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Well I take exception to the "self induced diabetes" example. I am type 2 diabetic, it is genetic - not only does it run on both sides of my family, but I am of an ethnic group that is predisposed to it. We do NOT give ourselves diabetes! So please educate yourself on it. I have eaten right and exercised my whole life, but that did not matter. Some people get diseases through no real fault of their own, and it is shameful to blame them for it.
Now it's a different story for smokers who get cancer, alcohol or drug abusers who get cirrhosis of the liver, etc.
It's not necessary to smoke to get lung cancer or to ever had had one drink to have cirrhosis of the liver. "It is shameful to blame them for it."
The results of the study make sense to me. It simply states that one's happiness with life is a reasonable predictor of life span, but it is not conclusive. 9% of the people characterized as happy passed away during the following 10 year span while over 28% of those classified as unhappy passed away. That still means that 2/3 of those who were unhappy were still alive, so unhappy people still live but the probability that they will live longer than happy people is quite a bit less.
Why? Well happy people are active, take care of themselves, probably have less stress in their lives (or handle it better because of their life views), etc. The World Health Organization (WHO) has done an immense amount of study concerning causes of diseases and has concluded that over 80% (I believe that it is closer to 85%) of all chronic and acute problems are due to lifestyle choices. This is pretty enormous.
As for myself, I expect to live to a ripe old age (haven't been to a physician or had any serious illness in 30 years), and I don't try to be happy but I do try to be active and keep involved with life in many different ways. But whether or not I live long I am certainly enjoying the life I am living.
I agree with brava. There are some pretty nasty oldsters around.
I wonder sometimes if these grumpy old people don't have lots of problems. It's difficult to be happy of you have health problems, money or family issues. I know it's hard to be around these people, but maybe we should give them some leeway because we don't know what is happening in their lives.
I wonder sometimes if these grumpy old people don't have lots of problems. It's difficult to be happy of you have health problems, money or family issues. I know it's hard to be around these people, but maybe we should give them some leeway because we don't know what is happening in their lives.
I agree. I give them as much leeway as possible, I stay as far away from them as possible. Life's too short to worry about the problems of strangers, I'll focus on family & friends and reasonable strangers...
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Grump, Sad Old People
