Getting to 100

My grandmother recently passed away at 101 years young, and I can’t help but think about what it takes to live that long. Is it just luck, great genes, or maybe sheer will? My grandmother did have a few factors on her side. She was a woman (sorry guys) and she was very petite (sorry Shaq) and the fact is short women do tend to live longer than most. But that can’t be it. There has to be more that goes into living a full century and then some.

My grandmother grew up on a small farm in Massachusetts, the oldest of 7 children. She ate what was available at the time and in season and her diet consisted of primarily animal protein. She certainly wasn’t eating avocados in December or tomatoes in January, they simply weren’t available. And she definitely was not eating McDonald’s, pizza or anything that came in a box and had to be microwaved. Nutrition was simple in those days, there were fewer choices, leaner times and you simply ate what you grew, raised or canned. Throughout her life she always ate full fat dairy, fried her eggs in the bacon grease, and mashed her potatoes with lots of butter; all no-no’s in today’s nutrition obsessed culture of fad dieting. She didn’t avoid gluten, ever do a 21-day cleanse or work out in a gym. She ate real food, in season, and she cooked it herself.

But there still must be more to her health and overall wellness than just her diet. My grandmother was a woman of old-fashioned values. Being on time meant being early, she paid her bills before they were due, and if a new neighbor moved in next door she would bake them a pie…usually blueberry. She worked hard to keep a clean home. She never wore cheap shoes, knowing quality was more important than quantity. She took care of her family, helped those in her community, and cooked…all the time. I don’t ever remember a time when food was not offered in abundance in her home. She loved to bake and did it often, sharing with anyone and everyone.

There is a beautiful saying “there is no pillow so soft as a clear conscience”. We all know the importance of a good night’s sleep. So perhaps the key to making it to 100 along with our diet lies somewhere in our ability to manage our stress and has something to do with our overall outlook on life. I can think of no clearer conscience than knowing you’ve done a days hard work, taken care of your family, and been an important member of your community.

When researchers study centenarians there are obvious commonalities. They tend to live their whole lives in the same place, they have simple and habitual diets, often eating the same things every day. They have close bonds with their families and their communities, and they stay active well into their later years.

True wellness then, is a whole life experience, determined by how we live, who we live with, and what makes us get up each morning and keep going. It is the sum of all our decisions, right down to the shoes on our feet! So, if we want to live a long and healthy life instead of worrying about how much kale to eat, perhaps we should get to know our neighbors and maybe bake them a pie. I recommend blueberry!

In Memory of Gertrude Irene Hale

January 26, 1918 - March 20, 2019

Written by Sherri Krug-Summers