105-year-old woman's secret to long life is BACON

A 105-year-old woman in Texas says her secret to longevity is nothing less than bacon. The strips of fried pork are often referred to as "the candy of meat" and have recently become part of pop culture and an increasing part of fine cuisine. However, studies suggest the strips are bad for your health.

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ODESSA, TX (Catholic Online) - Pearl Cantrell, 105, told her local news station, KRBC, "I love bacon, I eat it everyday. I don't feel as old as I am. That's all I can say."

Cantrell is a great-great-grandmother and she recently celebrated her 105th birthday with a gathering of some 200 people. Until she was 100, she reportedly mowed her own lawn according to the West Texas Tribune.

Oscar Mayer recently paid her a visit after learning about her love of bacon and gave her a ride around town in the Weinermobile.

For Cantrell, bacon seems to be her secret for longevity, but as far as medical experts are concerned, bacon isn't the best prescription for the rest of us.

Instead, Cantrell may simply have very lucky genes, which have allowed her to remain active and healthy much longer than most. Some people with notable longevity have engaged in behaviors that would, for the rest of us, be inadvisable. The late actor George Burns, for example, was fond of cigars.

Bacon and more importantly, the fat and cholesterol contained therein, has been linked to a myriad of problems including heart attacks, so doctors don't advise a bacon diet for those wishing to live a long life.

Instead, science suggests eating less food rather than more. A diet rich in protein from fish and vitamins and fiber from vegetables, is said to be best. Avoiding lots of sugar, fats, and processed foods helps. Also important is to moderate food intake. Moderate food consumption has been shown to increase lifespan.

Exercise is also important. Cantrell maintains an active lifestyle for her age, which probably helps keep her heart healthy and her body flexible. Activity might also burn a lot of calories that comes with her daily dose of bacon.

To be fair, you can consume bacon and live a long, healthy life, however its generous sodium and fat content will have to be offset by frugal dieting the rest of the day. Exercise and a healthy heart are also key as the sodium content in bacon will elevate blood pressure.

There's also vegetarian bacon on the market, but we won't go there.

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