I would venture to state that Goans in days gone by lived long due to
hard work, a sedentary lifestyle and with less stress than the modern Goan
goes through. Researchers will find it hard to guess to what extent the
average Goan would have lived if he had avoided use of this nut. I would
venture to also state that eating fatty food, pork and cocoanut oil is not
the only factor that kills a man by elevating his cholesterol levels. There
is a genetic factor involved in causing clogging of the arteries. The Innuit
and many Europeans eat very fatty food but I have always noticed that they
'eat like pigs and work like dogs". The Innuit's diet is not reccomended for
a Goan. Italians eat a disproportionate amount of pork and pork products
like sausage meat. Furthermore
The diet of a Goan till the advent of the refridgerator was mainly fish
and vegetables. Yes cocoanut oil was used to 'bagaar' his vetables and fry
his fish but most Goans did not deep fry their food as is done today. Indians
in North America have the highest rate of death through cardiac arrest. I
would attribute this to stress and a sedentary lifestyle. Indian expatriates
go through a lot of stress trying to cope with the lifestyle in North
America. I would guess that stress is more responsible than diet for deaths
due to heart failure. I feel that the Goan should avoid consuming meat and
meat products and consume more vegetables, fish and fruit. And above all do
not forget to detach oneself from the Television and the Computer in favour
of some exercise. Life span also depends on genetic disposition. I have known
families where members have lived to see their nineties and over.
My mind goes to a French woman I met this summer in Paris who had invited
me to lunch. Mme. Bruyere was ninety and met me at the dorrstep with a lit
cigarette in her hand. She drank an appertif with me and repeated this and
when we ate at the bistro where she is treated with deep respect due to her
age and the fact that her husband who died at 102 was awarded the Legion
d'Honour (the French counterpart of the Victoria Cross) which I saw framed in
her bedroom. We can learn much from the Japanese. I live near a Japanese who
some years ago informed me that he was 85 years old and on one occasion
informed me that he had to return to his home to look after his father. This
surprised me as I never expected a man of 85 still having a father alive. His
father was 105. He is deceased now. I have learnt much through such
experiences. Probably Mme. Bruyere will live longer of she refrained from
smoking 'fragrant weed' but she could take my advice and get run over by the
automobile.
Let us not villify the cocoanut that saved Monsieur Papillon when he
was confined in French Guyana to a prison cell for life from where hardly
anyone escaped (just like San Quentin that one can see from San Francisco
Bay) but Papillon did swim to liberty and write his famous Tome. Long live
the cocoanut that has served my people in prayer and as part of his diet. I
will continue to use cocoanut in moderation and wisely too.
Edgar Martins
The writer does not sell cocoanut oil products and is not a journalist who
quotes from other sources.
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