Oldest Living Man at 111 Years Young

Above, see John Tinniswood and his Guinness World Records certificate for becoming the world’s oldest man.  The 111-year-old has 3 tips for living a long, happy life.  It includes having a broad outlook, doing everything in moderation, and always trying your best. Tinniswood’s biggest piece of advice for people wanting to live as long as him is to do everything in moderation.  “If you drink too much, or you eat too much, or you walk too much, if you do too much of anything, you’re going to suffer eventually,” he said. “Never over-tax your system” if you want a healthy life.  He doesn’t follow a specific diet “I eat what they give me, and so does everybody else” — apart from fish and chips, for dinner every Friday.  He doesn’t smoke and rarely drinks alcohol, two habits that are great for longevity.  It’s also important to broaden your vision.  Don’t stay with one thing all the time or you’ll be on a narrow path.  But no matter what you’re doing, always do the best you can, whether you’re learning something or whether you’re teaching someone.   Give it all you’ve got. Otherwise, it’s not worth bothering with.  This echoes research linking a positive mindset and a sense of purpose to longevity.  Ultimately, though, Tinniswood thinks he mostly reached his old age out of pure luck.  “You either live long or you live short, and you can’t do much about it”.

In the UK in 1912, the Suffragettes were vandalizing post boxes to win the right to vote and the Titanic was registered in the port city of Liverpool before its maiden, and only, voyage. Also registered in Liverpool in 1912 was the birth of John Tinniswood, who has just become the world’s oldest man.  Tinniswood, who lives in Southport, UK, was born on August 26, 1912, making him 111 years and 226 days old. Guinness World Records declared him the world’s oldest man earlier this month, after the titleholder, Juan Vicente Pérez of Venezuela, died at the age of 114 and 311 days.  Tinniswood is also the world’s oldest surviving male World War II veteran.  He served in an admin role for the British Army Pay Corps, which involved logistical work like organizing food supplies and locating stranded soldiers.  He then worked in admin and accountancy for the Royal Mail, the UK’s postal service, as well as Shell and BP before he retired in 1972.  Tinniswood was married to his wife, Blodwen, who died in 1986, for 44 years. The couple had four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.  The staff at his residential home describes Tinniswood as a “big chatterbox”.   Even at 111 years old, he is mobile and independent, managing his own finances and getting out of bed unassisted.  Tinniswood is unphased by his new title, telling Guinness World Records it “doesn’t make any difference to me at all. I accept it for what it is.”