If you are one of the millions of hard working Baby Boomers who are looking for a little fun in the sun and/or adventure after leaving the workday grind behind there seems to be some more bad news. The latest life expectancy numbers now have men living only 75.6 years with women averaging out at 80.6.
These statistics are quite surprising since the number of people smoking has declined, those exposed to second hand smoke has declined, the life saving rate of emergency services has increased, the technological advances in medicine have never been more profound, and the number of prescription medications guaranteed to help us deal with many formally untreatable conditions is on the rise as well.
The retirement age for most people was around 65 but because of the current economic environment many people are having to work well in to their seventies just to be able to carve out a respectable amount of retirement assets to enjoy their golden years. One could conclude that socio economic issues have made us a society that realistically works from the cradle to the grave.
Why aren't we living longer healthier lives with all the advances in modern medicine?
Obviously the path we are on needs to be improved and improved soon before it is too late. It seem like everyday there is another story about a high profile man or woman passing away unexpectedly in their 50's and 60's.
One thread seems to the connection of early sudden death with either cancer or heart disease.
As far as cancer goes there have been amazing advancement in treatment but oftentimes it goes undiagnosed for too long leaving only a few less than appealing options to extend one's life a few months, or years, at great expense and a substantial reduction in quality of life. In fact, my pest control specialist that recently lost his wife told me if he had it to do all over again he felt sure his wife would have declined the over 50 chemotherapy and radiation sessions which destroyed her dignity and only extended her life a few months if that.
Then there is heart disease. As far as heart disease goes there are many preventative steps that can be taken to reduce ones chances of having a heart attack or stroke.
One of these, which as a society we seem to be losing the battle against is obesity, with the United States recently being named the fattest country on the globe.
As ones weight increases more pressure is put on the heart. But while this is bad enough in itself what is even worse is that the heart (a muscle) must pump 100,000 times a day to keep up with the body's demands. Because of its daunting daily workload it gradually loses half of its pumping power by the age of 80. Now if you throw in cholesterol accumulation on the interior lining of the arteries (lumen) which narrows the arteries making the heart work even harder all of the sudden we have a deadly formula which can easily end up as a heart attack, stroke, heart arrhythmia, or simply some form of heart failure.
To avoid the narrowing of the arteries most medical professionals suggest lowering cholesterol levels with the help of prescription medications such as statins, or for the more natural health minded natural cholesterol reduction supplements, along with eating a low saturated fat diet (8 percent of calorie or less) and daily doctor approved exercise.
In conclusion, if you are one of the Baby Boomers looking at the latest life expectancy numbers with concern there is no better time to than now to make a change. If you don't know where to start your doctor will be glad to help or if you already know what to do, but simply aren't doing it, you owe it to yourself, and your family, to make a change before you become another statistic.
Rob D. Hawkins is an enthusiastic consumer advocate for natural health and natural living with over 10 years experience in the field. To discover more about heart and cholesterol health along with information about safe and effective herbal and homeopathic cholesterol reduction supplements Click Here
