Bernando LaPallo, an incredible man from Arizona, USA, turned 114 on August 17, 2015, making him one of the oldest living people in the United States, and possibly the world. At this age, Bernando continues to shop for himself, cook, bathe, and shave without any assistance. He walks a mile and a half every day to the park. He has all his hair and his teeth, but he has no wrinkles.
“I eat plenty of fresh fruit and green vegetables, and I drink plenty of water. Water is very important. Exercise and sleep. Sleep is very important. Unless I am making a speech someplace, I’m generally in bed by 9:30. I get up at 3:30 or 4 in the morning, go for my walk, take my shower, rub my body down with olive oil, make my breakfast. Stress is a killer, my daddy told me that. It’s important to take time to relax and exercise your brain, such as by doing crossword puzzles. Everything I am telling you my daddy told me to do and I have followed his instructions for over a century,” he told News Watch.
Bernando especially recognizes five foods, a secret passed down to him by his father, which he believes is the key to his longevity. Garlic, which helps lower high cholesterol and high blood pressure, prevents atherosclerosis and heart diseases, and has anti-cancer properties; Honey, which is a great source of antioxidants and possesses antibacterial, antifungal, and antiseptic properties; Cinnamon, which helps lower blood sugar, treats yeast infections and inflammation, and helps with digestion; Dark Chocolate, which is full of plant-derived flavanols, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory constituents and helps prevent cardiovascular disease; and Olive oil, which is rich in monounsaturated fats, which keep both your heart and brain healthy, preventing cognitive decline and a risk of cardiovascular diseases.
“People ask me what do you do to stay so young. I say, ‘Well you've heard the old saying, you are what you eat’,” he told ABC15.
And what’s his advice to youngsters? “Keep your colon clean and your liver clean, take care of your eyes and take care of your feet. If you do that you’ll stay healthy. I have done that and continue to do that and that is why I am here today.”