Photo credit: AP Photo

From Cosmopolitan

Italy's Emma Morano became the Guinness Book of Records-certified "oldest woman in the world" this past May, following the death of American Susannah Mushatt Jones. Today, Morano celebrates her 117th birthday.

Photo credit: AP Photo

According to BBC, Morano credits her longevity to three things, one of which is separating from her husband in 1938. "I didn't want to be dominated by anyone," she told The New York Times on her 115th birthday. She now credits her singledom for helping her keep on keepin' on.

The other two secrets to ~stayin' alive~ are her genetics - Morano's mother lived until 91, and two of her seven siblings also lived to be 100 (though they have since died) - and a daily meal of three eggs (two raw) which she adopted after being diagnosed with anaemia as a young woman. Recently, however, she's cut down to two eggs and added a few biscuits to the mix, but her doctor said she's "eaten very few vegetables, very little fruit."



And today was no exception. The birthday girl indulged in not one, but two birthday cakes. The first was shared with her two nieces, a caregiver, and longtime doctor, and the second with the mayor of Verbania, who visited after Morano's ever-essential midday nap.

Photo credit: AP Photo

Before blowing out her candles (no, there were not 117), Morano received a personalized birthday message from the Italian president and appeared for a live broadcast on state-run TV, the Associated Press reports. And all of this celebration took place in Morano's small apartment, which The Guardian says she hasn't left for 20 years.



If her two-part birthday special wasn't enough, the Italian will likely be celebrating again soon. According to BBC, a musical performance about her life and "feminine courage" will soon take the stage in Verbania.

Photo credit: AP Photo

However, it's unlikely that Morano will attend. Besides the whole not-leaving-her-apartment thing (in all seriousness, Morano has been mostly bed-bound for the past year), she's said to be deaf and to have difficulty seeing.



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But the birthday girl's mind is alert, as evidenced at today's celebrations, where she said, "I am happy to turn 117." Cheers to you, Emma Morano! BRB, I'm going to see about some raw eggs...

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