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[Lindilou]

It is my opinion that all these problems we are all having - everyone, the world over, is due to the fact that we are all living longer.  Years ago the average life expectancy was around 40/50 years of age.

Better food and supplements have contributed to better health so much that we are all "falling to pieces" with age.  I'm not being negative in any way but is it worth all the pain and distress.  Did our ancestors go through all of this.

I'm not being negative, I love my partner and family but it does make me wonder if it's - well, 'natural' to live so long?  Are we pushing our bodies to the limit?

[Millykin]

Good question. I think that yes years ago people did die younger but not many would have died of natural causes old age as such the majority would have died from serious illness where they didn't have the knowledge how to cure. Take pnuemonia for example we have X-ray to confirm we take ABs we are better ( majority) they wouldn't have had the choice or known what was wrong so lay down to it and died. some cancers don't show many symptons a lot nowadays are by chance of bloods or other minor problems so detected early treated and the person moves on lives life. Years ago it would be too late to even try to cure. So all these illness through their childhood would make them fall apart at 40/50 whereas we get treated for them and then fall apart at 80ish. I for one want to live to old age even if I'm falling apart. Well I say that now but I may change my mind
I have been working on family tree and yes ancestors died younger but mostly illnesses they couldn't cure but can now. X

[Dancinggirl]

Lindilou - I do agree with you.  Menopause is often described as a natural process but I feel it is the heralding of old age and possibly the end of our usefulness on many fronts and this is very difficult to comes to terms with.  I know this sounds negative but not that long ago we might have been described as a "dried up old hag".
Mrs. Bennet in Pride and Prejudice was often having 'palpitations' and suffers terribly with being anxious about her daughters - the poor women is having menopausal symptoms and is seen as a figure to be ridiculed.
I often make the point in posts that the menopause is, in a way, a modern phenomenon.  It wasn't unusual in Georgian and Victorian times when life expectancy started to improve with the rise of the middle classes,  for women to be put into an asylum when they reached menopause probably because they were having horrible meno symptoms??!! There were some awful treatments around as well!!!
All I can say is thank goodness there is modern medicine - I hope there will be a day when HRT is a routine treatment to help prevent long term health issues so we can all enjoy a better quality of life for longer and remain a productive part of society.
The 'me' without HRT functions on a much lower level. HRT keeps me working, supporting my family and friends and enjoying life to the full. DG x

[CJ-sleepless]

I totally agree - part of my resistance to starting HRT etc I'm sure came from my inability to accept that its happening!  Its the slippery slope to old age that I don't want to be on!  Since joining here I've learned its not the end of the world

[Millykin]

I thought this post was about all health discussion affecting male and female all over the world? That's why I wrote about other things affecting why we live longer unlike our ancestors 

[Dancinggirl]

Oh yes Milkykin - simple infections killed people and so many children died in their early years.  To get to 60 was a real achievement. I get really annoyed when people talk about the 'Good Old Days' - do we really want to turn the clock back?  DG x

[Millykin]

DG Answer to the good old days regarding health No 
I suppose the older ones that made it through just mean there wasnt all the hussle and bustle and violence of nowadays. I'm 44 and stayed in same village all my life and see drastic changes to when younger in that sense!
X

[Dancinggirl]

I lived most of my life in and round London and there is more bustle as you put it but I remember some terrible muggings etc. in my youth and I do think in some ways things are safer now - the risks have changed. Life used to be slower and gentler in some ways and that I do miss but yes, I was generally referring to medical issues. DG x

[honorsmum]

I read somewhere the other day that Crohn's and colitis wasn't previously recognised as a disease, and people with MS used to be told that they were just lazy!
I guess as with all things, progress in medicine has both advantages and disadvantages. Certainly from a social point if view, living longer seems to have created all sorts of problems - who cares for the elderly, now "family" no longer means 3 generations living in the same street (or even the same city)?

[Dancinggirl]

We've had a thread discussing the problems of care in our later life.  This is something society needs to address but how we look after our bodies will often affect our quality of life later and whether long term care will be needed.  Osteoporosis is a classic case in point as this is a debilitating disease often requiring long term support and care and that could often be prevented it we had early detection and treatment.  Dg x

[Ju Ju]

Without modern medicine, it is highly likely I would not have survived till 60. I'm lucky.

[Millykin]

Definatly JuJu without it my daughter wouldnt be with us after serious illness at 21. Like a lot of people modern medicine has saved life's x

[Lindilou]

I thought this post was about all health discussion affecting male and female all over the world? That's why I wrote about other things affecting why we live longer unlike our ancestors 

That was my intention anyway

[Millykin]

 
Thank goodness I thought I just misread and rambled on !

[Rowan]

I have read that though there has been enormous advances in modern medicine todays younger population are not as healthy nor expected to live longer then their  parents generation due to a more sedentary lifestyle, diet and obesity.

Many are over fed but under nourished.

http://www.prb.org/Publications/Articles/2005/WillRisingChildhoodObesityDecreaseUSLifeExpectancy.aspx

Mean while old age pensioners (baby boomers) are going from strength to strength and living longer and in better health, due to better health care, awareness and monitoring.