Want to Live Well at 100 Plus?
Josh Taylor, Mississippi Delta, Courtesy of The New York Public Library
In her newspaper column “Eating for Your Health and Strength,” (1971 to 1972) the Tennessee born naturopath Dr. Alvenia Fulton (1893-1999) shared her research and thoughts on aging. In a column, she wrote Bulgaria had the highest number of “100-year-old-plus citizens per 1000 population.” How did researchers explain the longevity of Bulgarians? Culturally at the table, people in that agrarian society historically preferred not a vegetarian diet but a largely plant-based diet. Dr. Fulton wrote, “One’s real age depends upon the condition of his bloodstream and vital organs plus his mental attitude toward life. Longevity is enjoyable only for those who remain alert, physically virile, free from aches and pains, and are involved in activity which gives them pleasure.” Dr. Fulton recommended an active lifestyle with lots of movement and low impact exercise such as gardening, walking, biking, and swimming.
