Well, it’s been a little while since I posted, but there have been some pretty big milestones in our family. January has been a month of celebrating some very important peoples birthdays. My mother and father-in-law turned 85 and my mother-in-law turned 80.
All are in pretty good health, and that is due to the lifestyles that they have chosen to live. My in-laws eat extremely healthy and have done so for years. In fact, my in-laws grew their own vegetables. (squash, zucchini, tomatoes, cucumbers, beets, swiss chard, green beans, snow peas, radishes, rhubarb). They spent the summers at their cottage and had a large vegetable garden that they cared for. They introduced me to swiss chard and beet tops. I never dreamed that anyone would eat beet tops or make zucchini bread! They would also go fishing and eat fresh fish from the lake. Some of the fish that they caught were sunfish, perch, bass, rock bass, pickerel, cat fish and even a few muskie. They are also careful with their water intake and about 30 years ago they added a reverse osmosis water filter(ChaRO) to their tap. They use this water to drink and cook with.
My mother on the other hand only grew tomatoes, green onions(scallions) and garlic in her garden. I remember eating lots of tomato and onion sandwiches in the summer. Mum is not a big fan of salads, however she made them for us and always threw into the lettuce hard boiled eggs, green onions, tomatoes and celery. Mum and Dad are Irish so we always had meat, potatoes and veggies at dinner time. Oftentimes, our potatoes were mashed with green onion mixed through it. We also had a fair amount of cabbage, brussel sprouts, carrots and parsnips. Growing up “snack foods” were limited and so was “dessert”. We had 3 square meals a day, some fruit and one cookie after dinner with a cup of tea. Mom loved her chocolate and would let us indulge in some occasionally. Eating out at a restaurant was also an occasional treat; a luxury.
Mom doesn’t smoke or drink. She has aged well, and many remark that she doesn’t look her age when I tell them how old she is.
Overall they are in generally good health. Obviously, old age has brought some health issues their way, but it has not stopped them from living life to the fullest. They all drive, walk without the use of a cane or walker, are active in their communities and churches and live vibrant lives.
They have paved the way for me to continue to pursue healthy eating and I wish them continued health as they live each day given to them.
I spent the past few weeks detoxing so I was able to eat well during the celebrations. I did, however, have a small piece of cake to celebrate their milestones, but overall I ate well.
Cheers to good health!
healthyglowchic 