Dr. Mercola March 16 2005 2,425 views
The life expectancy of Americans has reached an all-time high of 77.6 years as a result of a drop in death rates from major diseases such as heart disease and cancer. Although women are still outliving men, the gap has grown narrower. A report from the National Center for Health Statistics confirmed that the life expectancy of women today is 5.3 years more than men, compared to 1979 when the difference was 7.8 years.
Experts are concerned that the increasing life expectancy rates could heavily impact the already shaky social security funds. Other factors that could throw social security into a financial downward spiral include:
Life Expectancy in America Pales in Comparison to Other Countries
Although the increase of American life expectancy to 77.6 years reflects a positive statistic, America still lags behind several other countries.
According to statistics from the World Health Organization, Japan holds the longest life expectancy at 81.9 years followed by Monaco, 81.2, San Marino and Switzerland, 80.6, Australia, 80.4, Andorra, 80.3, and Iceland, 80.1.
These numbers don’t include a myriad of other countries that are topping the United States including Austria, Belgium, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, Spain and the United Kingdom.
Two Death Rates Drop--Four Death Rates Rise in America
USA Today March 1, 2005
It’s great news to find out we are catching up with the Japanese and men are living nearly as long as women. The social security nightmare should not be a concern for most younger people, though it would be safe to assume that it won’t be providing the same benefits for most of us that it currently does. Many experts believe it is a giant government Ponzi scheme. The term comes from Charles Ponzi in the 1920s who developed an age-old twist on the pyramid scheme.
My recommendation is to plan your retirement as if Social Security will not be there for you and optimize your health so you can work and earn your own income. Rather than worrying about what the government will or won’t be able to do for you, why not take preventative measures and get as healthy as you can now to avoid the likelihood of chronic diseases associated with aging? There are a number of basic strategies you can take and you can best remember them by my name.
Following these guidelines will be a powerful way to avoid premature aging and improve your health in your old age so you can far exceed the U.S. national average life expectancy.
Please notice that the first item listed is nutritional type. Just as you are unique in all other respects to anyone else, your body has a unique biochemistry requiring both certain proportions and types of healthy carbohydrates, fats and proteins that differs from other peoples' requirements.
The most important thing to remember is that what may be very healthy for others is not necessarily healthy for you, and vice-versa. And eating according to your nutritional type is a powerful way to determine precisely what you were designed to eat.
You can obtain a basic understanding of your nutritional type right now by taking the free online test that will give you an idea of the foods you should be eating to maintain optimal health.
By following these guidelines you are creating a plan of prevention to future health conditions, and by doing so, lessening your reliance on the government to take care of your future health needs.
Related Articles:
No End in Sight for Human Life Expectancy U.S. Life Expectancy Increased, but so Did Infant Deaths Life Expectancy in the U.S. Rises Japanese Living Longer Than Ever Obesity Takes Eight Years Off Diabetics' Lives You Should Live to be at Least 100--Find Out How
No End in Sight for Human Life Expectancy
U.S. Life Expectancy Increased, but so Did Infant Deaths
Life Expectancy in the U.S. Rises
Japanese Living Longer Than Ever
Obesity Takes Eight Years Off Diabetics' Lives
You Should Live to be at Least 100--Find Out How