Whole Food, Plant-Based Diet: Secrets of 85-Year-Old YouTubers

It is hard to know whether to be more impressed by octogenarians Bob and Fran German because they regularly publish videos on their YouTube channel, or because, at 85, they remain ultra-fit and young at heart. That was not always the case. Years ago, both were diagnosed with life-changing illnesses. After returning home to the United States from a trip to China in late 1992, Fran sensed minor muscular changes but “didn’t think too much of it”. Then, one day, she woke up and could not open one eye. Fran was not convinced. She sought the opinion of a neurologist, who told her it was myasthenia gravis (MG), a rare and chronic autoimmune disorder that causes muscles to become weak and tire easily. She was told she would never recover, that her illness would shorten her life, and that she would be on medication for the rest of it. She endured years of pain and discomfort.