In the last hundred years, Jack Van Nordheim has fought in World War II, cared for a pet monkey, and is now a social media influencer. The resident of Southern California believes being "tough" helped him live a long life.
The animal-loving centenarian celebrated his 100th birthday on July 31 at Los Angeles Zoo and is now focused on sharing wholesome life advice, jokes, and sweet, emotional memories of his mother on social media.
Uncle Jack -- as Van Nordheim is known to his 1.7 million followers on TikTok and 2.5 lakh followers on Instagram -- has also written a book compiling his 6 best pieces of advice on longevity, Business Insider reported.
1.) Dark chocolate and honey
Uncle Jack could not seem to stress enough the importance of, and his passion for, dark chocolate. The 100-year-old eats it twice a day, or as often as he can. When eaten in moderation, dark chocolate has been associated with benefits such as better cardiovascular health, Business Insider reported. He also prefers homey to sugar with his waffles and coffee.
2.) Spending time outdoors, away from the magic mirrors
Van Nordheim calls staying away from smartphones -- or "magic mirrors" as he calls them -- a wise decision. "Leave your magic mirror at home and go outside," he advises. Research has also shown that spending time outdoors instead of being on our phones helps improve mental health and happiness.
3.) Eating home-cooked food
Uncle Jack grew up at a time before fast food was popular so he never developed a taste for it. Instead, he always ate very simple home cooking. His family had a chicken farm, so he ate a lot of chicken and noodles.
4.) Drinking only a little alcohol
"I drank a little beer and a little wine and that's all. No fire water (hard alcohol)," the 100-year-old influencer told Business Insider.
5.) Spending time with family
Although Uncle Jack never married or had children, he was close with his parents, and he said his home was always "full of love." The centenarian also had a close relationship with his nephew and his grand-nephew. This also aligns with studies that suggest having strong relationships, whether that's with family or friends, is associated with improved longevity.
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