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beautiful and young at age 70! three ageless examples show the value of good nutrition!


Robyn Openshaw - Mar 05, 2012 - This Post May Contain Affiliate Links


I often hear people judging the raw vegan movement, or its credibility as a lifestyle, because a particular raw vegan doesn’t look good.  In fact, it is often debilitating health conditions that started the person on the path to raw/vegan in the first place. So they may have a long way to travel out of the health/beauty morass they were in from a lifetime of eating the S.A.D.

It’s also confusing to newbies when people are overweight and say they eat raw or vegetarian. This leads me to believe they maybe aren’t practicing what they preach.  Or maybe they eat tons of nuts, seeds, fruit, and cold-pressed oils—and few of the low-calorie options that make a plant-based diet so healthful, like greens, vegetables, fruits, legumes. Greens and vegetables have to be the crux of a life-giving diet.

Or maybe they eat late at night, or they have no “off” switch. I don’t know. There’s a certain famous raw foodist who is beloved by many people, but who is extremely overweight. It’s not great role model stuff—so confusing for people—but it is possible to be overweight eating raw. Possible….but unlikely!

So don’t judge the folks who just got started last year. Take a look at these 3 women who are all about 70 years old. This first one of Annette Larkin, sent to me by my friend Ben, is ASTONISHING—check out what happens from the time you’re my age (45) till you’re 70, you eat all raw food. WOW!!!

(For a baseline of what she WOULD look like, just compare her to her husband, who has continued on the S.A.D. and looks and feels every bit of his 70+ years.)

And there’s Mimi Kirk, voted world’s sexiest vegetarian, who is over 70.

And there’s Donna Gates, author, who is about 65. She’s known for teaching about fermented, probiotic-rich foods and lots of sea vegetables are part of her diet. Long ago she was totally debilitated by candida.

I’m inspired. Are you?

Posted in: Health Concerns, Healthy Weight, Lifestyle, Whole Food

9 thoughts on “beautiful and young at age 70! three ageless examples show the value of good nutrition!”

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  1. Anonymous says:

    Can I just say to the overweight people that have lamented here about not being able to lose weight despite eating right and exercising:

    The type and quality of exercise you do is very important! 30 minutes a day of interval cardio one day and 30 minutes the next day of quality strength training (extremely important) is going to give you much faster and long term results than doing 2 hours of steady state cardio every day. Not every fitness guru knows what they are talking about. Find one that uses current research.

    Listen to Jonathan Roche’s No Excuses online radio show for more details on quality exercise. http://www.noexcusesworkouts.com/community/

    (I have no affiliation what-so-ever with Jonathan Roche – apart from loving his approach to exercise and encouragement of people living in the real world.)

  2. Those women look great — yes even Donna Gates. Although, I’m not a fan of the work she has had done to her face nor do I think it enhances her anti aging beauty. I do have to say the skin on her neck looks pretty youthful and even the sound of her voice, which tends to age as well in older folks…. It’s a good reminder to me why I choose raw organic veggies and fruits for 90% of my diet…

  3. Anonymous says:

    Robyn,

    Regarding your comment made to Debbie (“Maybe you’re trying to follow too many programs.”).

    I really respect you and admire the work you do. But it’s comments like the above that make some of us so frustrated and ready to throw in the towel. The reason we try so many programs is because none of them work for us. I followed the GSG eating plan for over a year and had no postive results on my weight (or much else). Other eating plans didn’t get me results either. So that tells me that there is either something wrong with ME or something wrong with the diet plan. Since no nutritionist or doctor (holistic or otherwise) believes you when you say you have followed a diet 100% with no luck and won’t even consider the idea that there might be something physically wrong with you to prevent you from losing weight, you are forced to try yet another eating plan out of desperation.

    It’s so easy for those who are skinny by nature to sit back and say “you must be doing something wrong if you aren’t losing weight.” That statement may be true for some people, but it’s not true for all of us.

    Thank you Heidi and Debbie for your feedback. It’s appreciated.

    1. Robyn Openshaw says:

      Jeni, I don’t think you’re necessarily doing something “wrong.” I think in your case a full blood panel workup may be in order. At least 25% of women have a thyroid problem—what your M.D. did, a simple T3 test, does not give the full picture like competent help reviewing all the different hormones and precursors—and if your thyroid isn’t working, many people cannot lose weight. Most thyroid issues are undiagnosed. Please find a BIOIDENTICAL hormone clinic though.

  4. In the video about Annette Larkin it said that her husband was almost 54, so he’s actually even younger than her, and looks so much older!

  5. This is for Anastasia, I wonder if you have had your thyroid or blood work up checked, oftentimes, stubborn weight gain can point to some imbalance in your endocrine system. Just a thought, i am not a doctor, but if you have been eating that well and still having problems, it points to getting a work up.

  6. Anonymous says:

    @ Stephanie,

    Thanks for caring enough to share that thought about thyroid.

    Yes, I’ve had my hormone levels checked a few times, and they were always within an acceptable range. What I take from my experience is that now I know what eating habits make me lethargic and gain weight, and what eating habits make me feel anxious, skinny, and in overdrive. It’s possible that how I was eating may have been disrupting my hormones to the point of causing the weight issues I’ve had. Perhaps my body is very sensitive to minute hormonal changes… I may never know for sure.

    I currently feel great and very healthy, and I’m on step 3 of the Twelve Steps to Whole Foods. Time will tell if this way of eating is a good fit for me, but so far I’m thrilled with the balance I’m noticing in my body and in my life. The difference in my quality of life is so significant that I confidently recommend GSG to anyone who seems interested.

  7. Anonymous says:

    To the gal that dissed Robyn for supposedly glorifying looks over everything else, I suggest you read all of Robyns posts from the beginning to the end of the history of this blog. Then I suggest you apologize to her for a snap judegment made on one post. I hear apologizing is full of emotional antioxidants and will make you look…*gasp!* younger and prettier. Of course, if you aren’t interested in that…but remember – just as true beauty is on the inside, so is true ugliness. Don’t be ugly on the inside, no matter how you feel about outer beauty. It will show in your eyes, anyway, so it’s not like you can really hide it…

    (Robyn was that too harsh? I promise I toned it down, if that helps…)

  8. Dear Robyn
    This is the first time I sawyour website…..very informative…..love your guests!
    I am now 72 & could not feel better. I share lots of the beliefs & health benefits like your guests. I constantly pass for 45-50. I LOVE to see the expression on people’s faces when I indulge in telling my age.
    They think I am just WIERD, or maybe lots of surgery ! The truth is, I have NEVER had any kind of face or body improvement. If given the chance I will like to give my story to you..
    I just started a website,but it only has 1 page so far. I cant find the time to finish it….I work12-15 hrs a day at a very demanding self employed job & wanting to start other businesses also…..
    I think being a WORKAHOLIC keeps me moving & therefore acitve & enthusiastic about life, laugh & love..Sonia

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