Why are Americans Not Living as Long Anymore?

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   My Esotericposted 5 years ago

   A recent study is showing the decline in average age is still declining.  The study blames: drug overdoses, suicides, alcohol-related illnesses and obesity.
   
   It is also note-worthy that:
   
   The five states with the highest death rates overall were:
   Alabama*
   Kentucky
   Mississippi*
   Oklahoma*
   West Virginia
   * Medicaid not expanded
   
   The five states with the lowest death rates were:
   California
   Connecticut
   Hawaii
   Minnesota
   New York
   
   Thoughts

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   1. 76

      wildernessposted 5 years agoin reply to this

      I think the short list you provided would be at the very top of one that is longer.  Poor diet, for instance, almost certainly contributes, as does the stress level of modern life.
      
      I'd also add that insinuating the cause is lack of expanded medicaid is foolish; medicaid does not prevent suicides, alcohol related illnesses or obesity.  Not even drug OD's or poor diet.

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         My Esotericposted 5 years agoin reply to this

         Medicaid is a factor in over all health.  More importantly, why are Red states at the bottom of the longevity list and Blue states at the top.  What is it about their respective lifestyles or access to healthcare that makes the difference.
         
         I'll add your poor diet to the rest and ask the question - "What is it about the environment in those respective states that drive different rates of poor diet, obesity, drug overdoses, suicides (which has a strong gun related component), and alcohol use?"

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            wildernessposted 5 years agoin reply to this

            Poor family structure?  Excessive meat consumption?  Violence, in home and out?  Poverty?  Excessive alcohol consumption?  Poor sanitation?  Lack of exercise resulting in obesity?  Poor quality water?
            
            You asked - there are 9 possibilities, and not a one can be "cured" by expansion of medicaid.  I repeat: there is no reason to insinuate that expanding medicaid will help any of the causes of falling life spans.  Given that you specified falling average age rather than falling life span, one can even include high birth rates lowering child deaths, or an increase in illegal aliens (which are typically on the young side).  Even legal immigration, as I doubt that they average age is as high as the country wide average.

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            1. 85

               My Esotericposted 5 years agoin reply to this

               I need to go an tangent here.  You used the term "cure" - why?  Why not use the term "help" instead?
               
               I equate declining average age with falling life spans, although the latter is probably more correct.

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                  wildernessposted 5 years agoin reply to this

                  Cure, help - I used the term as meaning both.  Medicaid will not reduce the number of alcoholics out there, and can thus not help the problem and neither will it stop drug use.
                  
                  I, too, read it as falling life spans but re-reading your post it doesn't really say that - it says the population is getting younger.  This is in contradiction with the increasing numbers (comparatively speaking) of elderly, which has to mean that that trend is dying, and replaced with larger numbers of young people.  As far as I've heard, life spans are actually increasing...once one has reached, say, 50 or 60 years old.  Certainly the SS figures indicate that, so that, too, supports increasing numbers of young.  Or, as you indicate, middle aged people are dying off too quickly, which fits with drug OD's, violence, etc.  Not too many 80 year old people die of either one - it is the middle aged that do, for the most part. 
                  
                  (Did you see the news report on the 80 year old woman that beat an intruder into submission until the cops came?  Beat him with a table, then table legs, then dumped shampoo (I think) over him and proceeded to beat him with a broom, repeatedly jabbing him with it as he lay on the floor and tried to take it away from her).

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      2. 93

         MizBejabbersposted 5 years agoin reply to this

         I was about to post an answer pointing out that the survey seemed to have left out the effects of stress and poor diet, but then I saw that you had covered it. I have to agree with you on this one.

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            wildernessposted 5 years agoin reply to this

            In particular, stress play a large part I think.  Diets are certainly not the best, but I don't see that playing as large a part as the high stress levels we subject ourselves to.  Could easily be wrong, though.

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      emgeposted 5 years agoin reply to this

      This, to my mind, is a complex issue. However, from the data, I see it's a marginal change and I have another reason for it. In my sojourns in the States I have observed very few Americans indulging in meaningful spiritual exercises.  Maybe be if a vast number took up yoga it will improve the mental well being and that will affect longevity. Just a thought and no offense meant.

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      1. 75

         Castlepalomaposted 5 years agoin reply to this

         Why yoga, they get their deep breathing from Hollywood action movies and porn.

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            wildernessposted 5 years agoin reply to this

            LOL  Yoga began approx. 1500 BCE.  Don't think Hollywood was around then.

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      2. 85

         My Esotericposted 5 years agoin reply to this

         Yes, it is a marginal change, but declining three years in a row.  Could yoga help?  I seriously think so.  Could living in green areas help, studies are now proving that to be true as well.  Could reducing the intake of potato chips (my down fall), ice cream, candy, whole milk, and the like help? Most likely.
         
         Probably the thing that would help the most (besides stop drinking (which I did), stop smoking (which I did), stop the drug use would be increase exercise (which for some very stupid reason I refuse to do).  I think if a lot of people did those things, the rate of suicide would fall. (Also, having all states enact gun laws like CA, NY, and CT have would reduce suicides as well).

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         MizBejabbersposted 5 years agoin reply to this

         Point well taken.

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2. 75

   Castlepalomaposted 5 years ago

   Add to your list Heart disease
   Cancer, Chronic lower respiratory diseases:
   Accidents, Stroke, Alzheimer's disease: Stress Diabetes:Influenza and pneumonia:
   Most related to our foods, water, air and lack of excerize.
   
   I agree a shorter life expectancy, most are brainwash to disagree.

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   1. 85

      My Esotericposted 5 years agoin reply to this

      I just reported what the study says looms larger than others.  If you want to keep adding to the list, then gun deaths are also a factor, just not as large as others.

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3. 66

   psycheskinnerposted 5 years ago

   Medical care should actually prevent all of those things to some extent.  Both preventatively and in 3/4 cases by treating the sequelae.

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      Castlepalomaposted 5 years agoin reply to this

      The medical profession is the leading cause of death in the world.
      
      My studies come from my 2nd home town called Santa Famalia, Belize. Average life expectancy is age 92. At age 80 their bodies are like the bodies of a 50 year old here in North America. It because they drink natural spring river water and natural foods. That is why I am a urban farmer and build natural tiny houses and use pot for medicine..

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4. 65

   MARS30Siddiquiposted 5 years ago

   In the decline of life expectancy there is also a major role of progressively weak immune systems which are leading towards vulnerability to more diseases and the increasing rate of spread of many congenital diseases.
              Large number of people every die due to respiratory tract disorders which usually runs in families and are amoungst genetically transferred diseases. If one or both the parents have these it is very likely for the childto also have the disease thus diminishes the chances of long survival of the individual

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      My Esotericposted 5 years agoin reply to this

      What is it, do you suppose, is leading to an increase in weak immune systems relative to say 20 years ago?

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         wildernessposted 5 years agoin reply to this

         That's something I wonder about - specifically the "why" of what seems to be a large increase in allergies, which could indicate immune system problems of some kind.  Is it the proliferation of chemicals in our lives - we live in a chemical age as no other society ever has.

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            My Esotericposted 5 years agoin reply to this

            Very possibly

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               wildernessposted 5 years agoin reply to this

               I also wonder about the increasing use of cleansers around the house and in public - I see more and more places offering cleansing wipes for shopping buggy handles.  Without use the immune system deteriorates like everything else - are we destroying our own immune systems by denying it "work to do" and keeping a super clean environment?  I believe so, though that belief is very tentative.

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                  MARS30Siddiquiposted 5 years agoin reply to this

                  Its all just because we now need artificial immunity by the surrounding as our immune is not basically strong enough to form a solid barrier against the pathogens found in the environmrnt

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                     wildernessposted 5 years agoin reply to this

                     While that may be true, the question becomes "why are our systems not able to cope?".  Is it because we have weakened them by excessive use of bacterial killers in our every day lives?  I tend to think it is, but have no solid evidence.  At best, it seems to me that those people using those types of things are generally more sickly than those that do not.

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                        MARS30Siddiquiposted 5 years agoin reply to this

                        Apart from excessive use of medicines many people have weak functioning immune system due to some congenital diseases like asthyma and others as well. People with premature births ate also known to have weak immune system.

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         MARS30Siddiquiposted 5 years agoin reply to this

         Its just a fact that 20 years ago due to higher death rates because of less medical enhancements individuals were less likely to survive and only the ones  with the best immune. Thus experience a longer ang helthier life.
                Aside from this the longivity and quality of life is also effected alot due to self medications which creates side effects of drugs and antibiotic resistance which worsen the situation  as the age progresses.

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5. 75

   Castlepalomaposted 5 years ago

   Too many antibiotics given out too often,  weakens the ammune system.  Most problems is foods more than 3 ingredients on the package, it's a rule I won't buy. For 55 years and traveled over a 100 countries I did not spent one over night in a hospital bed. Until I started taking antibiotics, I replace them with healthy foods and liquids, or course the doctors dislike the idea. Although they can't find anything wrong with me now.

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   1. 76

      wildernessposted 5 years agoin reply to this

      "Too many antibiotics given out too often,  weakens the ammune system."
      
      And interesting statement.  Can you provide actual studies showing this rather than a couple of anecdotal instances?  And what would the "too many" be?  20 prescriptions per year or only 2 or 3? 
      
      Certainly it is acknowledged that "too many" antibiotics can and will produce "super bugs" but I've never heard about compromising an immune system.

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      1. 75

         Castlepalomaposted 5 years agoin reply to this

         I personally fought off a few doctors from giving me too many experimental antibiotics that I refused based on good sense, or I would be died today.
         
         When I caught a very dangerous unknown virus. That cause a heart valve surgery soon after, which I accepted.
         
         I think antibiotics in emergency situations will save your life. But as a regular treatment for so many things that come along, it is more harmful than good in the long run. Where there are many natural antibiotics that I use instead.
         
         https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-08- … sease.html

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            wildernessposted 5 years agoin reply to this

            One piece of personal anecdotal evidence, then.  Nothing to support your claim that too many antibiotics weakens the immune system.
            
            But, as I mentioned, it is well known that we are producing super bugs with the indiscriminate use of antibiotics.  Which is why most doctors are becoming more hesitant to prescribe them.  Of course "natural" antibiotics will produce the same effect...

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               MARS30Siddiquiposted 5 years agoin reply to this

               Exsessive use of Antibiotics dont really weakens the immune system directly rather they provide antibioticresostance to the pathogenic bacteria making it difficult to kill them

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         MizBejabbersposted 5 years agoin reply to this

         A lot of things contain antibiotics that we don't think about, our meat for instance. Living in a rural state that was a major meat for consumption producer, there was a lot of flack over antibiotics given to chickens and pigs. The great chicken producer, Tyson Foods, (I believe) claims to have stopped putting antibiotics in water for its commercial chickens. Also, many soaps, body washes, and even dishwashing liquids like Dawn at one time bragged about having antibiotics in them.  We were being subjected to a lot of antibiotics that we didn't realize were contained in products. Antibiotics didn't just come from the doctor's office. So, I don't think there is an answer to how many antibiotics are too much because some are nonprescription.

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            wildernessposted 5 years agoin reply to this

            Good point, although I'm not sure at all that antibiotics given to farm stock would attack the same bugs making us sick.  Certainly a few diseases transfer from animals to humans, but in general I don't believe it is that common.

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               MizBejabbersposted 5 years agoin reply to this

               Wilderness, I don't think that was the point that the naysayers of antibiotics in animals were making. I believe they were saying that an antibiotic is an antibiotic and doesn't distinguish between a bacteria that attacks pig or chicken and a bacteria that attacks a human, and that when we get too much of a good thing (antibiotics) in our bodies, it turns our immune systems down or even off and leaves us with little or no protection from bugs that respond to antibiotics. That is why Tyson Foods said they stopped using it in chicken water.

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                  wildernessposted 5 years agoin reply to this

                  You could well be right - I'm no microbiologist.  And it makes very good sense, too - antibiotics are not like vaccines, targeting just one organism.

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                     MizBejabbersposted 5 years agoin reply to this

                     Something I forgot to mention. Tyson and companies like them were (some still are) giving antibiotics to the animals to keep the deaths to the animals down because the diseases spread rapidly among the confined animals. The companies did not consider what effect this would have on the humans who purchased the antibiotic contaminated meat from the grocery store or butcher and consumed it. Sorry, I left that out of my last post.

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   2. 85

      My Esotericposted 5 years agoin reply to this

      Beyond being 73, with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, Type II diabetes, prostate cancer (all controlled or eliminated) I am in pretty good health.  Very few colds, allergies, flu, no chronic pain and the like.  I attribute it with eating a lot of dirt as a kid.

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         Castlepalomaposted 5 years agoin reply to this

         Your tainted dirt system may have helped your ammune system.
         
         Mine  tainted system came from world travels. I just can't eat brains or intestines or any unfishished business.

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      2. 76

         wildernessposted 5 years agoin reply to this

         LOL  Like you, I seldom get sick.  My mother tells me that she would tie my sister and I to a tree when very young and she was working in the garden - Sis sat and cried but I was happy eating dirt. 

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            Castlepalomaposted 5 years agoin reply to this

            Sounds like you didn't run to Dr. Pill when things were a little off

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            MizBejabbersposted 5 years agoin reply to this

            Y'all are funny, both of you (ME and Wilderness). By the age of 3, my father would have us kids all in the garden digging in the dirt with him. I'm sure we ingested our share.

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         MARS30Siddiquiposted 5 years agoin reply to this

         Well playing in the dirt actually acts as vaccination for many diseases as in the dirt a kid experience many weak pathogens. Getting rid of those weak pathogens our body do produces memory cells against them which would be helpful in further life when theperson experiences the pathogen again in the future.

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