Almond - Spinach for breakfast: how to live longer for all ages, particularly for 65 and older

SPINACH FOR BREAKFAST

How to live longer for all ages, particularly for 65
and over

Sam Almond

Copyright 2012 Sam Almond
The moral right of the author has been asserted.

Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research or private study,
or criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents
Act 1988, this publication may only be reproduced, stored or transmitted, in
any form or by any means, with the prior permission in writing of the
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ISBN 978 1780886 411

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data.
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

Matador is an imprint of Troubador Publishing Ltd

Cover photo: Sam Almond at age 86, October 2012, Total Fitness swimming pool.

I DEDICATE THIS BOOK TO MY WIFE, HAZEL, AS I WANT TO STAY
WITH HER AS LONG AS POSSIBLE AND ITS NOT JUST BECAUSE OF
HER COOKING.

HERES TO A LONG LIFE, SPENT PLEASURABLY.

Sam Almond September 2012

CONTENTS

The 16th century Italian, Luigi Cornaro, fairly young but very sick, resolved to abandon his high living and rich diet, and to pursue what he called a sober life. As a result, his health was regenerated and he lived to be around 100. Like Cornaro, Sam Almond is an octogenarian passionately determined to reach the age of 100 and more. He enjoys life and wants to go on doing so, and attributes his success so far to taking care of his lifestyle, particularly his diet. He is not a trained nutritionist, but has read and absorbed much of the nutrition literature and is keen to share his findings with the reader. In Spinach for Breakfast he sets out to summarise as simply and enthusiastically as possible his dietary recommendations based on personal experiment and experience as well as on the reports and advice of experts. Here the reader will find common sense suggestions on what to eat and drink and what to avoid, tips on healthy meals and, reflecting the books title, some delicious-sounding recipes for spinach dishes. Though the focus is on diet, other factors contributing to a long and happy life are not overlooked, including a key ingredient love.

David Weitzman

(Formerly Professor of Biochemistry, University of Bath)

Lifes ages, each with its varying eating and living habits, can, I believe, be split into four parts.

As a child and until one leaves school, eating is just one of the vital necessities, nicely provided by usually a loving parent, and happily taken as a basic need without much question. Rarely does a thought of dying arise.

Leaving school, tastes and preferences become habitual, but without, perhaps, the proper considerations of food quality and goodness. Just an odd thought is given to the possibility of death.

Then, once settled into a career path, whether it be as a bricklayer or brain surgeon, the urgency of self progress may not always include correct food intake or even exercising. A reasonable amount of thought may then be given to a longer life.

At last we retire, at say 65, and our world changes . foodwise probably more dramatically than ever before; certainly where health considerations are concerned. For it is now and forward that the moments of truths can occur. The desire for a longer, stress free and healthy life become paramount.

The body and mind wind down, and in its own way, lets you know, more than ever, that it requires to be looked after, and with proper care and control.

Your own correct life style, now hopefully with minimum unnecessary strains, with a viable exercise programme for mind and body, and possibly above all, with good eating and drinking practice, can now become a strong desire, and urgent.

As an octogenarian, I have gone through all these life phases, have experienced body and mind slow down and increasingly realise that to attain, and maintain, well being in all these later years, an input of sensible food planning and eating and controlled exercising, are absolute necessities which I now follow to the best of my ability, within, happily, very good health. I am serious and passionate about reaching at least 100, and enjoying life in getting there as I hope you will too.

The older one gets, the more valued life becomes. Each day is savoured. The need then is for the best in life and the effort to achieve it is well worthwhile. If some sacrifices of over indulgence of less than good habits are worthy of being made, they should be sensibly considered, and acted upon for ones own sake and also possibly for others.

I wrote this book with these thoughts uppermost in mind. Before starting I did not profess to have any expertise in food or dieting, or any depth of knowledge regarding health matters. The book is intended to be an amalgam and easy to refer summary of the themes, findings and rules repeated by many acknowledged experts in the fields of correct dieting and good and long living health regimes. I have adapted them and summarised them in an easy and convenient format. It is a simple abridged treatise, rather than a detailed academic view.

Although I have been as exact as possible in interpreting expert health and fitness guidelines, any information given in this book should not be used as an alternative to your doctors advice whose opinion and directives should be sought and followed always.

My readings all started as a personal reference covering sensible eating habits and lifestyle. Although having in mind, for this book, 65 year olds, and older, and geared mainly to them, there are no age restrictions on readership and probably, the earlier the better.

The many serious books I studied and researched, as well as Health Institute findings, yielded a wealth of detail, both factual and scientific. All were most worthy and took some time to fully cover and digest. With so many expert opinions, it is not surprising that principles and rulings constantly recur and therefore find their way into this book as repeated disciplines.

Just a few of the ideas and strategies I recommend are entirely my own, ones where I have experienced definite health benefits, and feel are worth passing on.

I cover a range of dos and donts, as well as required information about proteins and vitamins, carbohydrates and nutrients, foods that are good for you and those that may not be, and much more.

I started this book at age 85 and finished when 86, soon after completing two Ebooks on financial trading methods. I trade options and contracts for difference (CFDs) regularly and I am an on-going successful trader. Do see my name on Amazo for my book details (OK, its a plug).

For more detail on any specific area, I would refer you to the specialised books and other sources, which I list in chapter 17, most of which have been references for me.

When the book was completed I asked an experienced medical professional to review it for any major inaccuracies of content, and to at least, no associated pun intended, give it a clean bill of health.

So, here goes, lets progress to chapter one.

Youve been invited to the party.

Welcome, and long may it continue. It all started when you left your Mums womb, and, as you emerged, the hopes and aspirations of Mum and Dad rose with the loving wish that a happy, healthy and successful life lay ahead for you.

The party is on-going and everyone is invited. You are lucky to be here (think of all the millions of Dads spermatozoa who didnt make it), so make the most of it; indulge, enjoy and stay for as long as you can.