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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
World
Antony Thrower

Woman, 106, reveals her secret to long life is a daily shot of coffee liqueur

A woman who recently celebrated her 106th birthday says the secret to her long life is a daily shot of coffee liqueur.

Esperanza Cortinas from Ourense, Spain, was born on December 4, 1916 and has lived through two world wars as well as two pandemics.

Despite her advanced age she still enjoys dancing several times a week and also plays card games with her friends.

And every day at noon sharp she makes sure she enjoys her daily shot of coffee liqueur - the secret to her longevity, she says.

She told local media: "I still like to look pretty. If one day I don't, my daughter makes me. You have to take care of yourself.

"I go dancing several days a week, play card games, smile a lot, and besides, I have a daily shot of coffee liqueur."

Esperanza also enjoys dancing and playing cards (Newsflash)

A recent study named Ourense Province is Spain's longevity capital as more than 300 of its 300,000 inhabitants are aged over 100.

Another centenarian, Lolita, who lives close to Esperanza, is in the running to become the town’s new mayor.

She added: “I get in a really bad mood because I can't do many things on my own, but then it passes.

"Politics has become something horrible, I don't know if anything can be changed anymore."

Longevity in Ourense has been attributed to its quality of life, thermal baths, locally-sourced food, and absence of pollution-generating industries.

Earlier this year a centurion in the UK said her secret to a very long and happy life was to "avoid strange men" at all costs.

Olive Westerman, from South Kirby, West Yorkshire, celebrated her landmark birthday in January and reflected on the last 10 decades spent laughing and travelling.

The retired nursery nurse says working with young children keeps her heart young, but steering clear of odd strangers is what really helped her reach 100.

Olive added: "Avoid talking to strange men and you'll be just fine. I think that the best advice I could give is simply to be happy and content to be alive, and to make the most of what you have."

"I actually can't believe I'm now 100 but it feels amazing," Olive said. "I was absolutely thrilled to receive a card from King Charles and Camilla."

Olive turned 100 on 16 January 2022 at Deewater Grange residential home in Chester and enjoyed a high tea at Inglewood Manor.

Staff carried on the tradition her late husband Sam started by presenting her with a bottle of Estee Lauder perfume for the big day.

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