Hearty Grub

[CelticBhoy]

Looking at all the folks up here in Isaan, I can't help wondering how

healthy this diet of there's is. There's not too many fit looking old

codgers going around, are there? And they must be living off the land

for most of their grub.

There are lots of healthier looking OAP's in the West who have probably

eaten a much less veggie-filled diet.

I know they put in a lot of work under the sun, and all that, but you

don't see many particularly spritely old seniors around here.

[hansnl]

More healthy looking OAP's in the west?

Well, you say it yourself, hard work under the sun.

It is not only vegetables that make someone healthy.

Way of life, start work early, long days, smoking, drinking the local catgut.

Living conditions, number of childs.

And also, less healthcare

Edited September 12, 2011 by hansnl

[MeMock]

Two words. Lao Khao.

[kunash]

I never feel very spritely, in 35C heat, and im not even an old codger yet

[zzaa09]

More healthy looking OAP's in the west?

Well, you say it yourself, hard work under the sun.

It is not only vegetables that make someone healthy.

Way of life, start work early, long days, smoking, drinking the local catgut.

Living conditions, number of childs.

And also, less healthcare

All this has changed in one generation.

[Lickey]

Yes, i suppose thats the normal suspect, Loa Khal, my mrs often says so & so has died today, had liver problem, i automatically think loa khal, but its not the whole case, yes, alcohol is a major contributor and so is raw fermented freshwater fish, the following site explains, another site suggests that raw fish should be fermented for a min of 6 months before they are safe to eat.

I would think we all know that liver problems cause lethargy,aches and pains yellowing skin,eye probs ect, perhaps these older people have the onset of liver problems?

http://www.thaiwebsites.com/livercancer.asp

[CelticBhoy]

I reckon they all need a good old fry up.

This 'healthy living' <deleted> that veggies

and vegans babble on about ain't working

for the oldies up here. And as for raw fish . .

. . . well you can stick that where the sun

don't shine!

[puchooay]

Where I live there are many people 60s and 70s working in the fields. They may not look too good some of the time, because of long days and working conditions, but they are as strong as an ox.

My wife's grand mother(85) still walks to the village shop to get the sack of charcoal she needs and walks back with it over her shoulders.

What could be better than living of the land? No additives, no GM <deleted>, no frozen food. Everything fresh.

Sorry. Disagree with the OP.

[barrybankruad]

There are plenty of fit old codgers in my village. people in their seventies still working the land, and when that gets a bit beyond them you will see them wandering about the village leading their cows or buffalo about. You should see them on the monthly old age pension day, having a great ti,e gossiping as they await their 500baht.

[Thaddeus]

Way of life, start work early, long days, smoking, drinking the local catgut.

Sorry but that made me smile, I think you mean rot gut my friend.

I don't think many of the over 70s here are up for a game of tennis.

[zzaa09]

Where I live there are many people 60s and 70s working in the fields. They may not look too good some of the time, because of long days and working conditions, but they are as strong as an ox.

My wife's grand mother(85) still walks to the village shop to get the sack of charcoal she needs and walks back with it over her shoulders.

What could be better than living of the land? No additives, no GM <deleted>, no frozen food. Everything fresh.

....and the general well being of self-sufficiency.

[fatfather]

Where I live there are many people 60s and 70s working in the fields. They may not look too good some of the time, because of long days and working conditions, but they are as strong as an ox.

My wife's grand mother(85) still walks to the village shop to get the sack of charcoal she needs and walks back with it over her shoulders.

What could be better than living of the land? No additives, no GM <deleted>, no frozen food. Everything fresh.

Sorry. Disagree with the OP.

...except loads of pom shulotte in each meal, even in som tam....

fatfather

[zzaa09]

Wonder what would become of these good elders if the conceived thought of retirement came upon them? They would probably wither quicker.

An immediate example: my in-laws, 63 and 59 respectively. You'd never know it by looking at them - both fit as fiddles, been working the land since their youths and continue their traditional hardy country cuisine. As we own some 200 + rai, now completely in my wife's name [eldest], they could have set aside their lives a few years back and continue to be well looked after by the immediate and extended family - yet they choose to live a daily working life, less than years ago of course.....either one of them wouldn't know what to do with themselves if this cherished ideal of an institutional retirement setting were to bestow them.

Their diet continues to be the one that they have enjoyed their whole lives - old school Khmer.

From my long years of exposure, I have found them to be the reflective norm as it pertains to older folks within the countryside life. Healthy and always full of life.....countering the perceived stereotype of elder country-folk and how they're supposed to be.

Edited September 13, 2011 by zzaa09

[Thaddeus]

Where I live there are many people 60s and 70s working in the fields. They may not look too good some of the time, because of long days and working conditions, but they are as strong as an ox.

My wife's grand mother(85) still walks to the village shop to get the sack of charcoal she needs and walks back with it over her shoulders.

What could be better than living of the land? No additives, no GM <deleted>, no frozen food. Everything fresh.

Sorry. Disagree with the OP.

...except loads of pom shulotte in each meal, even in som tam....

fatfather

And don't point to the bags of pesticide stacked against the side of the house, wouldn't want to spoil the illusion.

[zzaa09]

Where I live there are many people 60s and 70s working in the fields. They may not look too good some of the time, because of long days and working conditions, but they are as strong as an ox.

My wife's grand mother(85) still walks to the village shop to get the sack of charcoal she needs and walks back with it over her shoulders.

What could be better than living of the land? No additives, no GM <deleted>, no frozen food. Everything fresh.

Sorry. Disagree with the OP.

...except loads of pom shulotte in each meal, even in som tam....

fatfather

And don't point to the bags of pesticide stacked against the side of the house, wouldn't want to spoil the illusion.

Not all are into pesticides.

[jamescollister]

Where I am they seem to die young, or live forever. Wife's Grand dad came around a month or so ago and said he is tired and is thinking of dieing now. He's 89 years old and we have been taking him to the sacred Buddha places. When he is ready he will go. I would like to say the same thing. Jim

[Thaddeus]

Where I live there are many people 60s and 70s working in the fields. They may not look too good some of the time, because of long days and working conditions, but they are as strong as an ox.

My wife's grand mother(85) still walks to the village shop to get the sack of charcoal she needs and walks back with it over her shoulders.

What could be better than living of the land? No additives, no GM <deleted>, no frozen food. Everything fresh.

Sorry. Disagree with the OP.

...except loads of pom shulotte in each meal, even in som tam....

fatfather

And don't point to the bags of pesticide stacked against the side of the house, wouldn't want to spoil the illusion.

Not all are into pesticides.

Your defence of everything Thai, as usual is admirable, however many of the farm supply stores, who are also Thai, may disagree with you just a little....... btw way, I didn't say all.

[Banzai99]

My wifes great grandmother is 110 and still works 25 hours a day, 8 days a week on the farm for 200 baht per year.

Can't see many Farangs doing that.

[Thaddeus]

My wifes great grandmother is 110 and still works 25 hours a day, 8 days a week on the farm for 200 baht per year.

Can't see many Farangs doing that.

And you tell the kids of today that, and they won't believe you.

[mca]

either one of them wouldn't know what to do with themselves if this cherished ideal of an institutional retirement setting were to bestow them.

What you talkin' 'bout Willis?

[zzaa09]

My wifes great grandmother is 110 and still works 25 hours a day, 8 days a week on the farm for 200 baht per year.

Can't see many Farangs doing that.

And you tell the kids of today that, and they won't believe you.

Would be difficult to keep their attention for more than five minutes, as many are plugged in.

[CelticBhoy]

My wifes great grandmother is 110 and still works 25 hours a day, 8 days a week on the farm for 200 baht per year.

Can't see many Farangs doing that.

A deep-fried pizza on it's way to her!

[sezze]

Reasons for it are plenty .

Hard work , poor hygiene , Lao Khao , no medical intervention b4 it is very late , no variaty of food ( yes they do eat some veggies but when i'm "home" i do eat a lot more various veggies and more of it , many times in Isaan it is som tam , tamagung or other things which are the same , on many other times it is just chicken with rice or fish with rice , no veggies to be seen at all ) , burning plastic and rubber , irresposible care with modern chemicals , very moist climate in some times of the year ( as bringin in diseases ) . .... etc etc .

People in general are stronger then in the western world , due to all of this but they do age quicker also due to this . Compare it with a car . A Toyota Vios with full service book and driving carefully will probably last longer then a non taken care for truck . While the truck could and should hold longer , it doesnt due to hard life , and lack of maintenance .

[bina]

i think sezze says it best: the vilage folks eat what they have around them at the time; feast and famine... hubby's eating habits seem to reflect that also. recently a wild boar was (legally culled) shot and we have been eating wild boar for breakfast lunch and dinner feet head skin parts wahtever. the vegggies are either what i buy, or what he finds in the fields (every israeli moshav has thais so there are thai trees and veggies plus whatever else has been tried and found edible)... he tries not to buy fruit and veggies. i do or we would die of malnutrition. rice and meat with basil/coriander/peppers.

the other main dietary issue is TEETH. thais do not take good care of teeth and they eat bones, gristle open bottles with their teeth, etc... hubby's paretns are missing most teeth and as the dentist here said after doing a four month 'catch up ' on hubby's teeth (or what remains of them) is that his teeth are like the beduins and arab fallaheen from 40 yrs ago (the poor ones, not the rich ones like the dentist and his family). w/o teeth, the facial bones degenerate, sink, adding to other problems. just the problems arent identified.

w/o teeth, food is not chewed properly, not digested properly, and therefore malnutrition... things that are easyt o eat are not varied so much white rice is eaten adn thats that.

calcium is an other prpblem. village thais boil bones and such in soups but w/o teeth, bones cant be crunched, so calcium levels drop. and no one gives thought to the home births and miscarriages that most elderly village women went throu gh from age 15-16 on up; home births, etc. since then, dietary intake has changed: the amount of junk the families consume has increased regardles s of financial status.. just more easily obtained.

i live on kibbutz where elderly are very well taken care of , including those that went thru wars, famines, imprisonment etc; and then came to work the land, most are still working a few hours a day and would die if they didnt work. howver they are all sufferring also from dietary and dental problems that have caught up to them.

because old thais dont tend to go to doctors, there's no knowing how many actually suffer from old people diseases, although ive heard that diabetes is quite commong (glutinous rice being a culprit) also... for every elderly thai moving around the village, there are many more who are laying on mattresses in back rooms being taken care of by grandkids and daughters, until they die... sometimes w/o no interceding care.

liver flukes/bilharzia/parasites/alcohol.. all contribute also to the 'liver problems' that they always talk about... the adage more is better for pesticides/fertilizers, and the habit of recycling old containers of chemicals for water jugs (something that the workers do if the employers dont put holes in the jerrycans) means exposure to toxic chemicals and the cancers taht come with that; but a large majority of poor village thais and mostly the old folks wont go for cancer treatments so they survive until they die of cancer as opposed to dying from the cancer treatments; but also die w/o palliative care of any sort.

my parents are 75 and spry, travelling etc. ; kibbutz elderly also are travellers, and healthy participating members of community. thai elders for the most part are tired out, unhealthy, teethless, by about 60 (for those that know wehn they were born).

ive heard many of the thai men here refusing to go to doctors , saying they prefer not to find out if theya re sick or not, just to live until they die (rather like my ornery ex father inlaw, died while tying the laces of his work shoes, disregarding any doctors' advice and treatments, here in israel with socialized medicine.)ignorance is bliss and long life.

im sure sheryl as a field nurse in asia, would know more statistics and the realities of elderly care in villages; not as romantic as some think for sure.

bina

israel