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<\/p>\nRICHARD Miralles is part of the dwindling 'Greatest Generation' – those that experienced World I, the Great Depression, and World War II and are still living to tell the tale. <\/p>\n
Born in 1924, the World War II veteran, ex-forester and great-grandfather celebrated his 99th birthday earlier this year.<\/p>\n
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He lived through the Great Depression<\/span>, served as a gunner aboard war planes and battled forest fires for 30 years before retiring. <\/p>\n His hasn't been a life without danger or risk – but Richard attributes his longevity to five key lessons he's learnt and implemented along the way. <\/p>\n Telling Insider he is "lucky and blessed to be as old as I am" and saying his experiences had given him the determination to live as long as possible, he shared his insights on ageing well. <\/p>\n Richard said one of the keys to his long life was actually having a happy childhood. <\/p>\n He was fostered as a baby along with his two siblings and grew up without much money, but told Insider that it didn't really matter because his childhood was about having fun. <\/p>\n The 99-year-old also prides himself in being "laid back". <\/p>\n Scientists studying centenarians believe slashing stress might be one of the keys to long life.<\/p>\n According to author Dan Buettner – who coined the term Blue Zones to refer to five regions in the world where people regularly live to 100 – stress is linked to chronic inflammation and dementia. <\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n He said residents of Blue Zones frequently take naps or have happy hours with moderate amounts of red wine. <\/p>\n Richard said he found a purpose in life when joining the navy after Pearl Harbour was bombed in 1941. <\/p>\n Being in the armed forces gave him a way to serve his country, added "excitement" to his life and also taught him discipline – a skill he found useful for the duration of his life. <\/p>\n According to Dan, finding a purpose to keep you going can add years to your life. <\/p>\n Serving during World War II and witnessing its horrors also made Richard realise that he wouldn't be able to control many things in life and gave a dose of 'realism'. <\/p>\n He recalled a mission when he was the gunner in a dive bomber, where a fellow gunner in another plane was killed. <\/p>\n "I counted at least 80 bullet holes on our aircraft, and his only had one," he said. <\/p>\n Richard explained that the experience made him realise that "if I'm going to get it, I'm going to get it". <\/p>\n "That was all there was to it. I thought there was no point in worrying," he added. <\/p>\n Richard joined a friend in a five month motorbike trip across Europe after he graduated college and travelled across the US and Mexico in a van with his wife after retiring at the age of 56. <\/p>\n "He has always been a 'live-for-the-day' person," his daughter Kathy Olsen told Insider. <\/p>\n Richard was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in his late 50s. <\/p>\n His diagnosis came as a shock to him as he kept active with golf and stayed away from fast food, eating a healthy meal of protein, starches and vegetables. <\/p>\n But Richard took even more care after his health scare, steering clear of high-sugar foods and keeping snacking to the minimum. <\/p>\n "He showed a lot of willpower \u2014 and still does,"\u00a0Kathy said. <\/p>\n Centenarians living in Blue Zones also try save sweets, cookies and cakes for special occasions occasions only and aim to eat no more than seven teaspoons of added sugar daily. <\/p>\n1. Find the positive in life <\/h2>\n
Read more on healthy ageing <\/h2>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/newspress-collage-24592787-1698836995247.jpg\")
<\/picture>AGE DEFYING <\/span><\/p>\nThere are 4 patterns to ageing – knowing yours could add years to your life<\/h3>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/newspress-collage-24350171-1696939539899.jpg\")
<\/picture>LONGEVITY DIET<\/span><\/p>\nThe longest-living people on earth swear by 11 simple diet rules every day<\/h3>\n
Most read in Health<\/h2>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/recovering-little-child-lying-hospital-766330681-1.jpg\")
<\/picture>DRUG DEAL <\/span><\/p>\nCommon antibiotics ‘no longer effective’ in children – fuelling surge in deaths<\/h3>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/newspress-collage-24585064-1698761176640.jpg\")
<\/picture>WHAT’S THE BEEF? <\/span><\/p>\nCigarette-style warnings ‘should be slapped on MEAT to flag dangers’<\/h3>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/healthcare-worker-hands-surgical-gloves-850082575-1.jpg\")
<\/picture>WINTER IS COMING <\/span><\/p>\nMillions at risk still haven’t had flu and Covid jabs – are you eligible?<\/h3>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/newspress-collage-24589670-1698794835322.jpg\")
<\/picture>OUR GRIEF <\/span><\/p>\nOur son, 4, died hours after he was sent home\u2026 we were told ‘give him Calpol’<\/h3>\n
2. Have a purpose <\/h2>\n
3. Be a realist <\/h2>\n
4. Live for the day<\/h2>\n
5. Show 'self control' with snacks<\/h2>\n
Read More on The Sun<\/h2>\n
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