To gain knowledge regarding lifestyle in the past, I interviewed my father regarding their lifestyle during their time concerning physical and nutritional activities when he was a student in primary school. My father was born in 1954 and grew up in a small village. He was admitted to a primary school during the 1950s. His parents were engaged in their business activities. They were very much particular regarding their garden where different types of vegetables and fruits were grown. Also, they used to keep chicken as their pet. The food consumed by my father during their time was straightforward, and his diet was relatively healthy. In breakfast, my father used to have bread toast, wheat meals and milk. Also, he used to pack sandwiches in his lunch box with cheese. He used to have tea with biscuits, pastries, jam, bread and butter during the evening time. In the summer season, he used to eat vegetable salads.
My father preferred to eat potatoes and bread. As the bread came from a bakery, therefore, my father liked to consume bread over every meal. Besides this, most of the vegetables were washed regularly and boiled for getting rid of bacteria. However, the cooking oil used for cooking food was not explicitly known, as most of the foods were cooked with animal fat and butter. Moreover, my father did not eat any other dairy food products apart from butter and yellow cheese. In short, it can be stated that these are certain food products that were consumed during the time of the 1950s. Consumption of such foods was also considered healthy during that period.
During the time of 1950’s my father used to keep chicken as a pet and the egg laid by the chicken used to be sold. However, with an increase in the chicken’s age and its incapacity of laying eggs, it would send them to poultry farming. Mostly during those days, old chicken used to be boiled. However, every Sunday, my father and his family members preferred to consume meat. After consuming the meat in the lunch and the dinner, the meat that was left over was used to make meat sandwiches. In this way, they used to consume meat regularly.
Concerning the consumption of fruits and vegetables, my father used to consume all kinds of veggies and fruits. According to my father’s belief, consuming fruits and vegetables is essential for maintaining adequate and useful health. Out of the fruits, my father used to consume more apples and oranges. However, seasonal fruits such as strawberries and oranges were consumed less. My father also used to make mix fruit jam and used to eat it in the morning breakfast by applying it in bread.
My father prefers to perform daily physical activities concerning physical activities so that the food consumed can easily be digested. Also conducting physical activities regularly helps maintain the healthy balance between mental and physical functions and secures from chronicle diseases’ impact on keeping the older adults independent and mobile. Besides this, the older people’s sedentary physical lifestyle predominates older people’s outcome in premature onset of diseases, ill health, and frailty. Starting from the tender to the present age, my father prefers to do an early morning walk. During that time, my father used to prefer to engage himself in outdoor playing activities such as cricket, football and badminton. Moreover, when my father was just 10 years old, my grandfather bought a new cycle for my father and every morning and evening, my father used to do cycling and enjoy the ride.
In conducting household activities, my father also used to manage a few activities such as: washing his clothes, preparing breakfast and cleaning utensils. In short, I understood that my father was an all-rounder person. Such quality assisted him to face every challenging situation that came in his life. My father also used to play with his brothers and sisters at home and in the playground such as: hide and seek game, play-ball game and roller-skate games.
Finally, he stated that he was brought up and grown in a comfortable household where there was the availability of fruits and vegetables. In addition to this, butter and animal fat consumption also helped keep his body fit and free from diseases. Besides this, his early morning walking habit also kept him fit and healthy.
