Key Takeaways

A study of a 117-year-old woman’s life provides some clues to longevityMaria Branyas Morera ate healthy, walked daily and boosted her gut health with yogurtShe also carried genes that are protective against cholesterol, heart disease, cancer and dementia

FRIDAY, Sept. 26, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Maria Branyas Morera was the oldest living person in the world when she died at 117 in August 2024, and she passed with one fervent wish.

“Señora Branyas told us: ‘Please study me so I can help others,’ ” Dr. Manel Esteller , chair of genetics at the University of Barcelona School of Medicine, said in a news release. “And she has!”

It turns out Branyas had many things going for her: a healthy lifestyle, beneficial bacteria in her microbiome and genetics that have been linked to

See Full Page