A Tale of Two Men

We recently learned of the death of physical fitness expert Jack LaLanne who lived to be in his early nineties. Of course, he exercised every day of his life and ate healthy foods. In the day before our society became obsessed with fitness, we used to think he was an oddity. Today, however, we would expect no less of a long life span for Jack.

On the other hand, my father-in-law is still relatively healthy and is also in his nineties. For years his diet was fried chicken and mashed potatoes with gravy every Sunday, bacon and eggs every morning, and lots of fast food carry-outs. He also has a history of heart attacks in his family since his mother and two brothers died of the disease. He has never exercised. Who can determine the lifespan of a man (or woman)? We normally think lifestyle combined with good healthy food will lead to a long life, but he is an anomaly.

But still . . . with our desire to live forever on this earth . . . we continue to do our best to count calories, to cut portions, and to exercise. Who knows . . . perhaps it will truly help to extend our quality of life as we age.