#health #live #life #longevity #antiaging #happiness #food #nutrition
“Take a group of 5 Americans randomly; 4 will be overweight, 2 of them will be obese, and 1 will be healthy weight”–Paul Ebeling
The Big Q: What does the average life expectancy say about each individual’s potentiality for longevity and quality of life?
The Big A: The average American is overweight. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 75% of the U.S. population is overweight, 42.4% in the U.S. are obese. Take a group of five Americans randomly…four will be overweight, two of them will actually be obese, and only one will be “healthy weight.” Now overweight has some wiggle room; I mean, a body mass index (BMI) of 25 is still considered overweight. Therefore, a 6’0” man at 185 lbs. has a BMI of 25.1. A BMI between 18.5 – 24.9 is a healthy weight, so I would not consider a BMI of 25 problematic. Nonetheless, as you start to push the BMI toward 28-29 (6’0” 210 lbs.), you are just a few pounds short of obesity (BMI 30).
If the average American is overweight, and almost 50% the population obese, then any individual who is not overweight or obese has a pretty good chance of living into his or her 80s. And their quality of life will be greatly enhanced. As, overweight and obese are at higher risk for Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cancer, and death from Covid. In fact, being overweight or obese greatly increases your risk of death overall.
The Top 5 causes of death worldwide are: high blood pressure, tobacco use, high blood glucose, physical inactivity, and overweight and obesity. You should never stop working at weight management, no matter how many times you slip. Get back up and try again if you do – it is most certainly worth the work.
And there are Rx drugs: 131-M Americans take at least 1 Rx medication. In a country with 329.5-M people, that’s 40% of the population which is medicated. In fact, the US is the greatest consumer of drugs around the world. That means that either the US is the sickest nation in the world (might be if looked at clearly: U.S. obesity statistics are alarming) or the big business of pharmaceuticals, replete with its white-coat pushers, has found the ultimate market in America.
The US population is roughly 20% children. So pulling children off the total US population number, it means more than half of American adults take at least 1 prescription medication regularly. Here is the kicker: of these people, the average number of medications taken is 4! You must never forget that all medications come with side-effects. The longer a person takes a medication (lifestyle drugs) the greater the chance of having his or her physiology affected. Because medications affect the body, there no escaping it. The less you take, the less disruption to your physiology. If you, like me, take Zero Rx meds, then you will have the least amount of medication-disrupted physiology and the highest probability of longevity.
According to the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics, 165-M Americans aged 12 yrs or older currently abuse drugs – that is 60% of the population (Minus kids under 12).
Alcohol consumption is the highest at 139.8-M Americans 12 and over (51%). Next is tobacco at 58.8-M people (20%).
Finally are the illicit drugs (coke, methamphetamine, heroin, and so on) – 31.9-M Americans use them (12%).
Need I go over all the damage caused by drugs and alcohol neurologically, organically, psychologically and in mal-quality of life to chronic users?
Shayne and I are rare drinkers at most, putting us at almost Zero risk to health and longevity. And if you are a total abstainer, then your potentiality of living a long, healthful life is high.
The average life expectancy of an American male is 78.6 anni, higher for a female at 78.8 anni. Just remember that the average American is also overweight/obese, takes 1-4 Rx drugs, and abuses drugs and alcohol.
These are real facts. If very few of these apply to you or even none! then you will most likely, in the absence of accident or violence live long into your 80s, 90s, and for some, even 100s.
Have a happy, prosperous day, Keep the Faith!
