Is Texas better for the heart? (Houston, Dallas: fit in, crime rates, how much)

[karnival96]

In looking at Money Magazine's most recent comparisons of best places to live, I was struck at how much higher the cardiac death rates (per 100,000) are for the major California cities are as compared to similar sized cities in Texas. The cardiac death rates listed are 97.1 for Dallas, 103.6 for Houston and 126 for Austin versus 209.9 for LA, 203.4 for San Diego and 238.7 for San Francisco. Do you think this is due to a better/easier lifestyle in Texas or better medical care? Each of the big cities in Texas also rated better in terms of cancer death rates (including Houston), though these numbers were a lot closer.

[eastwest]

TX is less stressful, I'm definitely healthier than I was living on the west coast. I know this sounds funny, but I just FEEL better in Texas than elsewhere, literally. I've also received the best medical treatment here.

[Hungry For Cheese]

This year has been terrible for me. I was diagnosed for General Anxiety Disorder. While it isn't the worst thing to have, it just stinks. But this year I started freaking out and having panic attacks causing me to not be able to attend class or work a couple days. And then just thinking about going back is stress in itself.

A big reason I want to leave Los Angeles and Cali altogether is to hopefully help alleviate some stress and live in a smaller, slow paced area. Such as Fort Worth, or Cow Town as I've heard it described.

I'll have to check out the magazine at the school library today if I get a chance.

[mpope409]

It's the red meat, the swine, the tons of greasy fried chicken spots, the vegetables boiled with slabs of fatback, the cakes and cookies, the BBQ ribs, the Kool-Aid, the sugar tea, butter on every single piece of food that goes in your mouth! Most of these things are inhaled in excess with not enough exercise. When they say that everything is bigger in Texas, they were evidently talking about the food portions.

They told us that these things made Texas the "unhealthiest" state, but now you're telling me that it's worse in California? That surprised me. I couldn't imagine why that would be. I always assumed that California was very healthy and happy. Aren't a majority of people there vegetarians?

[Trainwreck20]

I suspect a lot of the heart issues have to do with population density and traffic. Fine particulate matter (PM) is suspected in heart disease, and most areas in Texas are not considered terrible high in PM. Traffic congestion and diesel engines are prime culprits. I suspect the long commute times and traffic density is a problem, although there are many other factors - I agree that the earnings/cost of living ratio is fairly high, so most people don't stress over keeping their home or putting their kids through college as much as some other places.

[mpope409]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

I suspect a lot of the heart issues have to do with population density and traffic. Fine particulate matter (PM) is suspected in heart disease, and most areas in Texas are not considered terrible high in PM. Traffic congestion and diesel engines are prime culprits. I suspect the long commute times and traffic density is a problem, although there are many other factors - I agree that the earnings/cost of living ratio is fairly high, so most people don't stress over keeping their home or putting their kids through college as much as some other places.

That's true. The Houston area is usually a little problem for those with asthma, but the air generally feels fine to me. Even in Beaumont, where you can smell the pollution, the air quality is usually good whenever I'm there.

[KewGee]

Originally Posted by kgee

This year has been terrible for me. I was diagnosed for General Anxiety Disorder. While it isn't the worst thing to have, it just stinks. But this year I started freaking out and having panic attacks causing me to not be able to attend class or work a couple days. And then just thinking about going back is stress in itself.

A big reason I want to leave Los Angeles and Cali altogether is to hopefully help alleviate some stress and live in a smaller, slow paced area. Such as Fort Worth, or Cow Town as I've heard it described.

I'll have to check out the magazine at the school library today if I get a chance.

I went through the same exact thing about 8 years ago in Texas. This is just my opinion, but I don't think where one lives has anything to do with anxiety disorders. I know I'm just prone to such a problem, and I can certainly relate that it isn't any fun and quite scary. Some people have A type personalities, unfortunately I do, and therefore, stress of any kind will affect them more adversely.

True, I was working in a very stressful job at the time and blamed the job. I quit the job, but the anxiety remained and is still with me although much more under control now. Unfortunately, most of us do have stress in life in one form or another. It's how one handles it that matters and I for one, don't handle it well.

I keep telling myself, "Please be patient with yourself. God isn't finished with you yet."

Good luck to you as I know it is awful to go through such a thing. There were many times, I didn't think I'd ever rise above the anxiety, panic, and depression.

[eastwest]

Originally Posted by mpope409

Aren't a majority of people there vegetarians?

LOL no, where did you hear this?

[mpope409]

Originally Posted by eastwest

LOL no, where did you hear this?

It was a joke lol, but you do have a lot of those women over there on those dry diets.

[stargazer]

Hey there, I have anxiety distress disorder too and was diagnosed with it back in college. It runs in my family and have found natural ways to cope with it instead of being medicated. The best cure is to be in an enviroment that is less stressful and after living 2 years of my life in Orlando, I was ready to come home to a better enviroment and it has 100% proved to be for my children, my husband and I.

Orlando was ranked by Mens Health Magazine as the angriest city in America and the information was compiled by statistics. They monitered how many men had stressful jobs, high blood pressure , heart disease and crime rates and it came to #1. It was not a shocker to me because I lived it and saw it but many people who only think of Orlando as a vacation spot were shocked to know that. It just wasn't for us and as a result, I had high blood pressure. My husband was very stressed and his job was terrible. I knew we had to move back to Texas because I was afraid if we stayed, over 10 years, that my husband would be dead from a heart attack and who knows what of me. My oldest too had a terrible time in the schools there and her anxiety rose as well. We found too that the suspciousness of the locals of anyone overbearing as well.

It is a different culture there and we wanted to come back to a culture we understood and know to be less stressful. Even if we have had a few bumps here it is nothing and I am a much happier person because I am back in my home territory.

As far as jobs go here, I know there are some companies with high turn over and are considered to be chop shops due to be overworked but there are several companies that are good to work for. Usually those companies with bad reputations too, well most know not to go there, much like this forum who warns people about buying homes from certain builders. You just know. My husband has been fortunate to have worked for some terrific companies as well, that respect the fact that there are people who have familes and getting off at 6 is ok versus some companies who believe going home at 6 is a cop out, terrible and they hold the belief you aren't working enough. I do believe that many companies here are a reflection of the culture and the values that have been instilled in many people over the years. Dallas has always been to me in my eyes about being a city for families, very family oriented. Some might here disagree but with the work culture and as far as it goes with being respectful of others and their time off I would say yes and that dictates to having a family spend more time together.

I know there are people here too who are worried with the influx of people moving in to the area that the value and culture we have instilled over the years can be gone. I don't know if it would ever deminish. I am staying positive and know that if people move in from other parts, that the influence of those here already will stay here. I often feel being kind and showing friendly ways are very contagious. Most here too who are moving in are wanting a better life and to me if they are moving here are wanting to escape a bad situation and improve their life for them and their families. I feel they are wanting to fit in..

I also believe that Texas in general is less stressful due to not only the family values, less stressed job culture that have been instilled over the years but also to the great health care we do have. MD Anderson is down in Houston and that is the best facility in the United States for Cancer. We also have great medical care in all other aspects.

Just my opinions but I do feel they are valid. I do see a influence of family priority and values on the work culture here. I do believe it because I have experienced being in a city where that is respected versus a city where companies did not and it reeked havoc on the home life and on the body.