My name is Margarita. I’m 90 years old. I don’t take pills morning or night. I don’t have diabetes or serious blood pressure problems. I get up on my own, make my own breakfast, walk every day, read without glasses, and remember what I want to remember.

Many say, “It’s luck.” Others talk about genetics. But I always answer the same thing: I learned to take care of what I put on my plate. I didn’t dedicate myself to fighting diseases; I dedicated myself to not giving them a chance.

Around me, I see people my age who live with pain, constant fatigue, interrupted sleep, and a bag full of medications. And we often justify it by saying, “It’s just age.” But what if it’s not just age? What if it’s the result of what we ate for decades?

The good news is that it’s never too late. Even after 60, 70, or 80 years old, you can improve your health. Not with extreme diets or drastic restrictions, but with simple, natural, and consistent foods.

These are the five foods that marked my second youth.

1. Aronia or black berry (chokeberry): small but mighty