These two Malaysian centenarian sisters aged 115 and 111 – who have over 60 grandchildren between them – claim the secret to their longevity is fasting for three months of the year.
Munah Yunus, 115, and sister Pah Yunus, 111, who live with their children in Kampung Rengas in Malaysia, claim the reason they have lived so long is that spend three months of the year fasting.
Pah, mother of five and grandmother of 16, told the news site Bernama: “The secret is that we fast, which we have been doing since we were young and are still doing.”
The 111-year-old added: “My sister and I always fast for three consecutive months, which is from the month of Rejab, through Syaaban, and then Ramadan. We also fast on Mondays and Thursdays.”
Both sisters have lost their husbands and despite their good health, they say that they are starting to slow down after they started suffering from ailments after turning 100.
Pah said: “It was separate incidents, but both of us suffered back injuries and after some time it affected our movement. Our legs became weak and we can no longer walk properly.”
Pah said her sister is now struggling to keep up with the fasting tradition and recently only started fasting for Ramadan only.
She added: “Munah tires easily, but during Ramadan she will fast. So far, I have no problem fasting, and health-wise I only have high blood pressure and Parkinson’s disease.”
Pah’s son, 63-year-old Mohd Ramli Ismail, told Bernama that along with fasting, his mother also takes good care of her diet and often eats healthy food such as ulam.
‘Ulam’, otherwise known as Malaysian salad, is the collective name for indigenous wild leaves, herbs, shoots, nuts and flowers that are eaten raw or lightly blanched.
The two elderly sisters hit the headlines in July when they received their COVID-19 jabs.
Neither centenarian suffered any severe side effects, but Munah did have a fever for a couple of days.
Munah’s daughter, 64-year-old Siti Mariam Taib, said her mother was very determined to get the vaccine and she was particularly happy to get it the same time as her younger sister.
Siti added: “I’m thankful that my mum is blessed with good health, and despite being more than a century old, she is able to watch her 15 grandchildren and 35 great-grandchildren grow up.”
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Story By: Peter Barker, Sub-Editor: James King, Agency: Newsflash
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