Stayin’ Alive

What would you do if you knew what was likely to cause your death? Would you try to change it? Of course! That is why so many of us have annual mammograms, PAP/PSA tests, and regular colonoscopies. We don’t want to die of cancer.

Statistics
When we are sick or seriously injured, statistics don’t really mean much, but if we are not sick, it can be a helpful way to learn how to improve our longevity so we can live with family and friends longer. Let’s look at a statistic presented by the Centers for Disease Control about why we die.

In Wisconsin, once we reach 55 years of age, most of us die from coronary heart disease, stroke, or lung cancer.

What can you do?
Are there things you can do to prevent death from these? In most cases, the answer is a resounding ‘yes!’  Coronary heart disease and stroke are hugely impacted by how you are living your lives now – that means that you can live longer by paying attention to your diet and your exercise today. And if you do a good job of it, you will be able to discuss self-care (and all sorts of other things) with your children, and your grandchildren, and your great-grandchildren…. How cool is that?

From www.WorldLifeExpectancy.com – data from CDC, accessed October 2011