Howard Tucker, a 102-year-old neurologist, reveals the real enemy of longevity: “You have to have some purpose”

Howard Tucker (born in Ohio, 1922) has always made physical activity a priority: he only gave up skiing after a fall—when he was 80. Now 102, he holds the Guinness World Record as the oldest practicing physician in the world. He explains how his habits and motivations have helped him maintain his vitality and enthusiasm, offering a model we can all learn from.

His grandson made a documentary about him, he regularly appears on social media, still teaches at a university, and recently shared his secret to a long and active life in an interview with Al Roker on TODAY: “Retirement, I think, is the enemy of longevity. You have to have some purpose in life—to get up in the morning know what you are about.”

Dr. Tucker continued practicing medicine until he was 100, and only stopped because the hospital where he worked closed in 2022. Would he still be working if it hadn’t shut down? “Absolutely, I’d still be seeing patients,” he told People. He’s “putting out feelers“though he admits, “nobody wants me at my age.”

He has a message for people who retire and quickly seem like a shadow of their former selves: “If they retire from their work, they should at least do something as a hobby, whether it be communal work or self-hobbies. … You need a stimulus for the brain daily.” He emphasizes that trying to learn something new every day and engaging in mentally stimulating activities is not just great for the body, but even more important for the mind. It keeps us sharp, alert, and helps maintain active neural connections.

A simple formula for happiness

For Tucker, happiness is built on a few simple pillars: his work, the wife he’s been married to for over 70 years, four children, ten grandchildren, and a deep, lifelong passion for the sports teams from his hometown. Studies consistently show that people with strong social ties and a positive outlook on life tend to live longer than those who feel isolated or depressed.

Remarkably, Tucker earned his law degree at the age of 67. And at his age, does he think about the future—or not? “I never think of death. To be alive is to know that you’re going to die because life is a fatal disease. And so I live it.“

Tucker believes deeply in the benefits of daily movement. Just walking 15 minutes a day can reduce the risk of premature death by nearly 25%, studies show. He has a treadmill at home where he walks about 3 miles a day, and in winter, he still uses snowshoes to get outside.

In the Mindbodygreen podcast, he shared that his day usually starts with seasonal fruit—sometimes cereal—accompanied by low-fat milk and a cup of tea instead of coffee. He often skips lunch to stay mentally sharp, and his dinners typically consist of fish and vegetables, especially broccoli, with the occasional serving of meat.

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