Griffin Speaks

People are living longer lives. This is due in part because the standard of living has risen for a vast majority of people. I have had the pleasure and honor of knowing several people who lived long and healthy lives. 

My first boss was Dr. A.G. Gaston, he lived to the ripe old age of 103. He never stopped going into the office for part of the day. I shared office space with Attorney Arthur Shores who lived well into his nineties. I also was very close friends with Mrs. Fannie Bingham, former private duty nurse for one of the children of  President and Mrs. Rossevelt. Mrs. Bingham lived to the ripe old age of 101. She did not stop driving her automobile from Tuskegee to Los Angeles until she was in her nineties. She was going out on Lake Martin with my family until she was 99. She was only sick for a few weeks before she passed. She was placed in a nursing home and refused to eat. She called me from Los Angeles a week before she died. She said: “Gregory I am in this nursing home and I am no sicker than that sign post outside!” “COME AND GET ME!” I told Mrs. Bingham that I had no authority to check her out because I was not a relative or her guardian. She died before I could go and visit her and further access the situation.

Ma Pampo, is perhaps the oldest human being in the world. She is believed to be 127 years old. Her real name is Elizabeth Israel. She celebrates her birthday on January 27 in her homeland of Dominica. Guinness Book of World Records has not conferred the title on Ma Pampo because her age has yet to be authenticated. If she is successful in getting her age authenticated she will hold the title of being the first human being to attain the age of 127.

 The oldest fully authenticated age to which anyone has lived is 122 years and 164 days, by Jeanne-Louise Calment. Ms. Calment was born in France on February 21, 1875 and died at a nursing home in Aries, southern France on August 4, 1997.

 Can you and I follow in the footsteps of these amazing people? The answer is yes. I have learned  a few of the things that these people declare caused their longevity. In a nutshell: Floss your teeth daily, have a bowel movement on a regular basis, don’t smoke, drink moderately, exercise on a regular basis, don’t get stressed out, take a multi vitamin, use peanut oil inside and out, keep your hands to yourself and your mouth shut!

Greg Griffin is a free lance writer. You can read his previous articles by logging on to www.greggriffin.com