‘Gilligan’s Island’ Star Tina Louise, 91, Says Daily Walks Keep Her Healthy and Energized (EXCL)
Plus learn what motivates her to prioritize her longevity
Tina Louise made a name for herself through her glamorous role as Ginger Grant on the beloved 1960s show Gilligan’s Island. As the only surviving cast member of the show, her character’s iconic fashion lives on in modern TikTok videos. So how has the 91-year-old stayed healthy and vibrant throughout the years?. In interviews, Tina Louise has given a sneak peek into her secrets to good health. Here’s what works for her.
Louise prioritizes daily walks
In 2015, Louise broke her coccyx, or tailbone, while standing on the Hampton Jitney. In a 2016 interview with the Miami Herald, Louise revealed the incident left her spending more time horizontal as she recovered. “I was flat on my back [recuperating] all of July and August,” said Louise. “I didn’t take my first walk until mid-September.”
Years later, the injury hasn’t stopped the actress from keeping up with her walks. In a recent interview with Forbes, Louise shared that daily walks are a key part of how she stays healthy now. “When I want to go to the gym, when it’s warm enough to walk up there, then I go there,” said Louise. “Otherwise, I do a lot of walking. Usually, I like to walk at least a minimum of a mile a day, but a lot of days, I walk over two miles.”
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In another interview with Digital Journal, Louise even linked walking to her longevity. “Walking is so important to staying alive,” said Louise. “I don’t like to come home unless I exhaust myself from walking. I feel that walking is so key to your health. It is very, very important.”
Walking is a small but simple thing Louise does to stay healthy. In fact, in an exclusive Woman’s World interview, Louise gave a peek into how she approaches her health. “I just take one day at a time,” Louise told Woman’s World. “That’s my theory of life. The sun’s out today—yesterday was awful—but I take it one day at a time.”
How walking improves your health
Joseph Mercola, DO, FACN, a board-certified family physician and author of Your Guide to Cellular Health, agrees that walking is key to good health.
“After nearly six decades of my own fitness experiments—from 5Ks and marathons to powerlifting—I’ve come to the same simple conclusion Tina has: Walking is the single best exercise we can do for lifelong health and I walk about 5 miles a day now,” says Dr. Mercola.
Compared to other forms of exercise with more intense movement, walking may not seem involved enough to make a major impact, but it actually helps a lot.
“Walking is the single best exercise we can do for lifelong health.” —Joseph Mercola, DO
“Modern science backs up what our bones and hearts already feel on a brisk stroll,” says Dr. Mercola. “Meta‑analyses show that consistent walking trims blood sugar, blood pressure and body fat while boosting cardiovascular fitness in folks over 60. A 2024 study put hard numbers on it: Every extra hour you log on your feet can add nearly three more hours to your lifespan. No gym fee required.”
Louise follows a plant-forward diet
Louise also told Forbes that although she doesn’t subscribe to a specific label, she prioritizes plant-based foods. “I’m careful about what I eat,” said Louise. “I have a lot of plant meals, but I would not call myself a vegetarian.”
Lousie also told Woman’s World that she believes nutritional health is key for overall wellness. “It’s how we live, what we put in our bodies, and how we take care of ourselves that makes the difference,” she said.
As far the types of food available to younger generations today (think processed junk and fast food), Louise believes it takes a toll. “I think it’s all the fast food people have been eating the last 20 or 30 years,” Louise told Woman’s World, referencing the health issues that seem to be more common in those who follow a western diet.
Why Louise focuses on the present
In our exclusive Woman’s World interview, Louise shared that she spent a chunk of her childhood at a boarding school. “When I was around six years old, my mother put me in Ardsley School For Girls, outside New York City,” Louise told Woman’s World. “At this tender age, when most children are home with at least one parent, it felt a bit odd to be there, but the circumstances of my parents’ lives made it necessary.”
According to an interview with Fox News Digital, Louise shared that while at the school, she endured intense bullying and appalling acts of neglect. But rather than dwelling on her traumatic childhood, Louise told Fox News Digital she keeps her mind focused on the present.
Dr. Mercola says trauma can affect people long after it happens, but the strategies Louise uses align with his advice. “Research shows that early trauma can stoke inflammation years later,” says Dr. Mercola. “Mindfulness practices, creative hobbies and regular movement help tamp that fire down, improving both mood and immune balance.”
Louise lives for her family
In the Forbes interview, when Louise was asked about the legacy she would like to leave, she shifted the focus to the present and her loved ones.
“My daughter said I had to live 40 years, so I’m going to do the best I can,” Louise said. “I’m not thinking about leaving. I don’t think of that. I don’t want to think about it. I’m running to stay healthy. I’m walking to the gym. I’m just thinking about staying alive for my family. I love being alive.”
Louie also told Woman’s World exclusively that she thinks about her family as a means for giving her a new outlook on her life. “When you have a child, you’re reborn. And when you have grandchildren, you’re reborn again,” Louise said.
Dr. Mercola says that positive, purposeful outlook is essential for longevity. “That sense of purpose is no Hallmark slogan—it can slash all‑cause mortality by nearly a third,” says Dr. Mercola citing Boston University School of Public Health research. “When your workouts are tethered to a bigger ‘why,’ showing up gets easy.”
Additional reporting by Ed Gross
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