Mildred Charles celebrated her 102nd birthday on Saturday, and attributed her longevity to her strong faith in God and a diet rich in "blue food" (ground provisions). Louise Robinson, 67, one of Mildred's three children, said her mother does not suffer from diabetes, hypertension, cataracts or any of the diseases that come along with the onset of old age.
Robinson said her mother is a little hard of hearing and has a mild case of arthritis but had not fully retired to the rocking chair and is capable of moving around and doing things for herself. She said her mother is a strong advocate of eating fish and ground provisions such as yam, dasheen and cassava, and foods rich in complex carbohydrates, which are said to stem the onset of Type 2 diabetes. Robinson said her mother was not a fan of foods cooked with white flour.
Charles is a devout Christian and a member of the Pentecostal Church. She has 21 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren. The Charles family recently held a thanksgiving service at their Jerningham Junction, Cunupia, home in central Trinidad for their matriarch.
