Ohio woman credits Greek-inspired diet and activity as she turns 105

Helen Sophis celebrated her 105th birthday at a senior living centre in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, where friends heard her stories and advice. She credits her longevity to a Mediterranean diet, physical activity and “clean living”, while friends describe her as funny, generous and full of determination.

The daughter of Greek immigrants, Sophis grew up eating home-cooked dishes such as moussaka and pastitsio. She played several sports at school and university, worked in a rubber factory during the Second World War and later played golf, winning tournaments. She now enjoys bingo and crafts with friends, and says she feels better than she did as a teenager; Naomi Whitehead, aged 116, is identified in the article as North America’s oldest living woman.