Legacy: Obesity & Poor Health, Or Vibrant Life?

Eat Well To Live Well

Eat Well To Live Well

In A Long Bright Future Laura Carstensen notes that a century ago people only had about a two week period of infirmity before they died, usually at home. Now it’s more common for people to have roughly a two year period of infirmity and to die in a hospital. People thus require more medical care and cost the insurance (including Medicare) system more. I can attest to this pattern from personal experience. My father was in and out of the hospital for several years before his death, and my mother has been caught in the revolving door of emergency hospitalizations, rehab, and relapse for over six years.

A newspaper article wapo.st/1hXweoD cites one way health problems begin. Younger people can’t or sometimes simply won’t eat healthy foods and make lifestyle choices to optimize good health. Consequently chronic health issues occur earlier in life. Technology helps keep people with chronic conditions alive or helps prolong the dying process for this population. Practice and teach good habits now. While some conditions are not reversible, healthy habits can help you enjoy the life you have. Modeling good habits leaves a legacy of health and vibrancy rather than chronic illness and infirmity.

Are good habits a cure-all that will help us beat death? Hardly. Most healthcare dollars will still be spent during the final years of life at whatever age those come. There will always be end of life costs. What we can change is the legacy we leave.

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