Brazilian woman reaches 111 years of age through hard work and farming

Eunice da Silveira reached the age of 111 in Joanésia, a rural community in Minas Gerais, Brazil, becoming the ninth oldest person in the world.

She spent her life working the land, a lifestyle she credits for her health and longevity. Eunice da Silveira attributed her long life to a routine of waking up early, working hard, and consuming only what she grew on her own land.

She told LongeviQuest, an international organization that maps centenarians, that she never suffered from illnesses or required pharmaceutical drugs. Instead, she uses natural remedies she prepares at home. The woman married Oswaldo de Carvalho Lage in 1932 and lived with him for 74 years before his death in 2007. Together they had 15 children, though only nine of those children remain alive today. Eunice also has 50 grandchildren, 88 great-grandchildren, and 52 great-great-grandchildren.

For her 111th birthday, her descendants organized a celebration featuring decorations inspired by her love of plants. Eunice recalled that her own children helped manage the household and farm work because she had to work alongside her husband to provide food. She noted that her children grew up eating a diet of corn, pumpkin, and cassava.