Grandma Maria: Grandma Maria at her 93 Hawaiian themed birthday party!My grandmother is the core of the Grullon family. Her sense of humor and patience keeps the family together and gives us strength. And at 95 she is the healthiest person I know.

In fact, she's famous in the family for getting rid of my father's kidney stones using natural remedies. My father complained of pain, and knew it was kidney stones which he'd had before. But his doctors could not see the stones through the x-rays. My grandmother suggested he take olive oil with salt or blended chayote which eliminates the stones through the digestive system. In a couple of hours my father had the stones in a cup on the way to his doctor to prove him they were there all along.

My grandmother learned many of her remedies during her childhood. A single mother in the 1950s, she had 12 children, everyone out of the hospital. Now whenever someone is feeling ill, Grandma Maria is one call away. Here she shares all her secrets for living long and enjoying time with her family:

Stay Out of the Hospital

"I gave birth to my 12 kids at home. No doctor, no nothing. And they were all healthy babies."

Fight Common Illness with Plants

"I had lots of trees that were made available to me. Whenever one of the boys caught a cold from playing in the rain I would boil a green leaf and make green leaf tea. It was the only thing I could do."

Treat Cuts and Bruises Naturally

"Something that everyone knows about is the salt and lemon cure for any kind of cut or bruise." (For a deep cut, burns or bruises you apply some salt on a piece of lemon and press it to the area. The stinging sensation is the worst part.)

Use Common Sense When Eating

"I eat when I'm hungry. I do not believe that if I eat a certain thing I will gain weight. That if I eat after 7pm and go to sleep it's bad for me. I control my body with my mind. If I think I'm eating this and it's bad for me of course I'm going to feel sick." (Grandma's diet consists of lots of coffee, baked sweet potato, fish, beans and vegetables. Once in a while she might ask for some pizza or Chinese chicken wings only to switch her routine up a bit.)

Be Sure to Move

"I like to walk, even if I can only get up one flight of stairs. I wish I could do more, but it's the most I can do. The important thing is that I am not lying in bed all day or just sitting watching television, one has to move!"

The older Grandma Maria gets the happier she is. "I make efforts because I want to see my family grow, the family gets bigger and bigger so I do not want to leave now" she says. Grandma Maria turns 96 this June, and she looks forward to her yearly barbeque with her children and grandchildren and a big game of bingo to celebrate her birthday. The two things that keep her strong, good food and family time!