Countess of Desmond lived to be 140 years old

Sometimes nature has its way of weeding out the weak and letting the strong maintain their existence. There have been cases of people living well beyond their years; one such case was recorded years ago. A noblewoman of the Anglo-Norman FitzGerald dynasty in Ireland named Katherine FitzGerald, Countess of Desmond.

She reportedly lived to be 140 years old, this is incredible if true. There have been several reports marking her age around 120 years to 100 years. Rarely do people live to be so old, but it does happen in this day and age. The place with the highest mortality rate to date is Okinawa, a Japanese island. There are 34.7 people 100 years or older per 100,000 residents.

Why do they live to be so elderly? Perhaps it comes from their great outlook on life including gardening which provides an opportunity for exercise, sunlight and nutritious food. Okinawans do follow an old adage that says “eat until you are 80% full” instead of gorging. They also have a sense of purpose and close social support groups called moais.

The second highest living area around the world is Sardinia, Italy. Sardinia is an island about 120 miles from the coast of Italy; there are mostly farmers and shepherds who live here. In one town named Ovodda with a population of 1,700 people boasts 5 centenarians.

This does not explain the more extraordinary lifespan of Katherine FitzGerald who was one of the oldest human beings on the planet to date. During her life back in the 17th century there were far more deaths and diseases which were widespread. No one knows how this mysterious woman lived to such an age. She is even mentioned by both Francis Bacon and Sir Walter Raleigh.

How exactly did she die if not from her elderly age? Apparently, it is rumored that she fell while climbing a tree to gather nuts.
“Life expectancy in the U.S. has risen in the past few decades. While in 1970 life expectancy at birth was 70.9 years, it rose to 78.7 year by 2011. However, most of the developed world is improving faster than this country. And despite the fact that the U.S. spends vastly more per capita on health care than any other country, Americans’ life expectancy is only 26th highest”.

“Babies born back in the United States in 2005 are expected to live an average of 77.9 years, according to a 2007 study by the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics. That’s an increase of more than 30 years since 1900, when Americans were expected to live just 47.3 years”.

Something is still not explained about Katherine FitzGerald and her unusually long life. What made her live so long?