By Patricia Yannotta, CALA, CDP
It never ceases to amaze me the wisdom that comes from talking with the residents that live in the Senior Living Community where I work. I noticed a resident who had such a lovely, glowing complexion that I had to ask her, “Emelia,* You have such lovely, smooth, vibrant skin. Your face is absolutely glowing, you practically have no wrinkles and you look amazing. What is your secret?”
She answered, saying that when she was a young girl, her mother constantly reminded her that, “You Are What You Eat” and gave her a book by the same name. She read the book back then and lives by its advice to this very day.
Emelia was brief and to the point when I asked her what her diet included. “I don’t eat or drink sugar. I watch my salt intake. I don’t drink alcohol. I eat plenty of vegetables and fruit. I’m 95 years old and I’ve always eaten meals with the advice from that book in mind,” she said. I felt like I had just been handed the key to the “Fountain of Youth.”
I found a copy of “You Are What You Eat” by Vincent Lindlahr and vintage copies of it were selling for $300-$900 on Amazon and E-Bay, while well-read copies were selling at vintage book stores for under $20. I ordered a reasonably priced copy out of curiosity. My google search also revealed that “You Are What You Eat,” when it was first published in the 1930s, was considered a fad diet. I don’t have much a frame of reference for fad diets back then. I would imagine supermarket shelves were not littered with boxes of processed cheeses or boxed kits of bagged convenience foods. When I think of fad diets, I think of the “fat free” craze from years ago when fat was removed and replaced with corn syrup, sugars and chemicals and touted as “health foods.” Remember those days?
I thought about what Emilia said and decided that I have to really think about and watch what I am eating and get honest with myself. Sure, I eat salads all the time with my own homemade dressing, (if any), but does that frozen yogurt really “do my body good” with all the sugar and chemicals? Do I read the labels? Do I think about food before I eat or am I mindlessly chomping my way through the day while my mind is on autopilot engaged with my Facebook feed instead of what I am feeing my body?
Not to oversimplify, but our bodies are designed to consume food as fuel, kind of like a car. When you put the wrong fuel in a car, it does not run well, and doing so can even ruin the engine. So simple! Right?
Emilia’s advice led me to rethink what I eat. For now, my goal is to ensure the majority of my food intake comes from foods that require little or no packaging or processing. To achieve this, I try shopping only the outer permitter of the supermarket for the veggies and fruits, and include organic (whenever possible) items. I love to head to the local farmer’s markets and eat fresh, in-season wholesome foods. I strive to consume foods that have no added sugars or odd additives and strange sounding chemicals. And I sip water throughout the day to stay hydrated, as necessary.
And while you are thinking about your own healthy eating, treasure and embrace the wisdom and “food for thought” that was shared with me that I am now sharing with you: May you “eat to live” instead of “living to eat.” You are what you eat.
*Emelia (name changed to protect resident’s identity)
