GRAND AGE
World’s oldest woman born in 1900 celebrates 123rd birthday as she credits long life to unique diet
THE WORLD'S oldest woman declared by officials in Brazil has shared her secret to living 123 years and counting.
Amantina dos Santos Duvirgem, born on June 22, 1900, will celebrate her birthday in a few days and become possibly the oldest living person of all time.
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Amantina, also known as Dona Júlia, doesn't speak, but certainly keeps herself strong thanks to her unique diet.
Her favourite foods are boiled eggs and Bolo de Polvilho, a typical Brazilian cake made with cassava flour.
As reported by social worker Helen Cristina Pereira, Dona Júlia, who measures around 4ft9, lives in a house “that was completely adapted for her”, in Serra Gaias, state of Paraná.
She is cared for by Maria Edenir Lúcio, who has been with her for at least 20 years.
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“She doesn't have diabetes, headaches or high blood pressure," Helen said.
"Dona Júlia doesn't take medicine and she doesn't have grey hair. And she loves wearing earrings and bracelets."
To celebrate the milestone, civic officials in , in Paraná, threw her an early birthday party today.
The bash was held in the hall of the Chapel of São Sebastião and celebrated the date of her birth as having some key landmarks in Brazil's history.
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It was the first year that Chinese immigrants arrived in the country and the date that Brazil was defeated by the Bolivian army.
Birthday pictures of Dona Júlia show her tucking onto a slice of her birthday cake.
A video also showed her dancing a little bit with the help of her carers and friends.
She was first issued with a birth certificate when she started collecting her state pension, but her claim is currently not recognised by Guinness World Records.
The delay may be because her birth certificate was only issued when she applied for her pension, and the exact date was confirmed in a process that included taking statements from four people, all of them aged more than 70.
The current Guinness World Record holder as the world's oldest person is American-Spanish Branyas Morera, who turned 116 years old on March 4 this year.
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