Old Photo of the Grandpa explaining the beauties of oranges to a pregnant me
Personally, I'll take 90 and then go on my way. I'm not into the idea of being the person dusted in the corner, and knowing my lazy ass I will be! I suppose I should start following these rules anyway as the average lifespan in my family is about 70 years old, maybe not even that.
So here are his rules:
1. Start your day with a glass of water. Drink or eat nothing else before your glass of water.
2. Have a fruit smoothie every morning. His has a base of orange juice and usually includes a papaya and banana along with numerous grains such as cerveja (wheat used to make beer).
3. Eat well. This man, at his 93 yrs of age, eats like a horse. Actually, more like a Northeastern horse. Yes, that means significantly more food and spicier. FYI: This means real food and not microwavable crap.
4. Clean out your nose. I find this disgusting, Mr. Rant is a HUGE fan of it, and I read that it is actually good for you. You basically go to the sink, put some water up there, and then you blow it out. Nauseating for me to hear in the am but supposedly good for your sinuses.
5. Stay active. This man was active until like 3 years ago. He did the Saturday morning farmer's market run for his household, ran errands in downtown Rio, and did it all sporting a button up shirt and slacks.
There you have it. These are the tricks to living a longer and healthier life. There are also a few things that I have observed him doing that are not necessarily rules. He eats a lot of oranges, at least one after meals. He says it aides in digestion. Fish is at least a weekly part of his diet. His wife also cooks dark leafy greens in their homemade black beans. That means double the goodness.
Last but certainly not least, napping is good.
Ha! Now I know what my bf is doing when he is making those noises in the bathroom.. well I knew he was cleaning his nose but I did not know he puts water up his nose.. how strange! Well at least saving tissue..
ReplyDeletevicky
Hey, the water up the nose thing is the precursor to the new and hip "neti pot"!!! :)
ReplyDeleteCool list, not too hard to follow his example!
Ray
true true!
ReplyDeleteNapping is good? That's the best news I've had all day. Maybe I won't feel so guilty now, then! LOL
ReplyDeleteGrandpa Rant and I share an appreciation for Minuano detergent and Carbon Water Filters (click on pic and enlarge it, they are in the back). I think this is the secret to his longevity so I will ignore the other more labor intensive tips except for professional napping since I compete in the famous El Napito con Gusto tournament held yearly in Cansado,Spain. His tips will perhaps earn me yet another Napito.
ReplyDeleteOh, the cleaning out your nose thing seems to make perfect sense.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ehow.com/how_2240095_clean-nostrils.html
I mean shouldn't we floss, keep ear wax under control, gargle to clean our oral cavity once in a while? If so then why not do the same regarding our nasal passages?
I think I will start doing this.
Gritty, I'm guessing you also attempt to humor foreign women with your orange peeling skills.
ReplyDeleteRachel, that is an interesting observation: the orange peeling by older (much older) Brazilian men. What is the deal with this? I remember one of my male Grandparents peeling oranges in a way which resulted in a strip, SINGLE strip you could use to hang lighting for an entire festa junina. I was flabbergasted. Funny that many male old timers in Brazil have this skill. Why aren't older females as good at this? I mean they spend far more time in the kitchen. Perhaps it is a question of coordination (:
ReplyDelete