How I stay young in my 90s | Eileen Greene | TEDxPacific Avenue

Quick Overview

Eileen Greene maintains her vitality in her 90s by strictly adhering to four secrets: playing ping pong/staying active, watching what she eats (avoiding processed foods, sugar, dairy, and red meat), being positive and grateful, and being a proud elder who pays wisdom forward.

Key Points: Eileen Greene attributes her ability to live well into her 90s to four specific secrets: staying active via ping pong, strict dietary control, maintaining a positive and grateful mindset, and sharing wisdom. Her physical activity includes playing ping pong, where she demonstrated hitting a shot like a 26-year-old, and playing mini-basketball indoors. Her diet is highly restricted, avoiding processed foods, sugar, desserts, soda, red meat for decades, dairy (replacing it with oat/almond/hemp milk and coconut yogurt), and only eating organic fruits and vegetables like peppers, zucchini, and tomatoes. She emphasizes the critical importance of a positive mindset and gratitude, which she practices daily to stay energetic. Greene mentions that her advocacy for seniors playing ping pong led to an invitation to the Los Angeles premiere of the Oscar-nominated film about ping pong, "Marty Supreme". She shares a childhood photo from 1929, noting that during that era, many people, including her father, did not have access to modern conveniences like TV or phones. She currently has six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, and she continues to coach clients in hypnotherapy and psychology.

Context: This TEDx talk features Eileen Greene sharing the principles she follows to maintain an active and fulfilling life well into her 90s. The presentation blends personal anecdotes about her life, including her past as a high school pitcher, her childhood before modern technology, and her dedication to health and wellness, with tangible advice for the audience, particularly focusing on diet and mindset.

Detailed Analysis

Eileen Greene outlines four secrets to staying young and vital, even into her 90s. The first secret is to 'Play Ping Pong/Stay Active' (00:57:00), demonstrated by clips of her playing ping pong and mini-basketball (2:01:00-2:08:00). The second secret is to 'Watch What You Eat' (04:11:00). She details a highly restrictive, plant-heavy diet, noting she avoids processed foods, sugar, desserts, soda, and red meat (04:40:00-04:57:00). She substitutes dairy with coconut yogurt and various nut milks (05:17:00-05:32:00) and prioritizes organic vegetables (celery, broccoli, zucchini, carrots) and fruits (apples, lemons, oranges, kiwi, avocado) (05:44:00-06:25:00). The third secret is to 'Be Positive and Grateful' (08:19:00), emphasizing that gratitude provides joy and energy, making her feel younger (08:41:00-08:46:00). The final secret is to 'Be A Proud Elder/Pay It Forward' (09:57:00), urging older generations to share their wisdom gained from decades of experience (11:37:00-11:46:00). She also shares personal milestones, such as marrying her husband in 1947 after 6.5 years together (10:57:00) and her advocacy work leading to an invitation to the premiere of the Oscar-nominated film "Marty Supreme" (15:43:00). Greene concludes by emphasizing that while life's challenges are tough, wisdom and gratitude are invaluable.