Sanaa Lathan celebrates her 53rd birthday Sept. 19. The starlet is fine as ever–as she gracefully represents the beauty and elegance of this Auntie Era. The Best Man actress got it honestly; as it is said, the pear doesn’t fall far from the tree. Lathan recently shared an Instagram video where she asks her mother Eleanor McCoy to share healthy tips for aging.
Lathan’s mom, a 76-years-old and who is hella pretty with no makeup, offered aging aunties some sage advice on what foods to avoid and suggested that having a healthy discernment for overindulgence is key aging in a healthy way. McCoy cuts to the chase and wastes no time telling us to watch what we eat.
“You know, you have to have an awareness when you’re young about what you’re eating,” Sanaa’s mom said.
“Anything with chemicals … a lot of chemicals, read the labels in the supermarkets.”
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McCoy went on to say, “You can look up anything with a long name that you cannot pronounce, I would say stay away. Just look on the label and stay away from that.”
“If you can’t pronounce it ain’t good for the body. That’s it.”
Mama McCoy is probably talking about all the additives and preservatives found in foods today like Monosodium glutamate (MSG) which enhances flavor but ise potentially unsafe and may cause harm to healthy cells. The additive is associated with toxic effects that include “obesity, disruptions in adipose tissue physiology, hepatic damage, CRS and reproductive malfunctions,” according to the National Library of Medicine.
Self-control and discipline matter in the grand scheme of things particularly when food tastes food.
“[Knowing] there’s a difference between what is an addiction, where you’re eating and drinking things that are not healthy for you and what is going to be healthy,” McCoy said.
“And be strong enough in your willpower to make the right decision.”
Like her daughter, McCoy was an actress. She occasionally graced the small screen in TV series Eight is Enough and Hill Street Blues, and played the role of Poppy, an Emerald City citizen, in The Wiz. The actress was married to Stan Lathan from 1970-1977 and birthed Sanaa in 1971. At the age of 76, McCoy appears to be spry and healthy. Aunties can certainly stand to learn a bit from this beauty.
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