also plans out her days so that she can get as much accomplished as possible, and encourages her students to do the same.
Make being active a hobby
"Make at least one of your fun activities be active," she told thehealthy.com. "I'm a huge fan of sports, obviously."
She suggested walking outdoors every day, even in cold weather. "Get outside every day, no matter the weather. The cold is good for you. Just bundle up and you'll be fine," she said.
In one 2011 review, walking regularly was linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, while a study from 2015 found that the odds of being happier were 29% higher for people who did between 150 and 299 minutes of physical activity per week than for those who did none.
Spend time with others
Sister Jean likes to pray every day as soon as she wakes up to thank God that she's still here, which helps her start the day off feeling centered and thankful.
She thinks that being around college students has kept her youthful, but that it's a two way street.
"You have to be happy; you have to convey happiness and you have to show people you yourself are happy, to make other people happy," she told ABC 7 in 2019.
She also values family time. "Spending time with your family each night is an opportunity to eat together and to talk about your day," she told thehealthy.com.
Insider previously reported that research suggests social connections are associated with increased odds of living longer, no matter whether those others are family, friends, or acquaintances.