Age ♦ Less

Live ♦ More

“When you see a man who is 107 years young and he looks

like he’s in his early sixties at most, it’s hard to deny the words

contained in this book.

Of all of the health books and guides that I’ve read by fa-

mous doctors or big time athletes, none has matched what Ber-

nando has accomplished. I recommend the principles in

this book to everyone. ”

—Paul Nison, Author, Speaker

and Raw Food Chef

“Being a nutritionist myself for over 40 years, when I read

Bernando’s book I was not only inspired but knew I was reading

a great book about a great man. I would recommend this book

to anyone. It is a must read! ”

—Dr. Fred Bisci, Ph.D., Nutritionist

Age ♦ Less

Live ♦ More

Achieving Health and Vitality at 107

and Beyond

By Bernando LaPallo

As Told To and Written By

Anne Cornelius

—FOR OUR READERS—

DISCLAIMER

This book contains the opinions and ideas of the author, which are not intended to be a substitute for medical advice or treatment. It is sold with the understanding that the author and publisher are not rendering any kind of medical, health, diet, ex-ercise, or any other personal or professional services, nor is this book intended to replace the advice of trained medical profes-sionals. A physician should be consulted prior to adopting any suggestions or programs described in this book.

The author, writer, and publisher specifically disclaim any and all liability, loss, or risk, personal or otherwise, arising directly or indirectly from the use of the contents of this book.

♦♦♦ Book Design and Photography: Ronald Seehoffer Cover Photo: Bernando LaPallo giving a lecture at Logos Church, Scottsdale, AZ—January 2008 First Edition—Copyright © 2008 by Bernando LaPallo

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be repro-duced, stored, or transmitted by any means—whether auditory, graphic, mechanical, or electronic—without written permission of both publisher and author, except in the case of brief excerpts used in critical articles and reviews. Unauthorized reproduction of any part of this work is illegal and is punishable by law.

For my father,

Bernando LaPallo, Sr.

CONTENTS

DISCLAIMER iv

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ix

WRITER’S NOTE xi

FOREWORD xiii

INTRODUCTION 17

CHAPTER 1—THE PHILOSOPHY OF FAITH 23

CHAPTER 2—AN OBJECT IN MOTION 51

CHAPTER 3—OFFERINGS FOR THE TEMPLE 83

CHAPTER 4—A DAY IN THE LIFE 147

ABOUT THE AUTHORS 155

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This book is dedicated to my dear father, Bernando LaPallo,

Sr., who started me on the path to optimum health. I am grateful

that he consistently taught me about proper nutrition, mental dis-

cipline, and awareness of the body, mind, and spirit connection.

He taught me to think of my body as a temple, and to nour-

ish it with the great food that Mother Earth grows for us. And

he taught me about God and how to treat myself and others with

the utmost respect. I would not be the person I am today if it

were not for my father.

I want to thank my wonderful wife, Georgette, for being by

my side and supporting me through thick and thin. I would like

to acknowledge my daughters, Lee Chamberlin and Nandra Gant,

for passing down my principles to their children and grandchil-

dren, and also Yvette Leslie, who has been like a daughter to me.

I would like to acknowledge my son, Philip LaPallo (deceased); I

truly regret that I was not able to play a larger role in his life.

I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Kenneth Les-

lie for his ceaseless encouragement, without which this book may

not have been written. And I would like to thank Rev. Wesley

Kittling for his friendship and support.

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x

This book is also dedicated to all those who believe that it is

possible to live a long and healthy life—a productive life full of

vitality, enthusiasm, and service—regardless of the number of

birthdays that have come and gone.

And finally, I want to dedicate this book to all those people

who have encouraged me to write my story and to share the wis-

dom and experience that have come my way.

Bernando LaPallo

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WRITER'S NOTE

Before meeting Bernando LaPallo, I had a very narrow-

minded view about aging. Like most people, I did not look for-

ward to getting old and dreaded the inevitable outcome. I heard

many people express the same fear, believing that to live a long

life meant ending up feeble and helpless or, worse yet, sitting

alone in a nursing home, awaiting the end.

When I met Bernando a little more than a year ago, he sin-

gle-handedly shattered all of my preconceived notions about ag-

ing. I found myself in the presence of a youthful, vibrant man, so

full of life and vitality, who also just happened to be 105 years

old!

His incredible memory and wisdom, coupled with his infec-

tious laughter, captivated my heart. He soon became my hero

and my inspiration. Bernando lovingly showed me a different

path—a path of health, vitality, and profound change.

I visited him regularly, and was mesmerized by his stories of

travel and adventure. When the opportunity came for me to get

involved with his book, I was ecstatic. I wanted to help get his

‘secrets’ out to the world. And I wanted others to experience the

same paradigm shift that I experienced when I first met this man.

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xii

With that intention in mind, I embarked on this journey with

humility in my heart and a profound desire to help deliver Ber-

nando’s message of hope to everyone who seeks to live a better

life—at any age.

In closing, I would also like to express my sincere gratitude

to my husband, Ronald Seehoffer. A gifted writer and editor in

his own right, Ron’s help and guidance during the arduous tasks

of researching, writing, and editing this manuscript proved in-

valuable. His support and encouragement were truly a blessing.

Anne Cornelius

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FOREWORD

This book represents my father’s generosity, compassion,

love for his family and friends and his genuine need to do all he

can to help others. I am an eyewitness to his remarkable health.

The keys to his mental and physical flexibility are the results of

his belief system which is contained in these pages. As you read,

consider making these practical tools your guide to a longer,

healthier, richer life. I can assure you of the extraordinary bene-

fits these practical methods provide to help you feel good and

look better. What you are unable to hear as you read his words is

my Dad’s resonant voice, still more bass than tenor, still as meas-

ured and tempered in conversation as when my sister and I were

growing up.

When I lived in California, my Dad came to visit. We chat-

ted as we walked through the airport toward the baggage claim.

Without a word of warning, Dad broke away from our conversa-

tion, sprinted some twenty-five feet to the baggage carousel, and

called to me over his shoulder, “There’s my bag.” Dad was 99.

To begin to write a book at 106 and complete it before his 107th

birthday comes as no surprise. He’s fond of saying that he makes

plans for living, not for dying. This book is a testament to his

credo.

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The word “spiritual” has come to mean many things. It in-

dicates to me an individual’s vitally alive essence. In this book,

my Dad invokes the spiritual aspect of his way of living to en-

courage readers to develop their vital essence. In some cases, his

health principles are proven by scientific research and by cultural

history and in others by the author’s personal history of their

salutary results. His methods stimulate the vital essence in each

of us and give a spiritual boost to our physical bodies. When you

feel good, your spirits are lifted.

My Dad has only hinted at his follies of youth. At the start

of the “roaring twenties”, when he was a young man living in

New York City, it can’t have been easy to resist that period’s re-

ported excesses with its temptations to sample forbidden fruit.

My Dad was and is a good looking guy. Temptation was surely in

the air of the speakeasy and the gambling joints he briefly men-

tions. If during his salad days he did swerve into the fast lane and

threw caution and health concerns to the winds, he’s been on

track throughout my lifetime and has influenced me more by his

consistently stable, health-oriented actions than by words.

Throughout my life he stressed the importance of good health

and is fond of reminding the family that if you have your health,

you have everything. His sixty year career as a chef who prepared

good food in nutritious ways was followed by more than twenty-

five years in new careers as a licensed massage therapist, reflex-

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ologist and herbologist. Taken together, there’s no doubt about

his commitment to living healthy and helping others to do the

same.

Whenever I ask my Dad how he’s doing, his robust response

is always: “I feel good!” As he reminds you in this important

guide to aging less and living longer, plan for the future, live in

the now, breathe deeply, love generously, eat slowly and read

daily starting with this successful blueprint for a healthier, more

fulfilled life.

Thanks for everything, Dad. Thanks for being you.

P. S. Ask my father anything about baseball, his favorite

spectator sport, and he’ll give you specific plays that occurred as

far back as 1922, tell you who pitched the game, who fielded the

deciding out and how, inning by inning, the game unfolded. Very

impressive!

Lee Chamberlin/nee La Pallo

(Ms. Chamberlin’s biography appears on the following page.)

Age♦Less

Lee Chamberlin, the author’s daughter, is an actress and

writer. Viewers of PBS know Lee as an original cast member of

“The Electric Company”. Soap opera buffs of “All My Children”

will recognize her as Angie’s mother. Lee has also starred in

night time television shows produced by Norman Lear and

Stephen Bochco and guest starred in a large number of series in-

cluding “NYPD Blue”, “The District” and “The Practice”. Ms.

Chamberlin also co-starred on the big screen in “Uptown Satur-

day Night” and “Let's Do It Again” opposite Sidney Poitier and

Bill Cosby. As a playwright, her award-winning musical, “Strut-

tin’” was produced in New York. Ms. Chamberlin currently lives

and writes on the east coast.

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INTRODUCTION

I am 107 years old. To me, there is nothing astounding

about that fact. But, because I am not just 107 years old, but also

healthy, fit, and mentally aware, I seem to elicit a reaction from

those around me bordering on awe and disbelief. Not a day goes

by that someone doesn’t corner me and ask the inevitable ques-

tions: “You’re HOW old?” “How do you do it?” “What’s your

secret?”

Of course, my friends who know me chuckle with delight

when they see the reactions of those who find out my age for the

first time—to them, it’s as natural as it is to me. Why shouldn’t

someone be able to live past 100 and still be vital?

The last time I went to have my yearly physical, once again

the word about my age spread and before I knew it, I was sur-

rounded by every doctor in the hospital. They could not believe

that a man of 106 could look like me, talk and walk like me, and

even (Heaven forbid!) have a sense of humor.

There have been articles and news stories written about me,

and I’ve been on television more than once. It always amuses me

to see people’s reactions, because frankly, I see myself as quite

normal. In Brazil, where I was born, there are many who live to

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18

110 or even longer. Still, no matter where I go—the store, to

church, or a meeting, I am surrounded by inquiring souls, prob-

ing, asking, and trying to find out whether they, too, might enjoy

a long, pain and disease free life.

Finally, I decided that it was time to share what I know in a

way that might reach as many people as possible. The knowledge

that I hope to pass along came primarily from my father, a well-

respected doctor, as well as from a lifetime that has spanned four

different careers. The advice that I will share is not difficult to

follow, but it can be literally life-altering if a suitable effort is

made.

There are three basic aspects that I would like to share with

the readers of this book. They are all equally important, and all

are necessary if one wishes to live a life that will never be a bur-

den to others, and provide a quality to their lives that they may

never have thought possible. It will require a paradigm shift, but

it’s easier than one might think.

The first aspect I’ll be discussing is the importance of main-

taining a positive, optimistic outlook on life. There have been

studies that show that people who are optimistic not only live an

average of seven years longer, but suffer fewer ailments than the

normal population. That statistic alone should be enough moti-

vation for most to change their outlook.

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I believe in and try to live my life based on the Golden Rule.

To paraphrase, I want everybody to have what I have. I also be-

lieve that every person and every situation that comes our way,

both good and bad, is there for a reason, and to teach us some-

thing important. There is no need to avoid or dread any negative

circumstance if we look at it as an opportunity to learn.

A second component that I would like to stress is the need

for physical movement and exercise. We know that a body in

motion, stays in motion. One needs to let the muscles do what

they were designed to do by walking, stretching, and other

movement.

Exercise also applies to the mind. Just as the muscles of the

body will atrophy without daily use, so too will the mind weaken

without proper stimulation. I, for instance, try to read for a few

hours every day. Not only does this exercise my mind, but it

adds to my knowledge on a multitude of subjects. From doing

puzzles, to working out math problems without a calculator, to

writing—there are hundreds of ways to keep one’s mind fit and

strong.

Finally, the food we eat is perhaps the most important factor

affecting the overall quality and quantity of our lives. The closer

we can get to eating foods the way God made them, the better

we’ll feel, and the longer we’ll live. He did not put preservatives

Age♦Less

20

into the earth so that the vegetables and fruits would remain on

the tree for months without going bad. He did not place a mi-

crowave oven under the Tree of Life so that His children could

eat mushy, nutrient-deprived food. He gave us raw fruits and

vegetables that could serve as the backbone for a healthy diet,

and by eating these foods one’s life will be significantly changed

for the better.

The final chapters of this book will provide a road map to

healthy nutrition—specific details on what to eat, what not to eat,

and why. There are many foods, all commonly available, that

when prepared correctly offer a panacea of health benefits. Many

of them are quite probably inside of your refrigerator or your

pantry right now. I will discuss each in detail, and give instruc-

tions for their preparation and use.

I’ll also be providing valuable information on a product that

I truly believe in and that I’ve been using for more than twenty-

five years, with marvelous health-enhancing results. I’m speaking

of Dr. Schulze’s SuperFood—a mixture of vegetables, fruits,

herbs, vitamins and minerals that is mixed as a drink and taken

daily. I find it to be of immense value, and I believe that you will,

too.

I’ve spent my entire life practicing these principles, and I

know that they work. I’ve seen others follow the same rules, and

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have similar results. I believe that anyone who is willing to keep

an open mind and follow the simple guidelines within these pages

will live, not just a longer life, but a life that’s worth living. So

read on, and thank you for sharing this amazing journey with me.

Age♦Less

Live♦More

CHAPTER 1 The Philosophy of Faith

Nobody grows old merely by living a number of

years. We grow old by deserting our ideals. Years

may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm

wrinkles the soul.

-Samuel Ullman-

Age♦Less

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I believe that I’m a very fortunate man. I’m fortunate be-

cause I have a body that has withstood the tests of time, and has

not worked against me as I learned and began to practice a life-

style conducive to overall health and peace of mind. I’m fortu-

nate for all of the outstanding relationships I’ve been a part of,

and for an extraordinary family. But most of all, I’m fortunate to

have had a father of such wisdom, such practical knowledge and

foresight, that he saw fit to impart to me a way of living that has

served my so well, for so many wonderful years.

I was only five years old when my father began to teach me

the principles detailed within these pages. When a child is that

young, there is an inherent trust that has not yet been eroded by

the apparent evils of the world. As he patiently taught me certain

ways to eat, and to think, and to develop my faith in a Power

greater than anything I could then imagine, I had no reason to

doubt him. I simply took what he told me at face value, and in

my own way incorporated his lessons into my daily life.

Long after my father passed away, his words continue to in-

spire me, my children, and my children’s children. They are as

true now as they were in 1906 when I first heard them. And as

they’ve served me and my family so well, I hope that by reading

this book, these words will also serve you and yours.

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A Word or Two About Your ‘Genes’

Before we travel down this path together, I’d like to speak

briefly about genetics. Many people believe that it’s their genes,

inherited from their parents, that mostly determine how long

they’ll live and what kinds of diseases they’ll be facing. These

thoughts lead to feelings of powerlessness or complacency, as if

everything is somehow written in stone and can’t be changed.

While it’s true that genes play a role in these things, numerous

studies have shown that the way we think, the environment in

which we live, our diet, and other lifestyle choices are far more

influential when it comes to disease risk and overall health.

It’s true that both of my parents were blessed with a long

life. Having their genes has no doubt helped me avoid some of

the pitfalls of old age. But my son, who was part of the same

gene pool but did not listen to my advice regarding mindset, diet,

and exercise, died in 2002 at the age of seventy-eight. Good

genes might get your foot in the door, but the choices you make

in your life are what pushes it open. When it comes to your long-

term quality of life, you have far more control than you realize.

Don’t Change the World—Change Yourself

Before he taught me much else, my father taught me by

word and by example the value of discipline and consistency.

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After all, there would be little point in him teaching me the myr-

iad things that were necessary to live a long and healthy life, if I

only practiced them occasionally, or not at all. These qualities are

essential if one is to make progress toward the goal, and receive

the reward.

The flip side, of course, is that there are consequences for

those who’ve learned the right way to live and yet choose a dif-

ferent path. I saw this firsthand on more than one occasion

when I chose, for whatever reason, not to follow his advice.

Thankfully, my father instilled in me a strong sense of right and

wrong, and by listening to his council I found that the path of

least resistance, the downstream course, was usually the correct

one. I think that you will find the same to be true.

As a young man living in New York during the early 1900’s,

there were certainly numerous opportunities to stray from the

path. Bars, brothels, gambling houses—for the person lacking

willpower and discipline the seeds of failure found fertile ground.

This was also a time of great division between the classes—rich

or poor, black or white, man or woman—everyone seemed to be

separated, by law or prejudice, from everyone else.

I would often question why this was the case, but my father,

in his wisdom, had a pragmatic answer. He told me to simply ‘let

it go’. He knew that things would eventually improve, but to

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spend my valuable time and energy struggling against the intoler-

ance of the time would just make me miserable. It was not my

place to change the ways of the world, and in fact I couldn’t have

done so, no matter how much I might have tried. My only re-

sponsibility, he said, was to change myself.

As time went on I developed not just a tolerance, but a deep

respect for myself and my fellow men. As I read the Bible and

came to understand the wisdom within those pages, I focused on

the similarities of those around me, and not the differences. This

is also partly due to the fact that in Brazil, where I was born,

there was little bias as related to color. There were certainly class

distinctions based on wealth or the lack of it, but that was about

the only division.

As a result, I did not grow up with a chip on my shoulder

because I was not the same color as my neighbor, and therefore

didn’t get the same privileges. I never felt that I was a victim, or

lacked control over my life, and I did not live in fear. There is a

great peace and many tangible benefits to that frame of mind.

Here is a story that illustrates my point:

In 1935 I was serving as a chef on board a large cruise ship,

making regular runs between New York City, Miami, Florida, and

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as well as other cities down the Brazilian

coast. On one particular day, while at port in Miami, my crew

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mates and I got into a debate as to which was the best and most

beautiful beach. Pointing to the sandy swath not far from the

deck on which we were seated, most of my friends were adamant

that Miami hosted the finest beaches on the planet.

I, however, had a very different opinion. Having been born

in Brazil, I clearly felt that Copacabana Beach was far superior,

with its white sands, clear blue water, and throngs of Cariocas

swimming, dancing, and enjoying life. It was, for me, a paradise

on earth. But try as I might, I was unable to sway my unyielding

companions.

I decided at that moment that I had to see with my own eyes

whether the beach in front of me could truly be better than that

of my homeland—after all, I had never set foot on its sands and

therefore could not properly compare the two.

When I voiced my plans to my shipmates, however, they

jumped to their feet in alarm. I was informed in no uncertain

terms that this particular beach was for ‘whites’ only, and any

black man caught there would most certainly be arrested, beaten,

or killed. But my mind was made up, and no amount of persua-

sion would make me alter my plans. Finally, when they realized

that their arguments were useless, they leaned over the railings

and watched me descend the gangplank, expecting the worst.

Now don’t get me wrong—I don’t have a death wish, nor

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am I particularly stubborn by nature. I’m not prideful or have a

need to defend myself or prove my point. But, as I said, I do

choose not to live my life as a victim, cowering in fear because

someone told me that I should. Whatever I choose to do, I hold

my head up, with confidence that God will watch over and pro-

tect me.

They say that animals smell fear, and if a person does not act

or think of themselves as prey, they will not be treated that way.

I believe that to my core, and it applies not just to the jungle

realm but also to the world of man.

It wasn’t long before I had walked the short distance from

the dock to the beach, and soon I was strolling along the water’s

edge as my friends silently looked on. Some distance ahead

walked a policeman, lazily twirling his nightstick as he scanned

the beach for ‘riffraff’. He apparently didn’t notice me at first,

because I was well past him by the time he shouted for me to

stop. The problem was that he used a name that was not my

name. He used a name that was very common at the time, a

name for a black man, but it was not my name. So I continued to

walk away from him, casually admiring the water and the sand.

It took quite some time for him to catch up to me, calling

out as I continued on my way, until finally the man came up be-

hind me and tapped me on the shoulder with his baton.

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“Didn’t you hear me call you?” he exclaimed, red-faced.

I replied curtly, “How could you call me when you don’t

know my name?”

The man shook his head. “Where are you from?”

“I’m from Brazil,” I stated, in a matter-of-fact way.

He paused for a moment, unsure of how to react. I glanced

back at my shipmates, who were all hanging far over the railing,

fear clearly written on their faces.

“Where is that?” he finally asked, perplexed.

I was amazed. “You must be joking! Here you are—a man

of the law, an intelligent man—and you mean to tell me that you

don’t know where the fifth largest country in the world is?”

As we were having this conversation, we’d reached the end

of his beat and turned to retrace our steps. Realizing the time, I

informed him that I had to get back to my ship.

“You have a ship?” the man asked, his eyes wide. I just

smiled and gestured toward the liner.

The officer was cordial, and asked me to tell him about the

wonders of my native country, which I did, with gusto. In a

short time we had covered the intervening distance and were

back in front of the ramp.

“Do you think, when you get to Brazil, you could send me

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one of those cards?” he asked.

I didn’t understand at first, but finally I realized that he

meant a picture post card.

“Sure!” I replied. “I’d be happy to!”

He pulled out a pad and pen, and jotted down his address.

Finally, I shook his hand and proceeded back up the gangplank as

my shipmates looked on, completely dumbfounded. It took sev-

eral minutes for me to fill them in on the events of the afternoon,

and they couldn’t dispute what I told them as they’d seen it all

with their own eyes. It seemed impossible; to them I had cheated

death. But these are the kinds of things that can happen if one

simply has confidence and does not live in fear.

Incidentally, Copacabana Beach still holds its place at the top

of my list.

Living On Purpose, and The Golden Rule

There was one lesson that my father taught me more by ex-

ample than by words alone. He showed me daily what it meant

to live on purpose, as opposed to simply reacting to the plethora of

outside events and distractions that surround us. He was active

and engaged, with a vitality and zest that set him apart from his

contemporaries. While those around him contemplated retire-

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ment, he didn’t seem to know the meaning of the word.

As a doctor, my father spent countless hours ministering to

the sick and dying throughout his long career. But even during

the worst of times, such as during the influenza pandemic of

1918-19, his service went far beyond the practice of medicine.

He was a living example of the Golden Rule, ‘doing unto others

as you would have them do unto you’. He felt the need to share

whatever he could with his fellow man, especially a vast knowl-

edge and wisdom concerning the body, mind, and spirit. As I

observed him, a desire was born within me to do the same in

whatever capacity was available. It seemed that the more he did

for others, the more he benefited and the better he felt.

To ‘love your neighbor as yourself’, as Jesus put it, requires

action and is not always easy. But as one looks outside oneself

and seeks opportunities to help others, an interesting thing hap-

pens. A person begins to feel a personal satisfaction, and devel-

ops a healthy trust in his or her own abilities. To focus on the

needs of another draws the attention away from the problems of

one’s own life, and gives purpose where none existed before.

And I believe with all my heart that having purpose, at whatever

age, provides a feeling of joy and youthful enthusiasm that is so

important if one is to enjoy all of the years they’ve been given.

I have seen people—even quite young people—who seem

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aged only because they’ve lost sight of their purpose and given up

on their goals. With nothing to look forward to, nothing to plan

for except retirement and having more time to fish, these people

are affected in ways that they don’t even realize. Without pur-

pose, life becomes an endless series of repetitive events devoid of

the enthusiasm and drive that had marked their youth. I assure

you—living like this for long actually influences health and life

span in a negative way.

Even at 107 years old, I have as many dreams and goals as I

ever had. As I work on this book, I am planning the contents of

the second. I have a strong desire to find a piece of land or a

building and open a restaurant, in which healthy, organic foods

are prepared following the methods that I promote in this book.

My friends just shake their heads, amazed that I’m more inter-

ested in going to the next Raw Foods meeting across town than

parking myself in front of the TV and watching a ‘Matlock’ rerun.

As far as my own purpose in life, I believe that it is threefold:

First, and most important to me, is to take care of my wife of

fifty years. Second, I feel that I must continue to learn all that I

can about nutrition, health, and longevity through reading and

attending meetings and seminars. And finally, I feel that it is my

purpose to disseminate what I know, to the best of my ability,

that which I have learned and which works for me.

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That, of course, is the purpose behind this book. As I said

earlier: I truly want everyone to have what I have, and to never

doubt that it’s possible to live a long life free of disease and men-

tal decline.

Another aspect of living on purpose is to try to focus on

what’s happening Now. Think about this for a moment: How

much of your day do you suppose is spent savoring the moment,

and how much is spent regretting some event from the past, or

dreading some imagined future? If you are like most people,

odds are that thoughts of the Now do not just take a back seat to

‘more pressing’ concerns, but are probably not even in the same

vehicle.

Have you ever watched a young child as they go about their

activities during the day? Hours can be spent just watching an

inchworm move across a limb or examining a stone or a leaf.

That child is probably not thinking about whether they might

have left the stove on, or where the receipts are for the tax man,

or why they made that stupid joke at the company Christmas

party two years ago. That child spends the better part of each

and every day in the Now, and they are healthy, happy, and well-

adjusted because of it.

Jesus spoke of this when he talked about the lilies of the field

not worrying about clothing and are yet beautifully adorned, and

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the birds not sowing or harvesting and yet are all well-fed. He

asked whether being anxious could add one extra day to your life.

In the end He concluded that tomorrow would take care of itself,

so it wasn’t necessary to worry about past or future, only about

what matters Now. This is very easy for a child, and very hard

for us.

Most people have, at one time or another, had what can best

be described as a ‘perfect moment’. It might have been during a

quiet California sunset, or while seeing one’s child for the first

time as they enter the world, or during a beautiful symphony. If

you’ve ever had such a moment, have you ever asked yourself

why it was so wonderful? It was because you were focused on

nothing else; no distracting thought fogged the perfect mirror of

your mind for that brief intermission from ‘life’. Wouldn’t it be

wonderful to live like that always? To take each moment, one

after the other, and experience it fully?

I know that it is a difficult thing to do, and I understand that

in today’s society it is perhaps impossible to live a life of total

spontaneity. But what I’ve found, and what I offer to you, is the

value of breaking one’s day into blocks of time, during which

necessary planning and action are done at appropriate times, but

with other times left to the Now. If every minute of every day is

spent dwelling on the future or the past, beautiful moments flit

by unnoticed, and stress becomes a constant companion. And

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believe me, very few things can harm you and shorten your life as

much as nagging, constant, stress.

It’s A Jungle Out There

While it’s true that a little stress is a good thing—it keeps us

alert and helps us avoid danger—the effects of chronic stress can

reduce a person’s average life span by perhaps seven years or

more. Consider this:

• More than forty percent of all adults suffer adverse, stress-

related health effects.

• Up to ninety percent of doctor’s office visits are for ailments

and complaints related to stress.

• Stress can play a major role in high blood pressure, heart

problems, diabetes, headaches, arthritis, asthma, sleep disor-

ders, skin conditions, weight problems, and of course depres-

sion and anxiety.

• Stress costs American industry $300 billion per year—it is a

major workplace hazard, according to OSHA, the Occupa-

tional Safety and Health Administration.

• Stress can also lead to substance abuse such as alcohol, to-

bacco, and drug use, which can compound the problem.

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Clearly, being able to recognize and deal with stress is a valu-

able skill, and one that could add not just more years to your life

but more life to your years.

There are many sources of stress in our lives. Some of them

are good—starting a new and exciting job, getting married, travel-

ing to a new place, or learning a new skill, for example. But the

types of stress that I want to address are more insidious, born of

fear, and regret, and guilt. These are the drivers of disease and

untold suffering.

Thousands of years ago, life was a near constant fight for

survival. I believe that most people at that time lived in fear,

never knowing at what moment death would come. Would it

approach slowly, from starvation or disease, or quickly as some

wild beast sprang from behind the next tree? To live life always

looking over one’s shoulder for fear of being someone else’s din-

ner had to be an unpleasant experience. The stress of that kind

of life took many a man to an early grave, I’m sure.

Now it’s true that those days no longer exist for most of us,

and tigers do not typically lurk behind your neighbor’s SUV. But

the fact remains that the mental and physical mechanisms that are

activated by fear and stress still exist within us, and still produce

the same negative effects as they did back then. The ‘fight or

flight’ response, with its associated release of harmful chemicals

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into the bloodstream, still occurs just as it always did when we’re

subjected to some perceived stress.

I mention this because, although the snakes and lions are

behind bars at the local zoo for the most part, many of us react to

other less immediate or threatening situations in life just as our

ancestors used to, with equally damaging results. The predators

have changed form, but still seem to be out there for many of us.

The lion has become the abusive boss. The snakes are the ma-

niac drivers that cut you off every day on the way home. The

bear is the tax auditor or the belligerent neighbor or your unruly

teenager. Although the jungle is history, the perceived threats are

real. If you believe in your heart that you’re a victim, then it’s so.

There is a legend, however, that I’ve mentioned before. A

person who does not think of themselves as prey, even though

they walk through a jungle filled with hungry predators, will be

left alone. Predators smell fear, and will react predictably to it.

No fear—no reaction.

There are ways out of this pit, and one of the most impor-

tant in my mind is to keep your perspective. Think long and hard

about the situations that are in your life right now that are causing

you to feel stress. Look at each individually, and make a decision:

Will not thinking about it for some period of time harm you? If

attention is shifted to something that feels better, if only for a

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moment, will you be dragged off into the bushes? Are the situa-

tions in your life so unmanageable that you are willing to kill

yourself for them? Because, frankly, that’s what’s happening if

you continue to allow negative stress to inundate your thoughts

and emotions. The goal here is to live a long, healthy, and happy

life, and it comes down to priorities.

Now, I am not in any way trying to trivialize something that

to you may be a seriously traumatic situation, nor am I trying to

be insensitive. But I am asking you to hold whatever it is up to

the light, and ask yourself these questions, and even to be selfish

enough to think that your health and well-being matter, perhaps

more than the external situations you’re dealing with. To be self-

ish is not a sin—understand that it’s very hard to help others,

mentor your children, or to fulfill your God-given destiny if you

put everything and everyone else first.

In my opinion, the most powerful method of overcoming

stress, or any other difficulty, is to have faith. It is my faith that

supports me from the minute I wake up until I place my head on

the pillow each evening. I was taught the tenets of the Bible

from my earliest childhood, and the words contained there have

molded me into the person that I am today. I know beyond a

shadow of a doubt that I will not be given any problem in my life

without being given the power to overcome it. How then could I

be fearful?

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I believe that we are placed on this planet, this classroom, to

learn. Every person that crosses our path, every situation, every-

thing that happens to us does so specifically to teach us some-

thing new or impart some wisdom. I can’t feel anxiety over the

future, because I know that whatever comes tomorrow, whether I

choose to label it good, or not so good, is going to teach me

something of value. I cannot feel guilty or regretful over some

past perceived indiscretion or hurt, because from that event I re-

ceived the greatest of gifts. The event or person taught me some-

thing. For a student like myself there is nothing greater than that.

The Company You Keep

There is a saying that ‘a man is known by the company he

keeps’. I have found that the opposite is also true, however. A

man can be strongly affected by those around him, either posi-

tively, or negatively. If a person decided that they wanted to be a

musician, that person would be well-served by associating with

other musicians. A great writer surrounds himself or herself with

others of similar bent. And one who seeks to be spiritual, or

health conscious, does best by befriending those who are on the

same path.

I mention this because there are, unfortunately, people in

this world that seem to delight in the failure of others. It isn’t

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with malice, necessarily, but when a person makes a decision that

they are going to change their lifestyle for the better and try to

live a healthier life, erstwhile friends and even family members

occasionally are less than supportive at the prospect. I don’t

know if misery truly does love company, but it happens.

If you’ve ever been on a diet, trying to do your best and hav-

ing some success while your portly ‘friends’ wave greasy steaks

and banana splits in front of your nose, then you know what I’m

talking about. Be prepared, as you begin down the path of think-

ing of your body as a temple, that you may encounter resistance

from unexpected sources. You may indeed find yourself looking

for more supportive friends, or at least beginning to foster new

and healthier activities, along the way.

My father put it to me this way: If you’re not a drinker, why

spend your time in a bar? If you aren’t a gambling man, why be

in a gambling joint? If you respect your body, why would you go

to a brothel? He knew that although the spirit might be willing,

the flesh is often weak. He felt that it was far easier to succeed

when not encumbered by naysayers and unhealthy surroundings.

Although I have learned to respect all people and many points of

view, I’m very selective of the company I keep. It’s interesting, as

I look back over the years, how many times I’ve seen the value of

this particular mindset.

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I remember one occasion that illustrates my father’s point

very well. Many years ago, a friend of mine asked to borrow ten

dollars. This was in New York City right after Prohibition, in the

early 1930’s, and ten dollars was a fair amount of money at the

time. After some consideration, however, I agreed.

“Don’t worry!” the man told me. “I’ll pay you back in a

couple of days.”

“You don’t need to give me a date,” I interjected. “If you

happen to see me sometime and you have the money with you,

I’ll get it then.”

He looked puzzled. “No, no! I’ll have it back to you in a

couple days.” I just nodded, and went on my way.

Although not relevant to this story, it bears mentioning that

my father had a very strong opinion when it came to lending. He

felt that if a person had the extra money and could do without it

permanently, it was okay to lend. But to expect that the money was

going to be repaid invited hard feelings and planted the seeds of

discord, and so should be avoided. I’ve seen my fair share of

friendships broken up for just this reason.

Some days later, a mutual friend of the man I lent the money

to approached me.

“Hey, Bernando!” he shouted. “Jack’s got the money he

owes you; he said he’d give it to you tonight if you’ll come up-

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town to Kid Scott’s.” I knew I had to go that way anyway to pick

up my laundry, so I agreed.

Later that evening I found myself across the street from

Scott’s, which at the time was a well-known gambling house. As

it began to rain, I sought cover under an awning above the en-

trance to a popular bar. Soon, the man that had delivered the

earlier message approached.

“Jack’s got the money; come on over and he’ll give it to

you.” He motioned me across the street.

“No,” I said as I shook my head. “You tell him to bring it

over here—I’ll wait.”

The man disappeared back inside, only to wave at me several

other times to come over, but the words of my father echoed in

my ears: “If you aren’t a gambling man... ” I would not budge.

After about ten minutes, while the rain continued to fall, a

police paddy wagon skidded around the corner and screeched to

a stop directly in front of Kid Scott’s. Several officers jumped

from the van and ran in through the door, arresting everyone

they could lay their hands on. Had I gone over, I would have

gone to jail for sure. I just stood there and watched, dumb-

founded; once again, my father’s advice had saved me.

Did I ever get my ten dollars back? I’ll let you decide.

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The Good News

As you are reading this book, you will undoubtedly notice

that I reference the Bible and quote scripture wherever it seems

appropriate to do so. This may seem strange to you in a book

about diet, exercise, and longevity. But, this book is about more

than those things. It is about a philosophy of life and a way of

thinking that opens one’s mind to possibilities that might not

have been considered before now. And it is about the lessons

that were given to me—lessons that have profoundly influenced

the way I live my life and that are directly responsible for the

spiritual, emotional, and physical health I currently enjoy. So it

would be impossible for me to give you that which I have with-

out including words from the Maker of worlds. And remem-

ber—many persons in the Bible routinely lived well beyond 120

years old!

Now, I am not an evangelist, and in fact I have a certain dis-

dain for the practice. Still, I can’t ignore what I’ve been taught on

the subject, just for the sake of not offending those readers who

have other beliefs, or no beliefs at all. To those I say, take the

best and leave the rest.

My father told me on many occasions that if people would

practice any five of the Ten Commandments, there would be

paradise on Earth. Unfortunately, most people can probably only

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quote two or three from memory, if that. Most know ‘Thou shalt

not kill’, and ‘Thou shalt not steal’—these are self-evident. But

few remember the Commandment that ends in a promise:

‘Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be

long and that it may go well with you...’. I’ve done my best to

follow these and the rest, and I can tell you that my days have

indeed been long and it has gone well with me.

The Good News, as Jesus called it, brings me peace—a

peace that is perhaps just as necessary as proper food and exer-

cise in achieving long life and happiness.

There is perhaps no other scripture that has shaped my char-

acter more than the book of Job. For those unfamiliar with the

story, Job was a righteous man, trying to do good wherever he

could. He had a great family, good friends, and was materially

abundant. But through the deceit of the Evil One, he lost nearly

everything he had. His children were killed and his property sto-

len. He was afflicted by disease, his wife told him to ‘curse God

and die’, and Job’s best friends mercilessly accused him of having

committed some heinous sin for which he was clearly being pun-

ished, although that was not the case.

Through it all, however, the man never broke—his faith

never wavered. In the end, his steadfastness was rewarded with

double of what he’d had before. Here is a man worth emulating!

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You may find this very hard to believe, but there are tangible

benefits to believing and trusting in the Good News that go far

beyond just peace of mind. My life has been spared on more

than one occasion because I listened to the ‘still, small voice’, or

because I was left with no other option than to follow His guid-

ance, even when I didn’t recognize it as such until later.

On one occasion, during World War II, I was serving as chef

aboard a liner docked at an English port. It was necessary for me

to go into town to pick up a couple bottles of wine, so I left the

ship during the afternoon and took a bus to my destination.

It took some time to complete my purchases, and it was dark

by the time I made it back to the bus stop for my return trip. I

was running late, which is something I very rarely do. It is part of

my character to be punctual—I guess it has to do with the impor-

tance of giving my word, because in the end, one’s word is all a

person has.

Just as I was approaching the bus, the air raid sirens went off

and the startled driver slammed the doors in my face. He sped

away as a stood there nonplused, unsure of what to do next. I

knew that this was the last bus for the night, and I had no other

way to get back to the ship. I had nowhere to stay, and so I just

stood there holding the bottles and scanning the empty streets.

Right at that moment an older lady approached and looked

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at me questioningly. I explained my dilemma, and although she

was very sympathetic, she confirmed my fears and told me that it

would be morning before another bus would arrive. After eyeing

the bottles I was clutching, however, the woman offered to allow

me to sleep in a chair in her nearby flat in exchange for the wine.

I didn’t drink, and no longer had any need for the liquor, so I

heartily agreed and was soon asleep in the old overstuffed chair

occupying one corner of her cramped apartment.

The next morning I was up well before sunrise and standing

once again on the sidewalk, waiting for the bus. It didn’t take

long before I heard it approach, and within an hour or so I was

climbing the gangway to my ship. No sooner had I made it

aboard, however, than my crew mates ran toward me with relief

and joy written upon their smiling faces.

“What is it?” I exclaimed. “What’s the matter?”

“Bernando, we all thought you were dead! Where have you

been?”

I was completely confused, and explained that I’d missed the

bus and had to spend the night in town.

“Bernando, the bus you were supposed to be on was hit by a

bomb. It was completely destroyed. Had you taken it you’d be

dead.” I stood there, too stunned to speak, as my friends gath-

ered around me and praised my ‘good luck’. Luck, I knew, had

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nothing to do with it. God watches after His own.

Finally, there is another aspect of faith that needs to be ad-

dressed. Many people believe that their faith is an obligation, like

taxes, that get paid every Sunday morning and then can be put on

the back burner while other, more pressing, needs are addressed.

But what I need you to understand is that it’s every bit as neces-

sary as the food we put in our mouths. Obviously, it would be

foolish to think that we can eat once and then never think about

food again; remaining long without the nourishment of Spirit can

leave one just as hungry and depleted.

Giving homage the Source of all life is not a debt to be paid

grudgingly, once in a while when your conscience prods you.

That Source—that ‘spring of living water’, is always available, no

matter who you are or how much you may believe that you can

handle every situation on your own. It may be true that if you

push hard enough for long enough you might just get what you

want. Odds are, however, that you’ll just wind up with callused

hands and a sore back for all your effort.

I have found that there is an easier way: Instead of asking

our Creator for help only after every other option is exhausted,

when you are up against the wall, hopeless and dejected, why not

ask first? You will not be judged weak or helpless, like asking

your neighbor the plumber to constantly repair your pipes be-

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cause you can’t figure things out yourself. He wants to be asked!

It is His pleasure to give to you, because He loves you uncondi-

tionally. I implore you to take the time, daily, to know our won-

derful Counselor and ask His guidance. Being always hungry is

no way to live!

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CHAPTER 2 An Object In Motion...

How old would you be if you didn’t know how old

you are?

-Satchel Paige-

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An ancient Chinese book of wisdom speaks of life and death

in a very interesting way. One verse states:

“At birth you are supple and soft. At death you are stiff and

hard.

Grass and trees are pliant and tender when living, but they

are dry and brittle when dead.

Therefore, the stiff and hard are attendants of death, and the

supple and soft are attendants of life.”

The author knew that there is a tendency, as we age, to move

from having a body and mind that are pliant and flexible, to ones

that become rigid and stiff. As a child, the average person is ac-

tive, both physically and mentally. We run. We play. We go to

school and learn new things. I sometimes wonder, however: Do

we do these things because we are young, or are we young because we

do these things?

The purpose of this book is to help you achieve a long and

rewarding life—a life that you might not have thought possible

otherwise. To create this kind of life, however, requires a differ-

ent mindset than you may be used to. It requires that you take

action and participate, instead of being an observer or bystander.

It is truly within your power to be the best You that’s ever been.

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There seems to be a tendency, as we age, to spend more and

more time watching, and less and less time doing. We adopt a

favorite chair, placed just so in front of the television set, and feel

that there is nothing better than spending our time parked in that

familiar spot, not thinking, but just absorbing and being enter-

tained. I’ve never quite understood why this is so—I know it

seems natural, but there isn’t anything natural about it.

It seems a little like the story of the frog: If a frog is

dropped into a pot of boiling water, it will immediately jump out.

But, if the frog is placed into a pot of cool water, and then the

stove is turned on, the water will heat so gradually that the frog

will just sit there, happy and oblivious.

The stiffness of old age, and the mental rigidity that can ac-

company it, silently creep up behind us as, like the frog, we re-

main oblivious. One day, we’re able to jump up to answer the

phone, or sprint to the front door, and at some point in the fu-

ture we have a hard time just tying our shoes, or even remember-

ing how. It’s at that point that a person might scratch their head

and say, “How did this happen?”

What’s needed is an understanding that we can’t live on auto

pilot, and still have a vital life. There are things that will prevent

these scourges of age, but only if we are willing to do something

every day to stop it. This chapter is about some of those things.

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Walk the Talk

Isaac Newton stated that an object in motion remains in mo-

tion. I think that this is an apt metaphor for what happens when

a person finally decides to take an active role in creating and

maintaining a healthy body. Doing a little and seeing a positive

result, you will find that you want to do a little more. Every ef-

fort builds upon the last, until you reach a state of vitality that will

last for the rest of your life.

The effort required is not difficult, but requires that a person

overcome the inertia of standing still. Once overcome, however,

it becomes progressively easier to keep moving. This is literally

the case when it comes to my favorite physical exercise—the

simple act of walking.

Every day—rain or shine—I walk. It is the first thing I do in

the morning. I usually walk about two miles, typically outside,

but if the weather doesn’t permit it then I’ll use a stepper indoors.

The key is consistency.

When I walk, I take off my shoes so that I can feel the grass

and earth under my feet. This is important for two reasons:

First, the earth yields beneath your weight, causing many muscles

to be used in keeping balance. It helps the arches keep their

form, and prevents jarring of the knees and hips.

The second reason is a spiritual one. Walking barefoot in

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the grass, or on the soft sand of a beach, feeling the breeze and

the early morning sun, is a kind of meditation. Walking in this

way uplifts me, and brings me closer to the Creator of all things.

I know that you’ve all heard of the benefits of walking, but

may not really know why this is such a healthy activity. Let’s take

a moment to look at what science has to say.

First—it’s easy. It doesn’t require a membership or an ex-

pensive machine or practice. Even a little walking has benefit.

Ten minutes, three times per week has benefit. Thirty minutes,

five times per week or more is better. Just do whatever you’re

able, as often as you’re able. And remember—you should be able

to comfortably carry on a conversation while walking. There’s no

need to overdo it, but by the same token your pace should be

brisk. A casual stroll will not provide the benefits of a brisk walk.

Next, (and all of these apply to pretty much any proper exer-

cise), walking, along with a healthy diet, helps control your

weight. A healthy weight reduces the risks of heart disease and

stroke, diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis, and many other conditions.

Walking can reduce blood pressure by strengthening the

heart. It helps to reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol, and increases

HDL (good) cholesterol. This keeps plaque from forming in the

arteries, which in turn helps prevent the emergency triple bypass

five years from now. It also reduces the risk of hip fracture.

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Some of the lesser-known benefits include preventing con-

stipation, helping improve mood and sense of well-being, lower-

ing stress levels, and substantially increasing the movement of

lymphatic fluids within the body. I will talk more about that a

little further on.

As I said, I believe that walking is an excellent and easy exer-

cise, and most people are able to do at least a little. If this is not

your cup of tea, however, there are dozens of other activities that

can provide similar benefits. A couple of these that you may

want to investigate are the Oriental exercises of Tai Chi and Chi

Gong.

Both of these activities help enormously with flexibility, bal-

ance, stamina, and stress control. They incorporate a number of

specific poses, one flowing into the next, as weight is shifted

smoothly from one side of the body to the other. To watch a

practitioner of these forms is sheer poetry in motion. The main

consideration is that, whatever exercise plan one makes, to do it

regularly and consistently. It is not a luxury but a necessity, and is

one of the keys to long life.

DNA, Telomeres, and Aging

For those who may not know, DNA is a special, curled up

molecule that sits in the middle of every single cell in our bodies.

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It contains the actual ‘blueprint’ that makes us who we are. DNA

determines our hair color, bone structure, and pretty much every-

thing else. Every cell, protein, enzyme—everything in our bod-

ies—could not exist without healthy, functioning DNA. When it

is damaged, whether from poor diet, or too much sun, or pollu-

tion, or whatever else, we suffer the ill effects.

Recently, an interesting connection was made between aging

and exercise. A study from Kings College in England looked at

the DNA of a group of people and compared their telomeres.

Telomeres are like protective caps on the ends of our DNA that

protect the DNA from damage, just like the little plastic ends on

the tips of shoelaces that keep them from fraying. As we age, the

telomeres get shorter and shorter until, eventually, they disappear

altogether. When that happens, the DNA begins to be damaged

and no longer makes healthy cells.

There are tests that measure telomere length, and can be

used to determine a person’s true biological age. When tested,

the telomeres of those who exercised regularly were longer than

the telomeres of those who did not. The researchers concluded

that people who exercise at least thirty minutes per day are bio-

logically younger that those who are sedentary. So exercise actu-

ally keeps us young—all the more reason to put the comfy chair

in the classifieds and go cut the grass!

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Walk As If Your Lymph Depended On It!

Many people have heard of the lymph system, with it’s asso-

ciated ducts and nodes, but very few actually know what it is and

how important it is to overall health. The lymphatic system is

crucial, however, to the proper functioning of our immune sys-

tem, and the removal of toxins from the body. If a person wants

to stay healthy as they age, this is one set of plumbing they need

to pay attention to.

Much like the circulatory system with its arteries, veins, and

blood, the lymph system also consists of various ducts and chan-

nels carrying fluid around the body. This fluid brings life-giving

oxygen and sugar to our cells, and takes away the waste toxins,

like carbon dioxide and lactic acid, to be filtered out and dis-

carded. It also produces substances that help fight off viruses

and destroy abnormal cells within the body.

There is twice as much lymphatic fluid in our bodies as

blood, but there is no ‘heart’ to move this large volume of fluid

around—only muscle contractions caused by physical movement

and deep breathing are able to do this. These movements act as

the ‘pump’ that circulates the roughly ten quarts of fluid around

the body, dropping off food for the cells, and picking up the

waste for disposal within the liver and kidneys.

Normally, the pale liquid makes one circuit per day, but

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through moderate exercise and proper breathing, this can be im-

proved by perhaps three times. The greater the flow, the less

waste accumulates and backs up into our blood, and the better

we function overall. It is essentially like keeping the sink drain

unclogged. Otherwise, the dirty water accumulates with nowhere

to go.

Walking turns out to be one of the best ways to keep the

lymph fluid in motion. The reasons are twofold: First, the sim-

ple motion of walking, with its up-and-down action, seems to be

very effective at getting the lymphatic fluid to pick up the pace.

Even a moderate walk, for perhaps fifteen to twenty minutes per

day, appears to have a very positive influence on the functioning

of the lymph system. As a side benefit, walking is usually accom-

panied by deeper breathing, and the extra motion of the lungs

and diaphragm help to pump fluid throughout the system. One

of the main ducts, called the thoracic duct, resides at the base of

the neck, and is driven by the activity of breath. I’ll be discussing

the many benefits of proper breath a little later in this chapter.

Finally, there is another method of bolstering lymph flow,

and that is deep massage. As a licensed massage therapist, I can-

not begin to tell you of the myriad benefits that proper massage

can have on the body and the mind, especially as one begins to

age. In the case of the lymph, a properly administered massage

coaxes the fluid along its way, from the extremities toward the

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chest where it mixes with the blood and gets scrubbed by the

liver.

Keeping this little understood system clear and in motion is

crucial for proper health and longevity. A sedentary lifestyle, the

proverbial ‘rocking chair retirement’, is almost certain to lead to

real complications to one’s health and a decrease in the overall

quality of life. The solution is simple: Walk as if your lymph de-

pended on it!

A Breath of Fresh Air

It has been said that life is but a series of breaths. While we

can sustain ourselves for many days without food and perhaps a

week without water, life without breath is measured in minutes.

Because breathing is the most critical of all bodily functions, and

it is the only one that can be done both consciously and uncon-

sciously, it certainly deserves our attention.

Proper breathing is one of the most elemental things we can

do to maintain our health, and yet most people pay little or no

attention to it. But there is, in fact, a right and a wrong way to

breathe. Breathing correctly allows the heart to slow, reduces

blood pressure, quiets anxiety and stress, and can reduce chronic

pain and even symptoms related to PMS. It also benefits the

lymph system by helping to circulate lymphatic fluids, and mas-

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sages the internal organs of the intestinal tract, which in turn aids

digestion. Done incorrectly, the body is starved for oxygen, tox-

ins build up in the blood, and we feel sluggish at best. In the

worst case the immune system is compromised, with obvious re-

sults.

What does it mean to breathe correctly? The best way to

observe correct breathing is to watch a baby. An infant naturally

breathes from the belly, using the diaphragm to expand the lungs

fully. Even the Tao Te Ching, a Chinese book of wisdom written

perhaps 2,500 years ago, advises the wise man to ‘breathe like a

babe’. Ancient yoga texts also talk at length about the health

benefits of controlling the breath. Even back then, the impor-

tance of proper breathing was known and understood.

As we age, we begin to shift our breathing from deep within

the lungs, where the most efficient exchange of oxygen takes

place, to the upper chest where breathing is shallow. We’re

taught to ‘suck in the gut and push out the chest’, even though

this is against the natural way. But with practice, learning to

breathe correctly can be mastered quite easily.

I was recently struck by how much of an impact proper

breathing can have on one’s health. A man I know recently went

in for a routine checkup. One of the first things that the nurse

did was check blood pressure, and when she did so the results

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were a bit alarming. His readings were 145 over 96, even though

he was quite healthy and relatively young, with no previous his-

tory of hypertension. (Normal blood pressure is typically in the

range of 120 over 80.)

A doctor came in a few minutes later and decided to take

another reading, but this time asked the man to breathe deeply

several times, inhaling slowly and deeply through the nose, hold-

ing it for a time, then exhaling through the mouth. After breath-

ing this way for only a minute or so, she rechecked his blood

pressure and it was now 116 over 75. How is this possible?

Deep within the nasal passages there are cells that release a

chemical called nitric oxide, (not to be confused with nitrous ox-

ide—‘laughing gas’). When breath is drawn in through the nose,

this amazing gas is mixed with the incoming air, and produces a

great many positive effects on the body. One such effect is that

it helps dilate the arteries, hence the lower blood pressure read-

ings. It also opens the lung passages, allowing more oxygen in

and letting toxins out. The improvement in circulation helps

prevent aging of the skin, and by acting as a muscle relaxant nitric

oxide produces a general calming effect. Obviously, this is good

stuff, even if I don’t mention that it’s also a key ingredient in Via-

gra!

At this point you may well be asking how you can teach

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yourself to breathe better. My answer is the same as it would be

if you wanted to learn to play the piano—the more you practice,

the better you get. The first thing is to remind yourself at several

points during the day to pay attention to your breathing, and

make changes if necessary. Tie a string around your finger, set a

kitchen timer, or do something more creative—it’s important to

be aware so that you can change any bad habits.

As far as a specific technique, try this one: Pick a number—

seven is a good one, but if you have to work your way up, that’s

okay. Breathe in deeply through your nose, filling your belly and

counting mentally from one to seven at a moderate speed. Hold

the breath in the lungs from one to seven, and then exhale

through the mouth from one to seven. Do this whenever you

think about it, as often as possible, until it becomes second na-

ture. It’s a great exercise, and I think you’ll feel a positive effect

almost immediately.

As important as proper breathing is, it won’t help you much

if what you are breathing is polluted or unhealthy. The need for

clean, fresh air cannot be overemphasized.

I was very lucky, in that I spent a substantial portion of my

life at sea. One of my favorite activities was to sit on deck, enjoy-

ing the crisp breeze and filling my lungs with perfect sea air. It

was, in a word, intoxicating. To this day, I believe that my expo-

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sure to the fresh ocean air has made a substantial contribution to

my great health and longevity.

Being out in nature, whether on the open ocean, walking the

sands on some sunny beach, or spending time among the trees

and mountains, is so very important. And it isn’t just because the

quality of the air in these places is so much better than what we’re

routinely exposed to in the cities, although clearly it is. It also

allows us to take time out, and reflect on how we can improve

our lives and cast off past bad habits and ways of thinking that no

longer serve. These things are crucial if one wants to experience

a true quality of life.

Obviously, most of us do not have the luxury of spending

our days playing shuffleboard while sailing to points unknown.

The reality is, we spend the majority of our time at home or at

work, or somewhere in between. But that does not make the

need for clean air any less urgent.

Many studies have shown that the air quality in a typical

house is far worse than that just outside the door. Dust, pet dan-

der, smoke, and other contaminants build up, and no amount of

housework is likely to change that fact. This problem is actually

worse in newer homes that have been built to prevent air leakage

as a way to conserve energy. The side effect is that the air inside

becomes stale, dry, and dusty, with nowhere to go and no way for

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fresh air to enter.

There are a couple of ways to help alleviate this problem.

The first is by using HEPA type air cleaners. I have several

throughout my home, and I’m convinced that they help. HEPA

is defined as ‘high efficiency particulate arresting’, which is just a

fancy way of saying that they filter out just about everything that

comes their way.

Another way to drastically improve indoor air quality, at a

somewhat lower price, is by using plants. According to studies

done by NASA and others, plants like golden pothos, philoden-

drons, and spider plants all help filter out toxins and release oxy-

gen into the air. So if you happen to have a green thumb, please

consider surrounding yourself with these living air cleaners.

Massage: Be Rubbed the Right Way!

Earlier, I discussed the lymph system, and how massage was

one way to keep it in top condition. Massage, however, has nu-

merous other benefits that I’d like to touch on here. Though

many people believe that having a massage is a luxury, it is in fact

a true necessity for maintaining a healthy body and mind.

Before I continue, I need to give a word of warning: Because

some types of massage involve deep manipulation, people with

certain medical conditions should exercise care when deciding

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whether massage is right for them. Specifically, those with blood

clots or tumors, fever, infection or inflammation, osteoporosis or

fractures, or persons on blood thinning or certain other medica-

tions should probably not have a massage until being evaluated.

Use common sense, and if in doubt please consult a medical pro-

fessional before proceeding.

That being said, massage as a healing tool has been around

for many thousands of years. It is thought to have originated in

traditional Chinese medicine, and its use has been documented in

regions as diverse as ancient Rome, Greece, and Egypt, as well as

India and Japan. Down through the ages, healers have devel-

oped a wide range of therapeutic techniques using touch, and

many are still in use today.

Touching is a natural reaction to pain and stress, and as a

sign of support and empathy not just in humans but even within

the animal kingdom. From relieving stress, to pain management,

to improving circulation, study after study has shown massage to

be a crucial tool for staving off the infirmities of age and the

damage done by our mile-a-minute lifestyles.

Earlier in this book I talked about the dangers of chronic

stress, and I can tell you from experience that massage is one of

the best stress-busting weapons available. Because massage aids

in relaxation and helps us overcome the negative impact of stress

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and anxiety, many areas of our lives are enhanced. From im-

proved quality of sleep, to greater energy and concentration dur-

ing the day, less fatigue, and a sense of clarity that may have been

lacking, frequent massage can open the door to a calmer, more

peaceful life.

On the strictly medical front, scientific evidence continues to

mount. An increasing number of research studies have shown

that massage reduces heart rate, lowers blood pressure, increases

blood circulation and improves range of motion. Increased circu-

lation allows the body to pump more oxygen and nutrients into

tissues and vital organs, and also improves the condition of the

body’s largest organ—the skin.

Arthritis sufferers note fewer aches and less stiffness and

pain as well as reduced spasms and cramping. Massage decreases

discomfort for patients with lower back pain, helps to relieve pain

for migraine sufferers and decreases the need for medication. It

also provides exercise and stretching for atrophied muscles, and

reduces shortening of muscles and increases joint flexibility for

those with restricted range of motion. Hypertensive patients

demonstrate lower blood pressure, anxiety, and stress hormones.

Many professional and Olympic athletes keep massage prac-

titioners always at hand to help relieve the pain and possible mus-

cle cramping associated with strenuous exercise. During exercise,

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lactic acid builds up in the muscle tissues, causing pain. Although

this acid slowly dissipates of its own accord, massage helps to

speed the process and provides relief much more quickly.

Perhaps first and foremost, massage creates a sense of well

being—a relaxed mind and body. Studies indicate that massage

benefits are cumulative—the more massage you allow yourself,

the greater the gain. It also provides an integration of body and

mind by producing a meditative state of heightened awareness of

living in the present moment, as well as emotional and spiritual

balance, thus creating overall peace and calm.

A Need for Touch

Another aspect of massage is its ability to provide much

needed tactile stimulation. To be ‘touchy-feely’ has somehow

gotten a negative connotation, and that is sad, given that as a so-

ciety I believe that we’ve become touch deprived. From the cra-

dle to the nursing home, tactile stimulation and the emotional

assurance of caring touch can bring about a sense of well-being

and security.

In numerous studies, it’s been shown that pre-term infants

experience improved weight gain and overall development when

given loving touch and gentle massage. This kind of touch is just

as important for the rest of us, as well—especially as we age.

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One of the saddest aspects of growing older is that we may

lose loved ones along the way, and as a result it is easy to allow

oneself to become isolated. The resulting lack of touch manifests

in many ways, including disease and depression. Years ago, phy-

sicians and other caregivers used touch and massage to promote

healing and provide an enhanced sense of well being, but sadly

those days seem to have faded. The simple, universal act of

touch—once so prevalent—has fallen by the wayside, replaced by

cold stethoscopes and insurance forms.

We could, I believe, do well to revive this venerable practice

and make massage a priority once again. The tangible benefits,

both physical and emotional, are well worth the effort, and con-

sidering the variety of techniques and the number of practitioners

there should be no excuses, (other than medical reasons.) So

don’t be shy; get rubbed the right way, today!

Give Your Feet a Hand

Your feet are probably the most abused part of your body,

and yet most people don’t give them a second thought. Think

about it: Your feet carry you around all day long, stuffed into

tennis shoes or wedged into high heels, while you walk an average

18,000 paces every day. They often wind up with calluses or bun-

ions, cracked and sore, and yet we get up the next day and do it

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all over again.

During my tenure as a reflexologist, I learned how essential it

is to pay attention to the condition of the feet. Were you to see

mine, even at my current age, you might be surprised that I have

no calluses or other maladies, and that the skin is supple and soft.

I don’t wear the typical rubber soled ‘old people’s shoes’; instead

I have nice Italian leather shoes that I use most of the time, ex-

cept for my walks when I wear conventional sneakers or go bare-

foot.

Because I know how miserable sore or cracked feet can

make one feel, I’ve developed a quite simple process to help take

care of them—a process I’ve been doing myself for many years.

It doesn’t take a lot of time, an it’s something anyone can do at

the end of the day.

An hour or two before bedtime, prepare a very warm tub of

water to use as a foot bath. While watching TV or reading, soak

you feet for as long as you’re able, and then use a pumice stone,

available for this purpose, to gently remove any callused skin

from the bottoms and sides of the foot.

Rinse and dry your feet with a soft towel, and then immedi-

ately rub an adequate amount of quality olive oil (Vaseline can be

used if olive oil isn’t handy) into your feet. Next, put on a pair of

thin socks, so as not to soil the sheets and to keep the oil against

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the skin. It’s that easy!

In the morning, you will marvel at how soft and smooth

your feet feel. And if you do this every night, or at least few

times a week, I am confident that, within a relatively short time,

your feet will be as soft as they were when you were a child, and

you will feel and function better overall. So let me encourage

you—please give your feet a hand!

The Gray Matter Matters!

In 1972, at the age of eighty-two, a Dutch woman made the

decision to donate her body to science at the time of her death.

Twenty-nine years later, at the age of 111, Henrikje van Andel-

Schipper called the university that she’d originally contacted, wor-

ried that because of her age she would no longer be of any value

to them. She was assured, however, that they were very inter-

ested, especially because of her astounding longevity.

Over the next two years she volunteered for a number of

cognitive tests, with quite surprising results. She was alert, in full

control of her faculties, and her overall cognitive functions such

as memory and attention were better than those of someone forty

years her junior.

After her death in 2005 at the age of 115, doctors eagerly

examined her brain, and were shocked by what they found—or,

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more accurately, didn’t find. Henrikje had no signs of athero-

sclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. Her brain was free of the

effects of Alzheimer’s. Every test seemed to indicate a brain

from someone much younger.

Was Henrikje special? Of course she was. But was she

unique? I don’t believe so. She simply showed what is possible,

given the right circumstances and attitude.

Having a healthy body is extremely important if one wishes

to enjoy a long and vital life. But without the healthy mind to go

with it, what’s the point? Being able to climb the stairs is only use-

ful if you can remember, once you’ve reached the top, why you

were making the trip!

People seem to be amazed that I have no problem remem-

bering appointments, things I’ve read, or conversations, and can

speak on some subject for hours without losing my train of

thought. As I’ve said on number of occasions, I don’t feel any

different than when I was in my fifties, and have a hard time un-

derstanding what the fuss is all about.

Unfortunately, most people still believe that it is a natural

progression, as we age, that memory goes, attention span goes,

and we inevitably end up like some helpless babe. I am living

proof that life does not have to be that way. But, just as you will

never be physically fit without proper exercise, so too a sharp

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mind needs to be worked and stretched and challenged. Only

consistent, determined action will lead to the life you truly want.

First and foremost, it is crucial that we do our best to put a

stop to any possible decline and begin instead to improve our

‘brain health’. How? By eating the proper foods, by exercising

the body, and by challenging the mind.

A proper diet regimen, as laid out elsewhere in this book,

must become a part of your everyday life if you wish to experi-

ence vitality, regardless of age. The quality of the food we eat

affects not just the muscles and organs, but also has a profound

impact on brain function, whether it be memory, motor skills,

hormone function, or any of the other activities that are con-

trolled and regulated by the brain.

Physical exercise, too, plays a most important role in how

our gray matter behaves. A number of studies now support this.

In the past, most physicians believed that neurons, the nerve

cells that make up our brains, grew in number and complexity

only when young, and at some point in early adulthood they be-

gan to die out and were not replaced. This, they reasoned, ex-

plained the gradual mental decline as we aged, since the brain was

literally shrinking and the number of neurons and the quality of

their connections both declined.

Studies have now shown that new neurons can be grown

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well into adulthood when one exercises regularly. Not only that,

but the ones we have can be made to live longer. An animal

study some time ago showed that mice, when placed in an envi-

ronment where they could exercise by using wheels, tunnels, etc.

doubled the number of new brain cells in the hippocampus re-

gion.

In the same study, it was discovered that motor-skill and

memory tasks caused those cells, which normally died out in two

weeks, to live much longer. Within a day, the number of surviv-

ing cells more than doubled—certainly a substantial change

brought about only through physical and mental exercise and not

by drugs or other artificial influences.

This brings me to the third spoke of the mental health

wheel—keeping the brain challenged and active. There are many

ways to do this, but the method I find most enjoyable is by read-

ing a diverse array of books and publications, every single day.

Wherever I live, one of the things that I cannot do without is a

large, wall-to-wall bookcase, filled with the hundreds of books

that I’ve accumulated over the years.

I try to spend several hours each day reading books related

to health and longevity (obviously!), American history, raw foods

and other diet-related works, and many other subjects. It may

sound strange to those who haven’t thought to pick up a book

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since high school, but beyond the simple joy I get from this activ-

ity, I can actually feel my mind becoming sharper, better focused,

and more alert as I devour some new health or diet publication.

The benefits are tangible, recognizable, and cumulative. If you

haven’t done this in a while, I urge you to rediscover the joy of

reading!

Obviously, not everybody will share my passion for the

printed word. To those people I offer some other suggestions to

help keep their brains alive and ticking:

• Stay curious and involved! Learning something new on a

regular basis, however you choose to do that, is extremely

beneficial. It might involve taking classes at a local college, or

joining a community group. Never, ever, think you know it all. In

fact, prove to yourself daily that you don’t!

• Try writing. If you aren’t quite to the point of penning your

memoirs, then just do crossword puzzles, or write poetry, or

anything similar that requires thought and attention.

• Attend lectures, plays, or concerts. Giving your full attention

to a piece of music, or letting someone teach you something

you didn’t know before, is terrific for keeping the mind en-

gaged and sharp.

• Try making music, painting, sculpture, stained glass, or just

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wind your own fly-fishing lures. I guarantee that piano or

guitar lessons, or breaking out the watercolors, could not help

but supercharge the brain.

• Play games. Chess is excellent, but any game, whether it be

cards or checkers or charades, will give the gray matter a

definite boost. The secondary benefit, of course, is that you

get to laugh!

• Work outdoors, plant a garden, or try nature photography.

Anything that is both mentally challenging and involves fresh

air is a definite plus.

• Finally, try out formal memory exercises. There are many

books and other publications devoted to formal methods for

stretching the brain and keeping it pliable and young.

I hope that you begin to understand that having a sharp

mind is every bit as important as having a strong and well-

nourished body. It is truly possible to have a life of independ-

ence and joy, of activity and purpose, but only if we are willing to

do what is necessary. Don’t let life be something that just hap-

pens to you—take charge!

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Bernando LaPallo—23 years old

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Top: Bernando in the Big Apple at age 95. Sharp dresser!

Bottom: 1961—Bernando receiving Better Businessman Award from New York Congressman Charles Rangel (D - N.Y.)

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Top: Christmas 1977—Bernando with (clockwise from upper left) wife Geor-gette, daughter Lee, granddaughter Erika and grandson Matthew.

Bottom: Bernando tooling around town with Kenneth Leslie—2007

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Recent award from a local newspaper given to Bernando for his 107th birth-

day, on Aug. 17th, 2008. It reads, in part: "Bernando LaPallo is all smiles as he celebrates his 107th birthday with family and friends...LaPallo says the secret is,

'If you take care of your body, it will take care of you.'"

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CHAPTER 3 Offerings for the Temple

Nothing will benefit human health and increase the

chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the

evolution to a vegetarian diet.

-Albert Einstein-

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My father had a unique viewpoint when it came to our bod-

ies and the kinds of things we put in them. He was both a medi-

cal professional—a doctor and herbalist—and a very spiritual

man. Not only did he clearly understand the effects of the foods

that we eat on our physical body, our mind, and our emotions,

but he also understood the tenets of the Bible. In Corinthians,

Paul states that our bodies are a temple to the Holy Spirit which

is within us, that we are not our own, but were bought at a great

price. He tells us that we are to honor God with our body.

As I was taught these truths, I began to see the direct rela-

tionship between body and Spirit, and how abusing the body has

repercussions that go far beyond adding a few extra pounds or

manifesting some physical disease. Think about this: If we are a

temple, wouldn’t it make sense to keep our temple clean?

I understand that not everyone believes what I believe. For

those people, I can provide numerous sound and logical reasons

why eating well will prolong life and help eliminate disease. If

you could see me and talk to me face-to-face, you would by direct

observation see the results of the lifestyle I enjoy. But for those

of faith, I submit to you that abusing the body with food is little

better than abusing the body with drugs, or nicotine, or alcohol,

or pornography. A person may think themselves righteous for

not doing the latter, all the while feasting on donuts and dead

cows. But all of these activities harm God’s temple. Remem-

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ber—it isn’t ours. This body was bought at a price.

Truthfully, nothing has a greater impact on the quality and

quantity of our lives than the food we consume. It directly af-

fects how we feel, our physical appearance, and the fundamental

processes of our cells and organs. Without proper nutrition, the

body cannot maintain or renew itself, and result is a weakened

immune system, heart disease, diabetes, inflammation, and myriad

other problems that rob us of health and vitality.

When a person is young and physically active, the body is

very resilient and can better cope with a diet that is less than ideal.

As each of us ages, however, it is crucial that we provide our

temple, this body, with the nutrients it requires in order to rebuild

itself and fight off disease. Otherwise we wind up literally poi-

soning ourselves, one greasy chicken wing at a time. Consider

this:

• The average American carries around more than six pounds

embedded within the walls of their colon due to the food

they eat.

• Very young children are now manifesting arterial plaque that

can eventually lead to heart disease.

• Many products labeled as ‘diet’ foods have more harmful in-

gredients than those they’re trying to replace.

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My father laid out for me a very specific set of guidelines as

to the types of foods that promoted health, and those that pro-

moted disease. Over one hundred years later, I continue to fol-

low his instructions to the letter, and the results are self-evident.

Here, I would like to provide you with a ‘shopping list’—those

things that have worked well for me, and I truly believe will also

work for you.

Bear in mind as you read this, that by eating the way I do my

overall level of health is better than perhaps ninety percent of

Americans. I do not take any prescription medications—at all. I

do not manifest any diseases like Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s or

osteoporosis, nor is my prostate enlarged. My hair is still at-

tached and has little gray, and my skin still moves without crack-

ing. Did I mention that I’m 107? Yes, perhaps I did.

First, my diet could be described as near vegetarian. I eat a

great deal of fruits and vegetables. I cannot say enough about

blueberries, cantaloupe, cabbage, and a number of other items

that I will be discussing in more detail. I eat fish, and twice a year

I have lamb because it was eaten at Passover and is sacred. Oat-

meal is a wonderful food that I highly recommend. There is also

a product that I discovered perhaps thirty years ago that I found

to be life changing. It’s called Dr. Schulze’s SuperFood, and I’ll

talk about it later in this book.

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Even more importantly, let me tell you about the foods I do

not eat, and the cooking methods I refuse to use. I was taught to

eat foods the way God made them—namely, raw. When it

comes to vegetables, nearly any form of heating begins to destroy

the natural nutrients. Many studies have been done to prove this,

with gentle steaming being shown to be the least destructive, and

microwaving being the most. To the best of my knowledge,

there was no microwave oven in the Garden, probably because

God wanted His people to eat wholesome and healthy food.

I do not eat beef or chicken, because of the chemicals that

they are routinely fed and injected, the extremely negative impact

of saturated animal fats on the body, and because of the way they

are killed. Go to a slaughterhouse and spend the day, then try to

come home and enjoy your juicy steak. If you have feelings at all,

I think you’ll find it difficult. Also, looking at the recent spate of

major beef and chicken recalls, I think it’s interesting how easily

disease organisms seem to find their way into these products,

some of them potentially fatal. If one is striving to live a long

and healthy life, I would suggest a more benign diet. I do, how-

ever, eat fish because many are rich in healthy omega fatty acids,

especially salmon.

I also don’t eat processed foods, and by that I mean foods to

which chemicals have been added or have been altered in such a

way as to remove any of its nutritional value. Chemicals like high

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fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils are so utterly pervasive

as to be in most every packaged product our there. Rather than

spending hours wandering the shelves, I just abstain and prepare

my own foods as I see fit. If you find your pantry laden with

such chemically impregnated foods, I would strongly suggest re-

moving them and starting fresh.

Elsewhere in this book, I mentioned that for many years I

was a chef, both on board ship and at a number of upscale res-

taurants. During my tenure, I was often asked to prepare many

of these same foods that I don’t personally eat. Although I re-

ceived rave reviews for my steaks and sauces, I never once tasted

them during their preparation. This surprises and confounds all

who’ve ever heard this story. People can’t seem to understand

how I could make such dishes without running them across my

tongue. But, God was gracious enough to give me an adequate

sense of smell, and with that alone I was able to create my steaks

and cakes. Discipline, as I said, is key.

Finally, I would like to address the concept of moderation.

In Corinthians, Paul speaks of ‘moderation in all things’, and I

couldn’t agree more. Salt and sugar, and even saturated fats like

butter (although I don’t use it myself), will not harm the body if

used only in small amounts. It’s when they are abused that prob-

lems occur. Healthy food does not have to be bland, but that

said, if salt and sweeteners are reduced, one will find that their

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tastes begin to change. The day will come when the true taste of

food will be savored, unadulterated with all the additives, and

even a little salt or sugar or fat will begin to seem like too much.

With all that said, let’s explore some specific foods that I be-

lieve will lead you down the path to a healthy, long, and vital life.

But first, I’ll touch on a couple that may have quite the opposite

effect.

Salt of the Earth—Which Is Where It Should Stay

Salt, or more specifically sodium, is crucial for life. It is nec-

essary to transmit the electrical signals throughout the nervous

system, it helps with the contraction of muscles, and is needed to

maintain the correct fluid balance in your body. But, like many

other things, too much sodium can affect your health in a decid-

edly negative way.

I know you’ve heard it all before. Perhaps you’ve even tried

to cut back, and bought foods labels ‘low sodium’, only to find

out that they tasted like dishwater. I understand and empathize,

but still I feel a responsibility to tell you honestly what excess salt

can do, and offer alternatives.

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Salt in the Wound

As I said, a little sodium is a good thing, but too much, day

after day, can cause real problems. How much is too much? The

Institute of Medicine recommends a range of between 1,400 and

2,400 milligrams of sodium per day. This works out to about a

teaspoon of table salt per day.

Table salt is what most people think of when they are trying

to reduce sodium, but we get it from other sources, as well. In-

gredients like baking soda, baking powder, MSG, and others all

contain sodium, and so have to be considered. Even drinking tap

water that has passed through a home water softener can contain

excessive sodium.

In fact, table salt—that is, salt added to food at the table or

during cooking, accounts for only 11 percent of the sodium con-

sumed. The great majority, 77 percent, is from processed foods.

Here is another really good reason to eat more fresh foods and

stay away from the packages!

So, what happens when too much sodium winds up in your

diet? First, sodium attracts and holds water, so too much can

increase the fluid and blood volume of the body. Obviously, wa-

ter retention increases body weight and creates a host of other

problems.

Secondly, too much sodium can lead to a condition called

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‘resistant high blood pressure’. This occurs when a person with

high blood pressure is unable to bring it under control even when

taking multiple drugs. In these cases, lowering salt intake de-

creases blood pressure more effectively than the drugs specifically

designed for that purpose.

There have been a number of studies linking excess sodium

intake with a rise in blood pressure, in people who didn’t previ-

ously have the condition. The jury seems to still be out on that

one, but it’s worth considering when deciding what to put in your

mouth.

One other thing that needs to be touched on is the use of

salt substitute. These are typically a mix of sodium and potas-

sium salts. Although the idea sounds good in theory, what often

happens is that, because of its lower ‘saltiness’, people add more

than they would otherwise. Doing this can lead to excess potas-

sium levels, and this has its own set of problems.

What to Do?

You already know the answer—eat more fresh foods! By just

staying away from processed and prepared foods, sodium levels

will plummet. Some restaurants are notorious for adding the

salt—some entrees can have as much as 7,500 milligrams in a

single serving! Watch processed meats—bacon, hot dogs, sau-

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sage—and if you must buy fresh or frozen poultry, look for those

that haven’t been injected with a salt solution. Condiments are

another culprit—just read the labels and make good decisions. If

you truly want to live well, simply stay away from all of these!

Finally, look for other herbs and spices that can act as a sub-

stitute for salt. I’ve used lemon juice and other things to add a

little zest to my meals.

If you are willing to reduce the level of salt in your diet,

something interesting will happen fairly quickly. You palate will

adjust, and soon you will be enjoying tastes that were once bur-

ied. After doing this for a while, eating fast food or pizza or

some packaged meal will taste as if a whole salt shaker had been

dumped on top. Try it, and you’ll see that what I’m telling you is

true. We have five taste buds—use them all!

Sugar—Definitely Not My Sweetheart

Not long ago, an acquaintance of mine related an interesting

story concerning his children. They are from Australia, and when

visiting this country they purchased some cereal for their chil-

dren’s breakfast. I’m sure it wasn’t some sugar-coated, marsh-

mallow-laden brand, but just an ordinary box of cereal. Upon

tasting it, the children complained that they couldn’t eat it, and

spit it out. Why? Because it was too sweet. When was the last time

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you heard of an American child complaining that something was

‘too sweet’?

I know you’ve heard it all before, and may be tempted to

gloss over this section to get to the ‘meat and potatoes’ of this

chapter, (sorry, you will not find either one in these pages...), but

we have a serious problem in this country when it comes to re-

fined sugars and simple carbohydrates.

I almost never eat sugar, because frankly I don’t want my

palate to get used to it. When I was growing up, my father—

again a hundred years ahead of his time—did not give me sweets

or add sugar to my food. My breakfast usually consisted of oat-

meal, flavored with cinnamon and diced apples (peel intact). I

never developed a sweet tooth, and to this day I get all of the

sugar that my body could possibly need from fruits. The result?

I have no diabetes, no heart disease, am at a proper body weight,

and enjoy consistent energy levels throughout the day.

How on earth did this American fascination with sugar be-

come so prevalent? It’s simple. As a young child, we are rou-

tinely given candy or sweets when we are a ‘good boy’ or ‘good

girl’. When we successfully cope with a stressful situation, like a

doctor’s visit, we are immediately rewarded with a lollipop—pure

sugar. When there is a celebration, birthday, or Halloween, the

highlight of the event is cake or candy. Television commercials

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every Saturday morning hawk cereals laden with sugar. As this

continues, an association is formed between goodness or happi-

ness, and sugar. This association follows us for the rest of our

lives.

As an adult, we still feel that sugary foods are how we should

reward ourselves for doing something we consider good. When

we’re depressed, we reach for sweet foods for two reasons: First,

because they carry that buried association with being a good boy

or good girl—past acceptance and happiness. And second, be-

cause sugar causes and immediate but short-lived spike in sero-

tonin levels, the ‘feel-good’ hormone.

Knowing this, can you imagine what would happen if, when

a three year old is given a reward, (and clearly knows it’s meant as

a reward), he or she is given an apple slice instead of a candy bar?

How might that child grow up? It’s never too late to change!

Not-So-Sweet Health Effects

Tooth decay has become one the most prevalent health haz-

ards associated with the consumption of sugar. Oral bacteria live

in dental plaque and metabolize sugars into lactic acid. High

concentrations of acid literally dissolve the minerals from your

teeth. Of course, sugary snacks combined with white refined

flour products like bread sticks, cookies, and chips, etc. com-

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pound the problem.

Sugar also causes a sharp rise in insulin levels, which typically

gives a rapid but short-lived burst of energy. Also, as stated ear-

lier, the brain gets into the picture by releasing serotonin, which is

what makes eating sweets feel so good. As sugar is metabolized,

it bypasses many parts of the digestive process and is absorbed

directly into the bloodstream, raising the blood sugar level. By

continually snacking on sweets, we raise our blood sugar levels

many times per day, only to have the bottom fall out and having

to repeat the same process again.

What can ultimately happen is a condition called ‘insulin re-

sistance’, where the body’s ability to vary insulin levels in re-

sponse to blood sugar simply gives up the ghost. This causes the

body to latch onto every calorie and store it as fat, instead of

burning it for energy. It also means that cells can’t get the glu-

cose (sugar) they need in order to operate, and so scream for

more food. This is often the start of food cravings, obesity, dia-

betes and heart disease.

According to the Department of Agriculture, the average

American eats 140 pounds of sugar a year. Just for fun, try put-

ting twenty-eight, five pound bags of sugar into your shopping

cart the next time you go to the store—do this for yourself and

each member of your family. Take a good look at it while you

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patiently explain your actions to the irate store manager. Is it any

wonder that diabetes, obesity, depression, hyperactivity, and myr-

iad other diet-related maladies are on the rise?

My advice to parents is to avoid sweets and instead offer

fruits and one hundred percent fruit juices, as well as frozen fruit

treats, to children. (Preferably homemade—if purchased, read

the labels!) If one would like to make cookies or deserts from

scratch, use the purest ingredients and less sugar. When children

do not develop a taste for sweets, they will naturally gravitate to-

wards wholesome foods. The best advice I can give? Start young!

Now that my soapbox is put away—let’s move on to the

good stuff!

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My Super Ten List

Hundreds, if not thousands, of books have been written

about the medical benefits and health claims of various foods. If

I were to list all of the fruits, vegetables, herbs, and other items

that I personally feel are conducive to health and long life, in suf-

ficient detail to make this list of practical benefit to you, this book

would wind up containing five hundred pages of very fine print.

There are many items that are useful and provide benefit to

the body, but from this cornucopia a few stand out as true stars.

They are:

• Blueberries

• Olive Oil

• Garlic

• Quinoa (‘Keen-Wa’)

• Cinnamon

• Broccoli

• Cabbage

• Beans

• Avocado

• Cantaloupe

It is these I will discuss in the following pages—my Super Ten List.

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Blueberries—“Stars from the Great Spirit”

More and more studies are touting the wonderful benefits

and antioxidant qualities of the common blueberry. I can’t go a

day without these delicious little berries, and place them at the

top of my Super Ten List.

History

The blueberry and it’s relatives have been recognized for

their wonderful medicinal qualities for literally thousands of years.

True blueberries are one of only a very few fruits that are native

to North America, (another being the cranberry), and so it makes

perfect sense that the Native American people would have a great

affinity and knowledge of this extraordinary plant. Because the

end of each berry contains a five pointed star, these people

thought of the fruit as a gift from the Great Spirit, sent to help

stave off hunger during times of famine or distress.

Native Americans also created a strong tea by boiling the

roots, which was said to ease childbirth. Early American settlers

learned this technique and many others from the native peoples

of this land. Lewis and Clark observed that Native Americans

would smoke the berries in order to preserve them for winter,

and also pound them into meat before smoking and drying, help-

ing to preserve the meat.

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In more recent times, a close relative of the blueberry, the

bilberry, was touted by British aviators during World War II as

improving their night vision after they’d consumed bilberry jam

before taking off on a mission. Further studies confirmed that

they indeed helped eyesight by improving micro-circulation in the

capillaries of the eyes, and other areas of the body.

Even animals seem to love blueberries! The Latin name,

Vaccinium, is rooted in the word vaccinus, meaning cow. Both

cows, and also bears, apparently have a great affinity for the

blueberry, with bears being observed walking many miles on an

empty stomach just to locate a supply of this delicious fruit.

And finally, just put to rest any doubt that this unassuming

berry is a valuable ally in the quest for longevity: A box huckle-

berry, a cousin of the blueberry still growing in Pennsylvania, is

thought to be the oldest living thing on earth. Covering nearly a

quarter mile, it’s been dated by botanists at 13,000 years old—a

remnant of the last Ice Age!

Recommendations

Because of the many health benefits and overall growth of

the market, fresh and dried blueberries are now available year

round. My first recommendation, as is the case with any food, is

to purchase only fresh, certified organic products, if possible.

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The fewer pesticides and inorganic fertilizers that are ingested,

the better!

Blueberries are also available dried, but one should read the

label before purchasing them. It seems that most dried blueber-

ries are “first infused with a sugar solution to give them more

weight and pliability.” The last thing we need, from a health

standpoint, is more hidden sugars in our diet. Be aware!

Benefits

Where to start? Blueberries are at the top of my list when it

comes to all around health benefits—especially their antioxidant

qualities. They contain high levels of vitamins C and E, and are

near the top of the list for overall antioxidant activity. Another

compound, anthocyanin, gives the berries their blue color and

seems to protect neurons from oxidative damage. Recent tests

on mice and humans have shown that a cup of blueberries per

day have a marked and long lasting positive affect on motor skills

and cognitive function, including long and short term memory,

and the overall ability to learn. These discoveries bode very well

for those at risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease and other

memory and motor skill disorders.

Yet another group of compounds, called proanthocyanidins,

appear to prevent bacteria from sticking to the cells of the urinary

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tract, thus reducing risk of infection, and improving urinary tract

health. These and other compounds, namely flavinoids and tan-

nins, have been shown in animal studies to lessen stroke damage,

and also may play a role in reducing risks of diseases like cancer.

One cup of blueberries contain 14 percent of the daily rec-

ommended value of dietary fiber, and are very low in sodium and

fat. They contain no cholesterol, and in fact have been shown to

lower blood cholesterol.

Finally, the improved capillary function and better circula-

tion mentioned above can help with much more than just better

vision. Arthritis, water retention, bruising, hemorrhoids, as well

as varicose veins, are all positively influenced by improved blood

flow.

Uses

I incorporate copious amounts of fresh blueberries in my

fruit salads, which I eat every day. They are wonderful as a snack,

and as a tasty and healthy addition to my SuperFood drink with

which I always start my day. I’ll cover this in detail later in the

book.

Suffice it to say that blueberries are an outstanding addition

to anyone’s diet, and I believe that these ‘stars’ are indeed super-

stars!

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Olive Oil—“Liquid Gold”

Olive oil is something that most people don't think about

when trying to improve their diet. I can tell you, however, that a

diet rich in extra virgin olive oil can go a long way towards restor-

ing vitality and bringing one back to a state of optimum health.

Whether it’s on the inside or the outside, you can’t beat ‘liquid

gold’!

History

For more than 6,000 years, olives and olive oil have been

treasured for their mystical and life giving properties. They are

mentioned in the Bible fifty-five times, from the olive branch

brought back to Noah by a dove in Genesis, to the two witnesses

referred to as olive trees in Revelation. An ancient Hebrew law,

still in force, prohibits the destruction of olive trees, and the

Egyptians, Romans and Greeks rubbed it on their skin to pro-

mote health and as a form of religious worship. Olive oil has lit

the lamps of antiquity and anointed the heads of kings and

prophets.

For countless centuries, the medicinal and anti-aging quali-

ties of olives have been well-known. The oil was dripped

through holes in the tombs of saints to anoint their bones, and

olive branches were even found inside of King Tut’s tomb.

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Solomon and King David placed guards around the groves and

warehouses to ensure the protection of this precious product.

The olive tree typically lives between three and six hundred years,

and the oldest known specimen is said to be 5,000 years old! To

the common man, the tree seemed nearly immortal—no wonder

it was viewed with such reverence.

Even today, the olive tree is viewed as a symbol of peace and

abundance–its branches adorn the logo of the United Nations as

well as the Great Seal of the United States, appearing on our pa-

per currency and on the back of the dime and quarter. Homer

called the miraculous oil “liquid gold”, and it’s easy to understand

why.

Recommendations

Olive oil is the only vegetable oil that can be consumed ‘as

is’, pressed directly from the fruit without any additional process-

ing. It can be purchased in several grades, but I would recom-

mend using only ‘extra virgin’ olive oil, often labeled ‘first cold

pressing’. This is the highest quality oil, bottled without any

processing and with all of the beneficial qualities intact. Other

grades, such as ‘virgin’ (second pressing), ‘pure’ (some refining),

and ‘extra light’ (heavily refined) are available, but they do not

provide the benefits of the ‘extra virgin’ oil.

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When storing olive oil, resist the temptation to keep the at-

tractive bottle out on the counter—light, heat, and oxygen are the

enemies of this oil and can quickly cause it to go rancid. Keep

the bottle in a dark, cool place, with the lid tightly capped. Also,

do not buy excessively large containers, as the longer it sits the

more likely it will deteriorate. Either stick to smaller bottles, or

‘decant’ a weeks’ supply and place the rest in the refrigerator. It

may turn cloudy and harden when cold—this is normal. It will

become clear again at room temperature.

If using this oil to fry or sauté food, it is recommended that

it not be placed in a pan and heated, but that the food be oiled

and then placed into a dry pan, so as not to overheat the oil and

cause it to break down. I personally believe, however, that both

frying and sautéing are unwise for most foods, because the excess

heat destroys many beneficial nutrients—therefore, I don’t rec-

ommend either.

Benefits

Perhaps no single food source provides as many unique

health benefits as does olive oil. Study after study have shown a

positive impact on conditions like high blood pressure, heart dis-

ease, asthma, arthritis, diabetes, the inhibition of colon and other

cancers, and even weight loss. It protects the digestive system,

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and can help with ulcers, gastritis, and gallstone formation. It has

also been shown to control LDL (bad) cholesterol, raise HDL

(good) cholesterol, and reduce triglycerides. It is truly an amazing

substance.

Specifically, olive oil contains healthy monounsaturated fatty

acids, and is also very high in antioxidants like vitamin E, chloro-

phyll, carotenoids and phenols. By helping to prevent LDL cho-

lesterol from oxidizing and forming sticky plaque on the walls of

arteries, it substantially reduces risks for heart disease and high

blood pressure.

Olive oil seems to help control blood sugar, and is linked to

lower triglyceride levels. It acts as an anti-inflammatory, which

can reduce the symptoms of both arthritis and asthma. And sub-

stituting olive oil for other fats in the diet has been shown to aid

in weight loss, without requiring additional physical activity.

Uses

Olive oil can be substituted for any other vegetable oil in

most cases. Only two tablespoons per day can begin to produce

the kinds of positive effects discussed above. The only caveat is

not to overheat it when frying—see above.

I use it externally every day, by rubbing it on my entire body

and face after a shower, or anytime. I have been doing this for

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many years, and the elasticity and overall quality of my skin is

comparable to someone half my age. By using it on the bottoms

of the feet, elbows, and other rough areas, any calluses or cracks

will eventually vanish. It can also be used as a protective lip balm

by mixing a small amount with beeswax, and will help eliminate

dandruff if used on the scalp prior to shampooing.

I truly believe that no pantry should be without a fresh bottle

of ‘liquid gold’!

Garlic—A ‘Stinking’ Rose By Any Other Name

There is a debate raging in Italy right now regarding garlic.

Many fine restaurants want to eliminate this wonderful herb en-

tirely, because they feel that it is somehow beneath them. They

consider garlic a ‘lower class’ food—a holdover from less affluent

times— and now wealthy Italians can somehow do better. Big

mistake!

History

Garlic, sometimes called the ‘Stinking Rose’ and ‘Heal-All’,

is another one of those amazing plants recognized for it’s medici-

nal powers for many thousands of years. In fact, it has been used

for this purpose by more cultures than any other plant or plant

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substance in history. The first recorded use for this bulbous herb

was in Mesopotamia, in what is now Iraq, some 6,000 years ago.

Nearby Egypt also found many uses for garlic. Interestingly,

the only recorded slave revolt in ancient Egypt (other than the

Exodus) occurred due to lack of garlic, when the Nile flooded

out the fields. A medical volume, published in Egypt in 1550

B.C., lists twenty-two different medicinal uses for the herb, rang-

ing from the treatment of tumors and skin diseases to poisoning

and heart ailments. It was inscribed in the Great Pyramid of

Cheops, and placed inside of King Tut’s tomb. Clearly, they

thought this was pretty potent stuff!

Sanskrit records show its usage over 5,000 years in India, and

it has been known in China for 3,000 years or more. Ancient

Greeks, not to be outdone, used it for strength during the Olym-

pic Games, and the famous Roman physician, Galen, called it a

‘near cure-all’, suitable to treat countless ailments.

In the Middle Ages, garlic was used to treat the Plague, Al-

bert Schweitzer used it to cure typhoid fever and cholera in Af-

rica in the early 1900's, and during World War II it was widely

known as ‘Russian penicillin’, because of its strong antibacterial

qualities. Obviously, there’s something to this little, white bulb!

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Recommendations

Garlic is another of those products that are offered in nu-

merous forms, from fresh, to coarsely and finely chopped, to

capsules and pills. Processing the raw cloves causes many chemi-

cal changes to take place within the herb’s chemical structure, so

the benefits of using a fresh clove will quite possibly not apply to

other forms. So, as I always say, fresh is best!

A person with a green thumb might want to consider grow-

ing garlic for themselves—it’s easy and very rewarding. If this

isn’t an option, then I would strongly recommend buying only

fresh cloves, then storing them in a cool, dark, and dry environ-

ment until needed. I do not recommend the jars of chopped gar-

lic available in grocery stores, simply for the reason stated above.

And, I personally believe that the amount of processing required

for capsules or pills also affects the beneficial properties in a

negative way, and so cannot recommend these, either.

Benefits

There are something like two hundred different chemical

compounds contained within a clove of fresh garlic. The com-

pounds can actually change and recombine depending on how

the herb is prepared. One of the main compounds, known as

allicin, is what gives garlic its characteristic odor and is a potent

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antibacterial, killing at least twenty-three types of bacteria, includ-

ing salmonella and staphylococcus. (Allicin is not actually present

in the whole clove, but is produced by crushing, and then only

briefly.) Allicin was thought to be what was giving garlic its me-

dicinal qualities, but was later found to be destroyed by the acid

of the stomach. Therefore, it appears that some of the other

compounds must be doing the job, at least on the inside of the

body.

Because of the sheer number of compounds, and the fact

that there are over 150 varieties of the herb, pinning down exactly

how it does what it does has been difficult. These are some of

the things that have been observed to date:

Garlic appears to kill H. Pylori in the stomach, which is

linked to ulcers and stomach cancers. It also has been shown to

slow the growth of prostate and breast cancer cells. In fact, many

cancers seem to be hampered by garlic’s anti-tumor effect.

It appears to have a positive impact on cholesterol levels,

and may prevent LDL (bad) cholesterol from oxidizing and bind-

ing to arterial walls—an obvious benefit for reducing heart dis-

ease and atherosclerosis. It was observed to lower cholesterol

levels by an average of 9 percent in people who ate two cloves of

garlic per day.

Recent studies have also shown it to protect the aorta—one

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of the main blood vessels of the heart. Age, poor diet and envi-

ronmental factors such as smoking can damage the aorta, causing

it to stiffen. Regular consumption of garlic seems to slow the

aging of the aorta and helps keep it flexible.

One can also benefit from garlic during pregnancy. Accord-

ing to a study done by doctors in a London hospital, garlic sup-

plementation may help weight-gain for babies that would other-

wise be at risk for low birth weight. The study also found that

the chance of other at-birth risk factors could be reduced, such as

pre-eclampsia, which is associated with hypertension.

Garlic contains powerful antioxidants that protect the body

from ‘free radicals’—molecules that damage cells and DNA, and

can accelerate the aging process. Garlic’s sulfur compounds can

help regulate blood sugar metabolism, stimulate and detoxify the

liver, and improve blood circulation and the nervous system.

Uses

I absolutely love garlic, and eat it faithfully every day, both as

part of my SuperFood drink, and with many of my meals. People

are generally amazed that I don’t get colds and honestly can’t re-

member the last time I was sick. I believe that eating garlic every

day is one of the reasons this is so. So give a ‘Stinking Rose’ to

someone you love—they’ll thank you for it!

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Quinoa—the Mother of All Grains

Most of those living in the United States will recognize many

of the foods recommended in this chapter, and will quite proba-

bly already have most of them in their pantries or refrigerators.

But many will not be familiar with Quinoa (pronounced keen-

wa), although it is one of the healthiest and oldest foods around.

History

Quinoa is not a cereal grain in the conventional sense, but is

actually a member of the Goose Foot family, which includes

sugar beets and beet root. Its cultivation can be traced back

9,000 years, to Bolivian natives living in the Lake Titicaca area. It

was also grown in the Andes mountains at altitudes of ten to

twenty thousand feet, where it thrived in the poor soil, freezing

temperatures, and minimal rainfall. The Incas considered it more

valuable than gold, calling it ‘the mother of all grains’.

Archaeologists exploring a cave in Alabama in 1961 found

remnants of a charred basket that contained seeds of the quinoa

family. Upon further examination by the Smithsonian it was de-

termined that the basket was about 2,000 years old.

Quinoa was limited to South and Central America, until be-

ing brought to the United States in the 1980’s by Stephen Gorad

and Don McKinley. While in Bolivia, they were introduced to

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quinoa by their spiritual teacher, who encouraged them to eat it in

order to achieve deeper spiritual sensitivity during meditation.

They brought it back to see if it would grow in the Rocky Moun-

tains, and it did. Quinoa is now being grown in Colorado, New

Mexico, California and Canada.

Recommendations

Quinoa can now be purchased in many grocery and health

food stores, and is available whole, as flakes, or even milled into

flour. The grain keeps well, and can be stored for up to several

months. I prefer using the whole grain, for reasons detailed be-

low. Purchase pre-rinsed, if possible, which has a uniform yel-

lowish color. Otherwise, you will have to remove the bitter, out-

side coating through adequate rinsing or soaking. If unsure, ask

the grocer or check the label.

Benefits

Quinoa’s protein content is quite high, and is considered a

complete protein because it provides eight essential amino acids.

For this reason it has become very popular among vegetarians

and vegans. It also contains many minerals, including iron, phos-

phorus, calcium, and magnesium. Quinoa is a great source of

fiber and is gluten free, making the seed easy to digest and an ex-

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cellent alternative to more conventional grains like wheat, and for

those with food allergies.

On the medical front, quinoa has been shown to combat

cancer, increase energy and strengthen bones because of its high

calcium content. It packs four grams of fiber per serving and

thus helps lower the risk of high cholesterol, heart disease and

stroke.

According to an Australian Blue Mountains eye study, pro-

tein and polyunsaturated fats—both found in quinoa—may help

prevent cataracts.

Today, it is commonly used for altitude sickness. Natives of

the Andes claim that it helps strengthen women during pregnancy

and postpartum, and promotes healthier milk in nursing mothers.

The Andean peoples also advise eating plenty of quinoa to heal

broken bones, and to apply a plaster made of quinoa flour and

water.

Uses

This grain is very easy to cook and can, for the most part, be

treated like rice when preparing. Add one cup of quinoa to two

cups of boiling water, and simmer for around fifteen minutes.

You will see the germ (looking like a small sprout) uncurl from

the seed. It is done cooking when it still has a bit of firmness.

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Quinoa can be used as a side dish, in soups, or as a meal by

itself. Because of its pleasant nutty flavor, it serves as a great

breakfast combined with fruits, cinnamon and nuts. It easily ab-

sorbs other flavors, as well.

The whole, raw seed can be sprouted by placing it in water

for a few hours (not overnight—it sprouts quickly!). Doing this

activates various enzymes and enhances its vitamin content. It

can then be used over salads or other cold dishes.

If you haven’t yet tried this remarkable and sacred grain, I

would strongly recommend it!

Cinnamon—The Gold Standard of Spices

As you read through these pages, you may be struck by the

fact that many of the foods on my ‘Super Ten List’ are not just

healthy, but ancient in the extreme. The many peoples of the

earth have had thousands of years to experiment and observe,

and the wisdom gained over those countless generations still ap-

plies today. With that, I’d like to recommend another item that

has passed the test of time—the common spice, cinnamon.

History

Cinnamon is native to Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and dates

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back at least 4,000 years. The Egyptians used the spice to help

preserve and mummify the dead, and valued it more than gold. It

was highly prized throughout the Roman Empire, as well as

China, where it is mentioned in writings from 2800 B.C. Because

of its pleasant smell, and the fact that the phenols contained

within hinder the growth of bacteria, cinnamon found wide-

spread use in meat preservation.

Over the centuries, the spice was used not just for flavoring

and aroma, but as an effective treatment for sore throats and

coughs, as well as helping with digestive disorders. Even today,

cinnamon is still commonly used to treat these maladies. Other

ancient medicinal uses included relief from arthritis, menstrual

cramps, and yeast infections. It was valued for both its antibacte-

rial and antifungal properties, as well as a general stimulant.

For those familiar with the Old Testament, you may recall

that cinnamon was a prime ingredient in the special anointing oil

used to anoint and sanctify the priests of the Jewish Tabernacle in

the days of Moses.

Throughout history, the demand and relative scarcity of this

aromatic spice has spurred trade and exploration. In the fifteenth

century, cinnamon was one of the main motivations for sending

out ships of exploration around the horn of Africa, and eventu-

ally to the New World.

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Wars have been fought over control of what was then Cey-

lon, so as to have a monopoly on the profitable cinnamon trade.

It wasn’t until 1796 that the production of the spice spread to

other areas, including Java, Sumatra, and Borneo, and more re-

cently to South America and the West Indies. Quite a journey for

the lowly cinnamon stick!

Recommendations

Many people might not be aware that there are two products

that are typically labeled as cinnamon. The first, known as ‘true

cinnamon’, is the original variety grown in Ceylon (Sri Lanka).

The other, called ‘Chinese cinnamon’, is from the cassia plant.

Though they are somewhat similar in taste and aroma, I believe

that true cinnamon is of a higher value when discussing its poten-

tial health benefits. It is somewhat harder to locate, at least in the

United States, and the cost is higher.

How to recognize the difference? Cinnamon sticks are

curled around themselves, telescopically, while cassia curls inward

from both ends like a scroll. True ground cinnamon is tan, finely

ground, and has a warm and sweet flavor. Cassia is coarser,

darker red, and has a somewhat bitter, stronger taste.

There is also a cinnamon oil available. Do not eat this oil—it is

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toxic, even in small quantities. It is usually used for its scent, as

in making Christmas ornaments.

Benefits

First and foremost, one of the most beneficial qualities of

cinnamon is its ability to modify blood sugar and insulin levels.

A recent study followed a number of older men and women with

Type II diabetes. After six weeks of using one-half teaspoon of

cinnamon per day, the group experienced a marked decrease in

blood glucose levels, as well as a major drop in blood cholesterol

and triglycerides. Cinnamon also provides a good source of

chromium, which aids insulin activity.

The spice also helps with digestion and indigestion, diarrhea,

and morning sickness by helping to break up intestinal gas. Even

the smell of cinnamon is beneficial: It’s been shown to increase

alertness, memory and cognitive function, and even seems to act

as a male aphrodisiac!

Lastly, cinnamon is a potent antiseptic, antibacterial and anti-

fungal agent. It has proven an effective treatment against certain

medication resistant yeast infections, and destroys E. Coli and

salmonella when used as a food preservative. It also is a great

source of fiber, manganese, iron, and calcium.

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Uses

My favorite use for cinnamon is as a tea. I add a stick to a

cup of near-boiling water and let that steep for a time—ten min-

utes or so. A little honey can be added for sweetness if desired.

One can continue to add hot water to the same cup and drink it

during the day.

I also sprinkle cinnamon over my oatmeal in the morning. It

is a tasty and healthy addition to many foods—use it as often as

you can!

Broccoli—“The Five Green Fingers of Jupiter”

It’s a shame that broccoli seems to be so universally despised

by children and at least one recent president. If the facts were

known, everyone would feel the way I do about this amazing

vegetable. Very few foods can claim as many health benefits as

this lowly sprout.

History

Once again, we must travel back in time thousands of years

to find the origin of the well-traveled stalk. Broccoli, a member

of the cabbage family, appears to have its ‘roots’ in what is now

Turkey and the eastern Mediterranean. When the peoples of this

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land eventually migrated to Italy, they settled in the Tuscan area

and brought their broccoli with them.

The Romans fell in love with the vegetable, calling it ‘the five

green fingers of Jupiter’. There is a story of one of Emperor Ti-

berius’s sons that so loved the taste of broccoli that he ate noth-

ing else for a month. When his urine turned bright green, the

Emperor had to put his foot down!

It was in Rome that the Calabrese variety was developed, and

this is the same type that most of us enjoy today.

In the early 1500’s, Catherine Di Medici, of Tuscan decent,

may well have introduced the vegetable to France under Henry

II, whom she married. The French, as well as the English,

seemed to have some disdain for the dark green stalks, however.

Broccoli came to America in the mid-1700’s thanks to Tho-

mas Jefferson, the ‘farmer president’. But just like the British,

Americans also turned their noses up and so the vegetable lan-

guished until around 1920. At that point Italian immigrants in

California sent a crop to Boston, and suddenly it seemed to get

the recognition it deserved. From that point on consumption has

grown briskly, especially with the amazing medical discoveries of

the last twenty-five years.

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Recommendations

Like any other produce, I always recommend searching out

the best quality organic broccoli you can find. Better yet—this is

another of those easy to grow vegetables that do fairly well in

many areas of the country. If you have an open spot in your gar-

den, try your hand at this cool-weather plant.

Broccoli is best served raw, or slightly steamed, after being

well washed. Boiling, microwaving, or other cooking methods

will essentially destroy most of the vitamins and minerals con-

tained within. Also, never throw away the stalks if you can help

it. I have a good quality juicer, and always try to use every part of

what I buy, leaving nothing to waste. Broccoli stalks, celery

crowns—most anything can be used to make a delicious and nu-

tritious drink.

Benefits

An entire book could be written just on the health benefits

of broccoli. Study after study over the last couple of decades

have proven out what the Romans have known all along. These

little crowns are good for you!

Broccoli contains a wealth of vitamins, minerals, and other

healthy compounds. In fact, it is said that broccoli packs the big-

gest nutritional punch of any vegetable. It is rich in vitamin C,

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beta carotene, calcium, iron, fiber, and compounds called phyto-

chemicals. It also is a good source of chromium, which has been

shown to prevent adult diabetes.

Many of the compounds in broccoli appear to help detoxify

the body and boost the production of certain enzymes. These

enzymes can reduce the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure,

and osteoporosis. A type of fiber within this vegetable has been

shown to aid the liver in holding and eliminating cholesterol, in-

stead of releasing it into the bloodstream.

Eating substantial amounts of broccoli has been linked to a

reduced risk of aggressive prostate and colon cancer. In fact,

many cancers seem to be affected by the various phytochemicals

within, and specifically one called sulforaphane.

Uses

I use broccoli in salads, and lightly steamed next to fish or

whatever else I might be having. I try not to waste anything, and

juice the stalks and leaves which contain nutrients of their own—

some of them unique to those parts of the plant.

So when it comes to the wonderful ‘Fingers of Jupiter’, this

is one time when it pays to listen to your mother: Eat your broccoli!

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Cabbage—Two Heads ARE Better than One!

Cabbage is a great vegetable, not just for its abundant vita-

mins, but because of a number of healing properties both inter-

nally, and externally. It also enjoys a long and illustrious his-

tory—a valued staple among cultures all over the world.

History

Cabbage is a ‘cole’ crop, and among its close relatives are

kale, cauliflower, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts. Some of these

were found in the wild, but others, like Brussels sprouts, were the

result of thousands of years of selective breeding.

Wild cabbage has been cultivated for perhaps 4,000 years,

and domesticated for 2,500. It was originally harvested for its

medicinal qualities, but soon found its way into the diet of many

peoples. One reason for this is that it’s so prolific. It grows quite

rapidly, and produces more edible vegetables per acre than any

other plant. Another is that it keeps well over the winter.

It appears that the Celts introduced cabbage to Europe

around 600 B.C. It was not the closed-head variety that we think

of today, however, but a loose-leafed version. The head type was

developed by Northern European farmers in the Middle Ages.

The English name of cabbage comes from the old French word,

‘caboche’, meaning head.

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The Egyptians, and later the Romans and Greeks, loved

cabbage. It was thought to stave off the effects of too much al-

cohol, and was said ‘to make you feel as if you had not eaten’,

meaning that it was not filling and allowed more room for drink.

Even today, it is thought of as a hangover remedy. They were

also well aware of the characteristic odor of cooked cabbage.

The Greeks had a saying: ‘Cabbage, twice cooked, is death!’

In the Far East, pots containing cabbage that date back to

4000 B.C. have been found in Shensi province in China. To the

ancient Chinese, cabbage had ‘cooling properties’, part of the

‘yin/yang’ system of herbal medicine.

Frenchman Jacques Cartier is credited with bringing cabbage

to the Americas in 1536, although it probably arrived about a

hundred years later.

An interesting tidbit—During the eighteenth century, cab-

bage was often taken on long ocean voyages due to its high nutri-

tional content and medicinal qualities. It was, for example, an

excellent way of combating scurvy—a disease caused by vitamin

C deficiency.

In his first voyage, Captain Cook had plenty of cabbage on

board. When members of his crew were injured in a storm, it

was rumored that they made compresses out of sauerkraut (cab-

bage stored in brine) to apply to gangrenous wounds.

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Recommendations

Raw cabbage is available everywhere, pretty much any time

of the year, in both green and red varieties. As I’ve stated before,

buy organic if at all possible. Prepackaged sauerkraut is also

commonly available—just consider the salt content when pur-

chasing.

I am not a big fan of boiling food, as it removes a great deal

of the essential nutrients. Therefore, I would recommend having

cabbage raw, or slightly blanched or steamed.

Benefits

Cabbage is fairly inexpensive, but packs a variety of vitamins

and minerals that are most beneficial for the body. It’s higher in

vitamin C than oranges, and also rich in vitamins E and K (aids in

making blood-clotting proteins), and minerals like calcium, potas-

sium, magnesium, and sulfur compounds. High levels of fiber

help cleanse waste from the stomach, improve digestion, and can

ease constipation.

It is hailed as a cancer inhibitor—particularly colon cancer.

One compound, isothiocyanate, was shown in one particular

study to reduce the risk of lung cancer in smokers by 38 percent.

In European folk medicine, cabbage leaves are used to treat

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acute inflammation. A paste of raw cabbage is placed in a leaf

and bandaged around the area to reduce discomfort. This rem-

edy is quite probably due to the antibacterial properties of the

sulfur compounds contained in cabbage.

Uses

I love cabbage. I eat it raw in salads or lightly steamed as a

side dish. If I feel inspired, I will stuff cabbage leaves with rice

and vegetables. Perhaps one of my most famous dishes is a pick-

led cabbage salad.

On the medicinal side, I would like to relate a story high-

lighting cabbage’s anti-inflammatory qualities:

Some time ago, a woman I know complained that her knee

was swollen and painful—no conventional therapy she’d tried

seemed to have any effect. I advised her to place a number of

cabbage leaves against her skin and wrap them with a bandage

before she went to bed. In the morning, the bandage was so

loose that it fell off her leg—the swelling was gone. I’ve used

cabbage in a similar fashion on my own body, with similar results.

I’ll let you draw your own conclusions.

Suffice it to say—cabbage is a great addition to your diet,

and definitely deserves a place of honor on my Super Ten List.

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Beans—Definitely Not a ‘Has-Bean’

Many people are concerned, unnecessarily so in my opinion,

that a diet high in vegetables and fruits will somehow leave them

short on protein. This is not the case, especially when one con-

sumes adequate amounts of fish like salmon or tuna. That said,

beans—of all types— are also an excellent source of protein, as

well as fiber and many other essential nutrients.

History

Beans are one of the oldest food sources on the planet, being

mentioned in Eastern texts dating back some 20,000 years. They

were cultivated on both sides of the Atlantic, by the Aztecs and

Incas in the area of Peru, and by Egyptian and pre-Roman cul-

tures throughout the Mediterranean.

Lentils, chickpeas, and faba (now called fava) beans are men-

tioned predominantly in Roman texts and have been found in

tombs dating back 5,000 years. Beans are mentioned in the Old

Testament, as well. Excavations have found chickpeas in Jericho

and Babylon. Only the Greeks seem to have shunned the won-

derful legume, calling them ‘poor man’s food’. They also

wouldn’t allow priests to consume beans due to the black spots

on certain varieties, which apparently reminded them of death!

By the Middle Ages, beans had become a staple throughout

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Europe, and are credited with saving Europeans from extinction

due to malnutrition. When these same Europeans began to ex-

plore the New World, they were introduced to entirely new varie-

ties of the amazing bean. The ‘common bean’ as it was called,

included many of the dry beans, like the kidney bean, with which

we are familiar today. The high nutritional value, and the fact

that they could be stored for extended periods, made beans

popular with the Navy, and so the navy bean was born.

In the United States, beans were still thought of as ‘poor

man’s food’ until the Great Depression, when the scarcity of

meat caused many to look for other sources of protein. Beans

filled the bill perfectly, and by World War II they were standard

fare as part of the C-Rations eaten by our servicemen worldwide.

From that point on, and especially after the myriad health bene-

fits of beans became known, the humble bean has graced the

dinner plates of millions in countries near and far!

Recommendations

Beans are so common that they are available in pretty much

every grocery store. The nutrient value of dry versus canned

beans are about the same, so choose whichever is most conven-

ient. A word of warning, as usual: Canned beans often contain

sodium, and so should be well-rinsed before use. Dry beans also

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should be rinsed to remove debris, and then soaked as necessary.

Benefits

One of the biggest benefits of beans is their very high solu-

ble fiber content. This fiber latches onto cholesterol-laden bile in

the digestive tract and removes it from the body. Some studies

have shown a 10 to 20 percent drop in total cholesterol after six

weeks of beans in the diet (three-quarters to one cup per day).

This equates to a 40 percent drop in the risk of heart disease.

This same fiber seems to improve insulin function in diabet-

ics by creating more ‘insulin receptor sites’ within the body, al-

lowing insulin to more easily bond to the cells that need it.

Beans are also very high in folate, which may help reduce the

risk of birth defects and which is also needed to form red blood

cells. And recent studies have found that a number of com-

pounds in beans—isoflavins, for example—help keep normal

cells from turning cancerous, and inhibit cancer growth. His-

panic women traditionally have half as many breast cancer cases

as Caucasian women, and the studies point to the high intake of

beans in their typical diet as a likely cause.

Another major benefit of a diet that includes beans is that

they are a natural source of protein. While most animal proteins

are considered ‘complete’ proteins, in that they contain all of the

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essential amino acids needed by the body, beans provide what is

called ‘complimentary’ proteins. This means that by eating beans

with a different complimentary protein—rice, for example—one

can get complete proteins just as effectively as from animal prod-

ucts. Wheat products will also form complete proteins with

beans, but I feel that rice is substantially healthier, especially con-

sidering the sensitivity many people have to wheat.

Finally, beans contain substantial amounts of potassium,

magnesium, iron, and the trace elements copper and manganese.

All of these work together to build healthy bones, tissue and

blood.

Uses

Because of the great variety of beans, they can be introduced

into the diet in many ways. I prefer them as part of a salad, or in

soup. Lentil soup is very good, and is one of those dishes that

have been eaten for many thousands of years, all over the world.

A little gas not withstanding, the humble and ancient bean should

be on everyone’s menu!

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Avocado—the ‘Alligator Pear’

Avocados, sometimes called ‘alligator pears’ because of their

rough skin and pear shape, are often thought to be a vegetable,

but in fact they are a fruit—a member of the berry family. They

are quite popular in Brazil; the country of my birth is now the

world’s fourth largest producer of this delicious green wonder.

History

Avocados have been cultivated in Central and South Amer-

ica for perhaps 10,000 years. This wonderful fruit was a favorite

of the Aztecs and many of the other native peoples of the area.

They used it as a sexual stimulant; the Aztec’s name for the fruit

was ‘ahuacatl’; this refers to its appearance and translates into a

delicate part of the male anatomy which I shall not repeat! This

concept of avocados as an aphrodisiac persists until today.

Even earlier, the avocado was used as a hair pomade to

stimulate hair growth, and to help heal wounds. Native Ameri-

cans used the seeds to treat diarrhea, but in the 1500’s Spanish

conquistadors found another use for the seeds. Because the

milky seed juice turns red upon exposure to air, the Spanish used

it for ink, and many documents produced with avocado ink are

still in existence today.

Spanish explorers so loved the fruit that they returned with it

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to Europe, where it gained popularity among the English Navy,

as it softened the hardtack they ate for meals—hence the name

‘midshipman’s butter’. It was not cultivated in the West until

1833, and did not find mass market appeal until the early 1900’s.

Mailman Rudolph Hass was granted the first patent on the avo-

cado in 1935, and the fruit bearing his name is now the most

common of the avocado varieties eaten in the United States. In-

terestingly, the man’s wife ate whole-wheat toast with a half an

avocado every day, and she lived until the age of 98. Perhaps his

treasured avocado had something to do with it.

California is now the largest producer of avocados in the

U.S., generating about 95 percent of overall production. An in-

teresting fact—a single tree can produce about four hundred avo-

cados per year.

Recommendations

Fresh avocados are available year round at nearly any store.

They take about a week to ripen, once picked—a process that can

be slowed down by placing in the fridge or sped up by putting

them in a closed paper bag. As always, look for organic if avail-

able.

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Benefits

The avocado has certainly earned the right to be on my Su-

per Ten List. It packs more soluble fiber than any other fruit. It

is rich in magnesium, which is essential for healthy bones and the

heart. Avocados have more potassium than bananas, which regu-

lates blood pressure, as well as reducing the risks of hypertension,

stroke and heart disease. Avocados have been shown to help im-

prove the body’s ability to absorb nutrients from other foods.

Avocados contain oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat that may

help to lower cholesterol. In one study of people with elevated

cholesterol levels, eating the fruit for seven days produced a sig-

nificant decrease in total cholesterol and LDL, along with an in-

crease of the good cholesterol, HDL.

A single avocado contains around eighty micrograms of lu-

tein, which is very beneficial for the eyes. And one of the most

exciting developments is the discovery that certain compounds in

the fruit are toxic to many forms of cancer, particularly prostate,

breast, and oral cancers.

As well as the other vitamins and minerals discussed above,

avocados are high in vitamin C and K, folic acid, and copper.

They are the best fruit source of vitamin E, and are a good source

of the antioxidant glutathione, which helps slow down aging and

may reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease.

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Uses

I love avocados! I use them on salads and sliced on bread.

Avocado paste can be applied to dry skin to help make it

smoother, and as a facial mask to nourish and moisturize the

delicate skin of the face.

I hope you’ll take the time to incorporate the humble avo-

cado into your diet, if not for the myriad health benefits, then at

least to give your romantic life a boost!

Cantaloupe—Or Not?

Cantaloupe, like watermelon, is one of those foods that

seems like a real diet-breaker because of its delicious sweetness,

but it really isn’t—it’s actually low-cal and vitamin rich. Interest-

ingly, the web-skinned, orange fruit that we call cantaloupe in the

United States is actually not cantaloupe at all, but a variety of

muskmelon. No matter what it’s called, there’s nothing like a re-

freshing bowl of this wonderful melon on a warm summer eve-

ning!

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History

The ancestors of today’s cantaloupe were native to north

Africa, and were cultivated in Egypt at least 2,400 years ago.

Over time, they spread to the Middle East and around the Medi-

terranean. The original, true cantaloupe, with its relatively

smooth skin, is said to have originated in the town of Cantaluppi,

in Italy, sometime in the 15th century. It soon migrated to

France, where it became a favorite of France’s elite.

At around the same time, the variety of muskmelon that we

call cantaloupe was being developed in Spain, and wound up

coming to the Americas thanks to Christopher Columbus. It was

grown up and down the Atlantic seaboard, but was not called

cantaloupe at that time. Thanks to some enterprising marketers,

the name was changed from muskmelon to cantaloupe to associ-

ate it more closely with the fancy French variety.

Eventually, production moved to the dry areas of Arizona,

California, and Texas, where nearly all of the domestic crop

comes from to this day.

Recommendations

Cantaloupe is available year round at pretty much any gro-

cery store. Pick melons that have a khaki colored skin, with no

green apparent. Also, the stem end should be smooth—if it’s

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ragged or if there is still stem attached, the melon was harvested

too early.

After it’s picked, the melon will not get any sweeter, but it

will get softer and more juicy if allowed to sit out for a couple of

days, but no longer than four. Once cut, use it within two days to

avoid spoilage. And as always, organic, if available, is best!

Benefits

As a child, you may have been told that carrots will keep

your eyes bright and clear, but it appears that cantaloupe is even

more important for keeping your vision strong. Studies indicate

that eating three or more servings of the fruit per day may lower

your risk of age-related macular degeneration by as much as 36

percent.

Cantaloupe is a great source of fiber, and is very high in po-

tassium and vitamin A. The fruit also contains a good amount of

vitamin C, folic acid, and beta carotene. It has only fifty-six calo-

ries per cup, and is low in sodium, as well.

There was an interesting study a while back regarding vita-

min A and smoking. It found that smoking, or just exposure to

second-hand smoke, produced a vitamin A deficiency in the

body. And, a general lack of vitamin A can manifest as emphy-

sema. This may explain why some smokers develop the condi-

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tion, and others do not. Those that do may not be getting

enough vitamin A to make up for the loss from smoking. The

conclusion? It seems imperative that smokers and those exposed

to smoke maintain a healthy level of vitamin A in their system,

and eating cantaloupe is one way to make sure that is the case.

Uses

I try to have cantaloupe daily, either as part of a colorful fruit

salad, or blended into my daily SuperFood drink. It goes very

well with blueberries, and strawberries, as well. It is not too fill-

ing, and is very refreshing, especially during the hot summer

months. Call it what you will—this is one sweet melon!

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Honorable Mentions

As I stated earlier, there are at least fifty different vegetables,

fruits, herbs, spices and grains that I find very beneficial, not to

mention fish. On the previous pages, I singled out ten for special

consideration. I would, however, like to touch on a few more

that would also be wise to incorporate into one’s diet. They are

all extremely healthful, easily found, and can be eaten raw, lightly

steamed, or juiced.

Obviously, oats need to be prepared per package directions.

If you have bad childhood memories of mushy, glue-like oatmeal,

I highly recommend steel-cut oats. They are coarser and more ce-

real-like than rolled oats. Try them—they're wonderful!

• Asparagus - Very high in vitamins K, C, A and folate. Great

for the heart, healthy intestinal bacteria, and as a diuretic be-

cause of the high potassium/low sodium.

• Apples - Very high in vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, fi-

ber, and flavinoids. Please don’t toss the skin! If you don’t

want to eat it, juice it.

• Spinach - High levels of vitamins A, C, and K, B6 as well as

folate, iron, magnesium, and lutein for your eyes. Seems to

be a powerful cancer fighter.

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• Tomatoes - Contains vitamin C, folate, and potassium, but

most importantly is lycopene, another cancer and cholesterol

buster.

• Onions - Vitamins and antibacterial sulfur compounds, but

biggest benefit are flavinoids, which also kick cholesterol and

cancer.

• Carrots - Lots of vitamin A for your eyes (powerful against

cataracts), and carotenoids for cancer and heart disease pre-

vention. Also lots of fiber.

• Celery - Great source of fiber and vitamin C, as well as phy-

tochemicals that reduce cancer risk. Can help with muscle

aches, and electrolyte replacement.

• Sweet Potatoes - Vitamin C, folate, beta carotene and min-

erals for strong bones. Great for the eyes, and lowering heart

disease risk.

• Kiwi - Very high vitamin C levels and phytochemicals protect

DNA, guard against respiratory problems. High fiber for

heart, colon health and blood sugar control.

• Steel-Cut Oats - Beta-glucan fiber drops cholesterol, reduces

diabetes risk, stabilizes blood sugar. Antioxidants protect the

heart. High in manganese, selenium, tryptophan. Great al-

ternative to wheat.

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So there you have it! Make these twenty items the core of

your healthy diet, and begin to reap the benefits of these wonder-

ful foods, just as I have.

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Eat Less—Live More

Having talked at length about what to eat, I think it’s time to

address ‘how much’. Comparatively speaking, I don’t eat much.

My portions are small, and when I leave the table I am satisfied—

not overly full or ‘stuffed’. I also do not ever go back for ‘sec-

onds’. My father taught me these things when I was young, and

I’ve followed his instruction my whole life.

The ancient practice of Ayurveda, a type of medicine still

common in India and elsewhere, states the following:

“When eating, only one-third of the capacity of the stomach

should be filled with food, one-third with liquid and one-

third should be left empty. This will aid in proper digestion

and promote mental clarity.”

This is a far cry from the typical American diet—think

Thanksgiving dinner here—where being unable to rise from the

table is considered a compliment to the cook!

You may well ask, “Why is this important?” I assure you

that understanding the answers to that question is critical for

those wishing to live a long and healthy life.

Since at least the 1930’s, it has been well-known that ‘calorie

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restriction’ (CR) seems to prolong the lifespans of many animals,

from mice to dogs, cows, and monkeys. Study after study has

shown that a relatively small decrease in caloric intake from what

these animals normally eat, extends lifespan by perhaps 30 per-

cent. Fairly radical restriction added 50 percent or more to the

lifespans of animals like mice, although they probably did not en-

joy the experiment!

Even using the more modest number, however, and assum-

ing that those same kinds of results can be achieved in humans,

average lifespan could be extended to 104 or longer through wise

use of this principle alone. And, it is indeed beginning to appear

that the same mechanisms that produce these results in animals

do apply to humans, as well.

The idea of CR gained mainstream status thanks in part to

Dr. Roy Walford, who participated in the Biosphere 2 experi-

ments in Arizona some twenty years ago and who wrote a num-

ber of books on CR and longevity. Since then, many groups have

been formed with the sole purpose of promoting the calorie re-

striction lifestyle.

The main things to remember are that, first, I’m not talking

about starving oneself for the sake of a long but decidedly miser-

able life. I’m talking about giving up a couple of hundred calories

per day—one small desert—in exchange for substantially lower-

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ing the risk of many types of disease. And secondly, proper nutri-

tion is key. Now matter how much or how little you eat, it is abso-

lutely essential to get all of the needed vitamins and minerals

from whatever you put in your mouth.

The effects of CR on the body seem to be fairly dramatic. A

number of recent studies have shown that reduced calorie intake

helps keep the telomeres on the ends of our DNA from disap-

pearing as we age. As you might remember, telomeres are little

end caps on the ends of our DNA, and they get shorter and

eventually vanish as we age. This allows the DNA, and therefore

our cells, to become damaged.

Also, CR lowers the number of ‘free radicals’ and prevents

oxidative damage to our cells. It has been shown to lower cho-

lesterol, reduce or eliminate symptoms of diabetes, and substan-

tially lowers risks of heart disease. Instances of cancer are re-

duced—new studies continue to show promise for this type of

lifestyle.

Remember, it is a lifestyle that I’m talking about here—not a

diet. I am personally convinced that eating a little less, wisely,

while still making sure to eat foods that are high in nutrients, has

a lot to do with my current state of health. I hope you will take a

moment to consider this the next time you contemplate whether

or not to ‘Supersize It’!

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Juicing For Good Health

Numerous books have been written about the advantages of

juicing, and although most people are aware of the concept and

some may already own a juicer, few realize the true value of this

practice. Not only does it cut down on waste and save money,

but in many ways consuming vegetable and fruit juice is healthier

than eating these foods in the conventional way. I’ve been doing

this for years, and find it to be of great benefit.

Honestly, I have a real problem throwing away foods that I

paid good money for and that I know contain high levels of nu-

trients, just because they are not the parts that are normally eaten.

This includes the stalks of broccoli and asparagus, celery crowns,

apple peels, and anything similar that would otherwise wind up in

the waste can. When run through a good quality juicer, one is left

with a delicious and healthy drink, and very little waste. In fact,

the solid material that is left is very good to use in a garden or

add to the compost bin.

Let’s touch on some of the health benefits of juicing: First

and foremost, it allows the body to absorb all of the nutrients

quickly and easily, without having to break down the solid mate-

rial and extract them that way. And because these nutrients are

concentrated by juicing, a single glass may provide as many vita-

mins, minerals, and enzymes as an entire meal, or more.

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The same is true of phytochemicals and other disease fight-

ing compounds. Getting these chemicals and antioxidants into

the bloodstream quickly and in concentrated form does wonders

for the immune system and helps slow or prevent the onset of

many age-related diseases.

You may not be aware that different parts of the plant have

different chemicals and enzymes, and in some cases the most

valuable parts are those that typically get discarded. That is why

juicing is such a great alternative—it allows you to get all of the

benefits with very little effort and no additional cost, except for

the initial purchase of the machine. I think it’s one of the best

investments a person can make for themselves and their family.

Finally, it is very enjoyable to experiment and create your

own signature drink, combining whatever is available and crafting

something that is both delicious and very good for you. Doesn’t

a fresh glass of carrot and celery juice sound a whole lot better

for lunch than a diet soda?

So before throwing away something that can help keep you

healthy and vital, or buying processed juice in a can, please give

home juicing a try. Buying broccoli by the pound will be a far

more enjoyable experience when you know that you will no

longer be discarding everything but the crowns!

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SuperFood—It Really Is!

I would like to briefly mention a product that I discovered in

1979, and have been using ever since with wonderful results. The

product is called Dr. Schulze’s SuperFood, and it is a powdered

mixture of vegetables, fruits, herbs, vitamins and minerals that is

mixed as a drink and taken daily. SuperFood is available on-line

or over the phone, and I also keep a small supply that I can pro-

vide to those who are interested, and who are able to come and

see me.

SuperFood is a great source of fiber and protein, as well as

Vitamin A, C, and E and a wide range of B vitamins. It is 100

percent organic, comprised mainly of various forms of algae,

seaweed, grasses and other items rich in nutrient value and essen-

tially fat, carbohydrate, and cholesterol free.

It is prepared by adding pure water, organic fruits (especially

banana, which adds sweetness), or vegetables, and the SuperFood

powder to a blender and mixing until smooth. I have this every

morning without fail, and have even taught very young children

to enjoy it—they now ask for SuperFood instead of sugar-laden

cereals in the morning. Making a positive impact on a child’s

health is very rewarding, indeed!

So I recommend that you give it a try, and see if you don’t

feel better for the rest of the day!

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CHAPTER 4 A Day in the Life

Growing old is no more than a bad habit which a

busy person has no time to form.

-Andre Maurois-

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As you’ve read through these pages, I’ve explained various

components that I believe are necessary to live a life that is long,

healthy, and joyous. So at this juncture, I thought it might be

helpful to give you a brief snapshot of my typical day, so that you

could see how each of these pieces mesh together to create the

person that I am.

I usually wake at around five A.M., and spend some minutes

in prayer. I thank my Maker for giving me another day, alive and

healthy, so that I can take care of my wife, Georgette. It’s inter-

esting—I’ve been asked on more than one occasion whether, at

this age, I fear death. The answer is a resounding NO; I am at

peace and ready to go at any time, should God decide that I need

to come home. My only real desire is that there be someone who

could step in to take care of my wife.

About thirty minutes after rising, I go for a forty minute

walk. I walk in the grass, and enjoy watching the world wake up

around me. Within an hour or so, I’m back home preparing my

SuperFood drink, which I enjoy with my wife.

After taking care of various morning activities, I make a glass

of cinnamon tea with lemon—a couple of cinnamon sticks

steeped in a glass of boiling water for perhaps ten minutes. For

lunch, I have a fresh salad, some steel-cut oatmeal, or a bowl of

homemade soup—typically broccoli, tomato, or vegetable.

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From mid-morning until late afternoon, I might find myself

at the grocery store, buying the kinds of items I’ve discussed in

these pages, as well as fish and, on rare occasions, lamb. Also

during this time I’m often engaged in conversations or visits from

friends and acquaintances. Because I am a member of several

groups and organizations, I stay in touch with a large number of

people. One such organization is the Raw Food Group, which

holds monthly meetings that I attend.

My activity of choice is reading. I have a library of perhaps a

thousand books, mostly on subjects of health, diet, and history.

Don’t get me wrong—if there’s a good baseball game on I may

well watch it, but frankly, sitting in front of the television is not

my favorite activity.

In the evening, I prepare dinner for my wife and me, which

might be broiled fish with a side of broccoli, asparagus or a

mixed salad of greens, onions, peppers, avocado, and lettuce.

I often attend meetings or go out with friends. I seldom

turn down a restaurant or birthday party invitation, simply be-

cause I so enjoy meeting new people and seeing new places. I

was recently invited to Sedona—a lovely town in northern Ari-

zona—where I received a warm reception from many wishing to

know about me and my lifestyle.

Curious people truly warm my heart, because it is through

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the door of curiosity that change can occur. That is why, as I

write these lines, I am so looking forward to the new people I’ll

meet during the process of getting this book into the hands of

those who need it. These thoughts excite me more than I can

say!

At bedtime, sleep comes easily—in fact my wife tells me that

because I don’t snore and seldom move, she has to check on me

to make sure I’m still among the living! In the morning I wake

up refreshed, and ready for a new adventure—this amazing thing

called Life!

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Final Thoughts

I know, beyond any doubt, that the concepts I’ve outlined in

this book work. I know this because I’ve seen them work in my-

self, and in many others with which I’ve shared these things,

from my own children, to friends and other acquaintances. I

truly believe that by thinking, exercising, and eating properly,

anyone can extend both the number of their years and the quality

of those years. Disease, pain, loss of physical strength and mental

acuity—these things are not inevitable, no matter what your par-

ents or friends or the television may have led you to believe.

I wish I could wave a magic wand and give to you the same determina-

tion and knowing that I have! Many people over the years have asked

me for advice, and I have shared it freely. They all listen, but

only a relative few actually put into practice what I suggest. And

yet, it isn’t difficult at all. It doesn’t take a lot of money, or an

inordinate amount of time. It only takes a decision that the past

doesn’t need to equal the future.

The way you think and handle emotional issues, the amount

and quality of the exercise you get, and the food you put in your

mouth are all based on habits formed by watching or listening to

others. Just because you’ve done something one way for a long

time does not mean that it’s the only way, especially if it isn’t

serving you. If you are aging gracefully, feel good about yourself,

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and have all of the vitality that you want, then that’s wonderful—

keep doing whatever it is that you’re doing. But if you feel that

you could be better, or if you see the warning signs of disease and

discomfort in your life, then take hold of the wheel and change

direction.

I hope that at least some of the things in this book ring true

for you. When you are wandering the aisles at your local grocery

store, I hope you will find yourself spending more time in the

produce section, and less time staring through the frosty glass at

the TV dinners. And on some beautiful spring day, I hope you’ll

at least contemplate taking off your shoes and socks and go feel

the grass between your toes, watch a caterpillar for a moment,

and forget that the taxes are coming due.

I want you to have what I have, if you’ll only take it. May

the words ‘old’ and ‘sick’ never leave your lips again when refer-

ring to yourself. Here’s to a long, healthy, and vital life,

for everyone, everywhere!

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ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Bernando LaPallo currently resides in

Mesa, AZ with his wife of fifty years,

Georgette. He spends his time read-

ing, going on brisk walks of up to two

miles, shopping for and preparing the

foods described in this book, and at-

tending numerous meetings and semi-

nars related to health, diet, and longev-

ity. Bernando also conducts seminars throughout the Phoenix

area, and has been featured on several local television programs,

in various newspapers, and other publications.

Anne Cornelius and her husband Ron

Seehoffer are writers living in the Gold

Canyon, AZ area. Anne has written sev-

eral freelance articles in local publica-

tions, and is nearing completion on two

inspirational children’s books. Ron is in

the process of finishing a spiritually up-

lifting fantasy novel, ‘A Small Matter of

Destiny’.