Rhodes Island’s Treasure, The Legendary Piano Man, Bernie Houle
The Legendary Piano Man Bernie Houle Shares His Secretes to Longevity
Mr. Houle celebrates his 98th birthday this year. What I find most remarkable about Mr.Houle is his attitude and his energy. At 97 Mr. Houle will be in my waiting room showing anyone who will watch how he can do sit-ups and push-ups and other calisthenic exercises most people half his age can’t do. He will preach to them how they need to eat right get up do some exercise and get their back checked at least once a month.
Mr. Houle started seeing a chiropractor after injuring his back lifting army gear while he was in the army during World War 2. Mr. Houle could hardly move but tried to power through the injury until he could not take the pain anymore. A fellow army mate suggested he see a chiropractor located just off the army base.
Mr. Houle had never heard of a chiropractor much less what they did, but he was hurting so bad he was willing to try anything. Needless to say, the chiropractic treatments helped Mr. Houle return to normal daily activities and become a believer in the power of a chiropractic adjustment.
After serving his country Mr. Houle ventured into the music business fixing and selling pianos. Mr. Houle’s mechanical aptitude and keen ear for tonal quality established him as the go-to man for fixing and selling the right piano for the biggest names in the music business that needed the right piano for the right price. To this day Mr. Houle still gets calls from recognizable names to fix or tune their piano. Fixing and tuning pianos is becoming a lost art because of the cheap throw-away pianos of today’s electronic instruments.
Mr Houle has a daily routine of getting out of bed when he wakes up and stretches and exercises for an hour. He lives in a high-rise apartment complex and will walk up 3 flights of stairs down the long hallway and down the 3 flights of stairs 6 to 8 times each day to get his cardio exercise in. He stays away from sugar products and carbohydrates focusing on fruits, plenty of vegetables, and meat. He is careful not to eat more than he needs to and takes joy in preparing and eating a healthy meal.
He is very socially active and outgoing and still drives every day. To stay mentally sharp, he plans his day to meet up with friends he has made at the apartment complex or community locations. He will often sit and play piano for the tenets in the community room or at different events keeping his memory sharp. While he does not need to go to soup kitchens or local food pantries, he has found it to be a place where he can meet and socialize with people. Mr. Houle does not believe getting old impedes life, he looks at age as an opportunity to grow in life and wisdom. He refuses to let aches or pains slow him down or encourage him to take up residence in a wheelchair or a walker. He has found that going to the chiropractor monthly or more over the past 50 years has contributed to his mobility, vitality health, and wellness.
At 98 Mr. Houle will be my oldest Chiropractic Patient and by far my most inspirational patient. We all can benefit from the example Mr. Houle sets. “ Get up, move, and don’t be afraid to work”.