After years of soaring all over Asia as a flight attendant for United Airlines, Melinda Triplett may be on a quest to become the healthiest woman in California. Melinda, who retired in 1995, and her husband James celebrate life in the scenic, small town of Tiburon on the San Francisco Bay.
Melinda started flying domestically in 1960 but she left United in 1968, when she and James married. Some twenty years later, she was back on duty, this time jetting to more exotic destinations like Hong Kong, Singapore and Osaka. “But today,” she says, “I have no desire to travel anymore. It has changed so much.”
“I really enjoy walking outside in the fresh air. I live near a lovely walking/bike path that runs along the shoreline, and I like watching the ducks and seabirds as I’m walking. I walk four to six hours a week, plus I’m very conscious of what I eat. This includes lots of fruits and vegetables, salmon or chicken, but hardly any red meat. Overall, I feel pretty healthy! I love your newsletter and always look forward to reading it!” Melinda has supported AICR since 2014.
Her favorite recipes include edamame linguine, and stir-fries or casseroles that include salmon, chickpea pasta or red lentil rotini, and spinach or cauliflower. “If I feel hungry between meals, I have cherries or grapes, low-sugar yogurt topped with pumpkin seeds, or half a banana with peanut butter. I still spend 10 to 15 minutes in the morning doing yoga exercises to stay flexible.”
Melinda inspires her husband James who has prostate cancer and must endure injections of hormone therapy every three months to slow the growth of cancer cells. James also has diabetes, so he watches what he eats. “He has a great outlook,” she says, and James enjoys golf twice a week and takes long walks.
Thank you, Melinda, for sharing your story and for your generous support.