Dr. Nils Hoernle is board certified in internal medicine
and is currently accepting new patients.
“Don’t ever get old!” my grandparents used to tell me.
How can I avoid it, I wondered? After some reflection it occurred to me that what they really meant was, don’t get unhealthy. Losing your health, it seemed, was about the same as growing old. Was the opposite also true, though? Is it possible for us to grow old without losing our health?
The human body is truly remarkable, but for all its wonders, it does not come with an owner’s manual. Fortunately, today we know a great deal about preserving our health. In this series I intend to discuss our current understanding of the major health risks, and some of the ways to prevent or minimize them. With a little wisdom and a little luck, it may be possible for many of us to live full and active lives well into our later years.
In the not-so-distant past, infectious diseases and poor sanitation resulted in the death of a large proportion of people. Yet with the advent of antibiotics, sanitation and hygiene, infectious diseases now make up only a small percentage of the death toll.
The leading causes of death today have shifted. Heart disease, cancer, and stroke now account for over 50%, with infectious diseases accounting for well under 20%. Surprisingly, many of the leading causes of death today are actually lifestyle diseases. These are highly preventable, and to a large degree, are the results of choices we make on a daily basis.
Lifestyle refers to the way we choose to live, or in some cases, are compelled to live by our circumstances. However, some of the most important aspects of lifestyle from a health standpoint are simple things we tend to take for granted – diet, exercise, sleep and stress. In fact, these four seemingly simple things account for much of the declining health in America today.
All too often, in our twenties and thirties, we tend to take our health for granted, perhaps working long hours or sacrificing a good night’s sleep to meet a stressful deadline. We may grab some fast food on the way home, lie down on the couch with a computer or in front of the TV, perhaps with a drink or some dessert, and then finally go to bed.
By the time we reach our 40’s and 50’s the poor diet, stress and lack of sleep and exercise translate into obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and high blood sugars. We may start to develop back aches, joint pain, acid reflux, anxiety and insomnia.
When we reach our 60’s and 70’s, these early conditions develop into full-fledged diseases such as heart attacks, diabetes, arthritis, sleep apnea and even cancers. If we smoke or drink we may start to develop lung or liver disease. Often by this point there is irreversible organ system damage.
Since about 1970 this progression has been accelerating in America, with many of these illnesses occurring at younger ages. Men are having heart attacks in their 40’s and children are getting adult-onset diabetes.
These disturbing trends are largely the result of the lifestyle changes occurring in western countries, as driving cars and hectic schedules replace exercise and restorative sleep, and fast food and packaged foods replace a more traditional diet of vegetables and fruits, whole grains, fish and nuts.
Recent advances in our medical understanding are fascinating, and we now know much about what it takes to stay healthy. This series of articles will focus on each of the main risks to good health, including not only early detection of disease, but also the prevention of some of the most common illnesses, including diabetes, heart attacks, strokes, cancers, osteoporosis, arthritis and lung disease.
By making a few relatively simple changes in our lifestyles, we can greatly improve our chances of leading long and fruitful lives. We may be able to tell our grandchildren, “Don’t worry about getting old – just be sure to preserve your health!”
Read the next article, "You Are What You Eat."
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