On Tuesday, January 31st, my Grandmother (Mary Silvi) turned 95 years old, which is quite the feat these days! I went out to lunch with her and my mom that day as I wanted to celebrate this milestone with her. It got me thinking about all the amazing and crazy things she has seen and experienced during her 95 years on earth...from WW1 to the Great Depression and WW2...to the invention of so many things that we rely on in our society today such as computers and cell phones...the list goes on and on.
I also started thinking about how Grammy has managed to "keep it together" over all these years. While she has a somewhat hard time getting around these days (she uses a walker due to a bad hip and arthritis) and can often times be very forgetful, she still knows who I am and has very vivid memories and stories that she tells of her past. She's also managed to avoid cancer and has outlived all of her brothers and sisters, husband, and countless other family members. So what is Grammy's secret?
I'm no doctor, but given what I've learned about health, fitness and wellness over the past few years, I'd say its got to be her healthy diet and the fact that she has always been an active person. Grammy eats three heathy and sensible meals per day, and while she loves her chocolate, she doesn't over do it by any means. She also participates in regular activities at her Assisted Living Community. They offer everything from Chair Yoga to Zumba for the Seniors there and she loves it! She also is constantly reading and doing crossword puzzles which keep her mind sharp. This just goes to show that if you eat healthy and remain active (both mentally and physically), you too can (hopefully) live to be a happy and healthy 95 years old!
Ironically, the day after my Grandmother's Birthday, I happened to stumble upon an article about a 100 year old woman from NYC named Ruth Kobin who still lives on her own, cooks for herself and incorporates weight lifting, pilates, and stretching into her weekly exercise routine. Like Grammy, this woman also has maintained a healthy diet over her 100 years and says she has always been active, ever since she was a kid.
Moral of this story? Eat Healthy, Be Active and you will Live a Long, Fruitful Life! In the words of Ruth: "There’s no excuse not to move. If you’re able to move, you’re able to do some form of exercise." Now get out there and MOVE!
Read more about Ruth and her story here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/03/ruth-kobin-100-years-old-_n_1073029.html?ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false
I also started thinking about how Grammy has managed to "keep it together" over all these years. While she has a somewhat hard time getting around these days (she uses a walker due to a bad hip and arthritis) and can often times be very forgetful, she still knows who I am and has very vivid memories and stories that she tells of her past. She's also managed to avoid cancer and has outlived all of her brothers and sisters, husband, and countless other family members. So what is Grammy's secret?
I'm no doctor, but given what I've learned about health, fitness and wellness over the past few years, I'd say its got to be her healthy diet and the fact that she has always been an active person. Grammy eats three heathy and sensible meals per day, and while she loves her chocolate, she doesn't over do it by any means. She also participates in regular activities at her Assisted Living Community. They offer everything from Chair Yoga to Zumba for the Seniors there and she loves it! She also is constantly reading and doing crossword puzzles which keep her mind sharp. This just goes to show that if you eat healthy and remain active (both mentally and physically), you too can (hopefully) live to be a happy and healthy 95 years old!
Ironically, the day after my Grandmother's Birthday, I happened to stumble upon an article about a 100 year old woman from NYC named Ruth Kobin who still lives on her own, cooks for herself and incorporates weight lifting, pilates, and stretching into her weekly exercise routine. Like Grammy, this woman also has maintained a healthy diet over her 100 years and says she has always been active, ever since she was a kid.
Moral of this story? Eat Healthy, Be Active and you will Live a Long, Fruitful Life! In the words of Ruth: "There’s no excuse not to move. If you’re able to move, you’re able to do some form of exercise." Now get out there and MOVE!
Read more about Ruth and her story here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/03/ruth-kobin-100-years-old-_n_1073029.html?ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false
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