Thursday, September 14, 2006

Longevity Tied to Lifestyle, Not Money and Meds

A new study, widely reported in the media, is sending a message loud and clear that modern medicine is not the reason for a longer life.  In fact, those who eat in moderation, due to lower income, are likely to live longer.  This is especially true in Northern states, where active farm lives lead to more physical activity and less weight gain.  Lower income individuals in Southern states, eating very high fat diets and living in a region of the country known for its selenium deficiency, have the shortest lifespan.

This information helps people to know that being more active over the course of a lifetime, combined with home cooked meals, is a recipe for health.  It confirms the earlier observation that Italians eating the traditional Mediterranean diet lived to be old and healthy with far fewer medicines than are available today.  Those looking for a quick-fix pill to compensate for their poor lifestyle and eating habits will find nothing but a life of sickness management and poor health.