Pharmaceutical Review (Associate Editor) In medical research, the issue of how to live a long, healthy life is taking center stage more frequently. Scientists now argue that gaining longevity may depend on consuming the proper foods, developing healthy behaviors, and maintaining social engagement. While centuries ago individuals may have turned to finding mythical immortality-granting things like the Holy Grail, they now say that this may not be the case. You join a “special club” of centenarians when you reach your 100th birthday. Verified Source. Despite the fact that many more people today are able to live to be 100 years old, researchers estimate that the number of centenarians was quite low before 1900.