What does it take to celebrate a life as long as a century with energy, purpose, and clarity? A centenarian gentleman who studied nutrition and health for decades has a simple answer for this million-dollar question.

On February 9, an Instagram post from Business Growth Mentor revealed the 101-year-old physician and professor at Loma Linda University, Dr. John Scharffenberg's secret to a longer and healthier life.

Scharffenberg emphasized a simple factor that could work wonders to keep a person healthy. He neglected the complex health indicators like "BMI," "cholesterol," and "blood pressure," counting "how much you move every single day" as the biggest factor that determines one's health quotient.

Dr. Scharffenberg's claims align with multiple studies. According to Business Growth Mentor, a 2021 meta-analysis revealed that physical activity helps people live longer. It detailed the benefits, mentioning, “Movement lowers inflammation, stabilizes blood sugar, and strengthens your heart like nothing else”.

A study of 272,550 older adults by Eleanor L. Watts and team, published on the JAMA Network, USA, also found similar results.

At 101, Dr. Scharffenberg has outlived both his younger brothers. Reflecting on the situation, he said, “I have outlived my two brothers, 13 and 17 years respectively. And every year that's going to increase another year. And I'm not going to die next year. So it's going to keep going up”.

But apart from daily exercises, Scharffenberg believes people need to follow some lifestyle approaches for better longevity.

Dr. John Scharffenberg’s other key secrets to longevity

During his appearance in a 2025 Viva Longevity YouTube video, Scharffenberg revealed some other secrets to a long life.

No sm***, no al*****, no sugar:

Dr. Scharffenberg never sm**** in his life, and he is proud of it. He said, “To**** harms nearly every organ”. When it comes to al****. He is also not a fan of sugar and believes in creative swaps. For instance, instead of direct sugar, he would prefer oat-based waffles topped with cashew cream and berries.

Eat smart and live long:

Dr. Scharffenberg follows an intermittent fasting routine. He eats breakfast and lunch and skips dinner. The Dr. believes this habit has helped him maintain his weight and age-related issues. He also avoids:

• Saturated fat
• Meat

He may not eat meat, but he eats eggs and milk for protein. His plate also contains foods like:

• Nuts
• Vegetables
• Fruits
• Seeds
• While grains.

He believes, “Mangos, persimmons, macadamias—nature has given us all we need”.

Are you also thinking of following his postulates to live healthily for a longer time?

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Written by

Supradeep Dutta

Edited by

Souvik Roy