LA: When Annette Larkins goes out with her husband of 54 years, people assume she is his daughter. The image of health, vitality and youth with a petite size four frame and a line-free face, Mrs Larkins is in fact 70 years old.
The resident of Miami-Dade County, Florida, attributes her youthful looks to her raw vegan diet and grows almost everything she eats in the garden she refers to as her 'fountain of youth'.
During a visit to her home, ABC News reporters explored the back yard, every of inch of which is covered in plants and trees that grow the fruits and vegetables Mrs Larkins eats.
She told reporters: 'My diet consists of fruits, nuts, vegetables and seeds. I do a lot of sprouting of seeds and as you can see from my garden and of course, these are the raw foods that I eat.'
The sprightly septuagenarian did not always eat this way. Husband of 54 years, Amos, owned a meat factory in the 1960's and it was around this time that his wife decided to go vegetarian.
27 years ago she went one step further by turning vegan and now everything she eats is raw. Nothing cooked or processed every passes her lips.
Mrs Larkins also juices her fruits and vegetables and collects rain water to drink and to water her garden.
For his part, Mr Larkins wishes he had followed his wife's example. Looking considerably older, he also takes prescription medicine for diabetes and high blood pressure while Mrs Larkins won't even take an aspirin.
When they walk down the street together, he admitted: 'They'll ask me what am I doing with this young girl.'
Recognising how positively she could influence others, the formidable 70-year-old has already written two booklets titled: Journey to Health and produced a DVD about her nutritional regime.
'I am very vibrant, I have lots of energy, as I told you before, I am up no later than 5:30 in the morning as a rule, and I am ready to go' she told ABC.
Her husband agreed, gushing: 'She's an amazing person though. Oh man, I mean really. She does everything- build computers, make all her own clothes, grow her own food, speaks three languages. It's amazing.'
Annette Larkins, 71, with Husband Amos Larkins 54. Amos Larkins says when he walks down the street people think his wife is his daughter because she looks so young.# Source: The Daily Mail, By Victoria Wellman
