The world’s oldest person died in Japan at the age of 119. Kane Tanaka from Japan is believed to have been the world’s oldest person. She was born on January 2, 1903.
Tanaka was confirmed by Guinness World Records in 2019 as the oldest living person. She died of old age at a hospital in Fukuoka city, western Japan, on April 19, 2022. It was reported that during her life she had been partial to chocolate and fizzy drinks.
Japan has a dwindling and rapidly ageing population. As of last September, the country had 86,510 centenarians, and nine out of every 10 were women.
The above information was reported by Reuters Health Information 2022.
A research team in Japan studied seniors who displayed susceptibility to illnesses associated with the elderly, namely illnesses, chronic inflammation and infectious disease.
The researchers analyzed fecal samples from 160 seniors living across Japan. The average age of the individuals was 107 years. They compared the gut microbiome found in the fecal samples to that of another 112 people in their 80s and to another 47 participants who were younger.
Our bodies have trillions of microbiomes (also called microbiota or microbes). These include not only bacteria but fungi, parasites, and viruses. In a healthy person, these “bugs” coexist peacefully, with the largest numbers found in the small and large intestines but also throughout the body. The microbiome is even known as a supporting organ because they play many key roles in promoting the smooth daily operations of the human body.
Each person has an entirely unique network of microbiota that is originally determined by one’s DNA. We are first exposed during delivery in the birth canal. How we live our lives and the foods we consume can change our microbiomes.
The various types of microbes we all have can prevent the overgrowth of harmful bacteria by competing for nutrients and attachment sites to the mucus membranes of the gut, a major site of immune activity and production and antimicrobial proteins.
Probiotics are a valuable aid in protecting our microbiota. These are either foods that naturally contain microbiota, or supplement pills that contain live active bacteria. I prefer a liquid probiotic such as Bio K. High fiber foods are also very beneficial in keeping our digestive system healthy. More on microbiomes in future newsletters.
