Americans will not live as long as their parents did, why?
Did you know that for the first time in two centuries, the current generation of children will not live as long as their parents? Wow, that’s some statistic, and hard to swallow when thinking about my daughter’s future!
Being a parent or grandparent, this claim defies what we have grown up knowing. Since the 1800’s, innovations in medicine and general health education have extended the lifespan of the American population. Could the current generation of children really not live as long as their parents; will we live longer than our children or grandchildren?
After researching the CDC website, and several others, here’s the data I uncovered…..
Chronic disease rates in America have skyrocketed from 12% in the 1980s, to over 50% of American children today. Of all developed countries, the United States has the highest infant mortality rate — one of the most important health markers of a society. Plus, of the children surviving the one-year threshold, 54% are diagnosed with at least one of (20) chronic autoimmune or neurological disorders, and are at risk of obesity and developmental delays.
Well, this put me on a mission to find out how to keep this phenomenon from happening in my family, friends and patients….
How do we solve this problem, and help Americans live longer than their parents again?
First of all, we need to improve our national infant mortality rate.
Healthiest State: Massachusetts*
*with 3.8 number of infant deaths (before age 1) per 1,000 live births
Least-healthy State: Mississippi*
*with 8.7 number of infant deaths (before age 1) per 1,000 live births
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the leading causes for American infant deaths were birth defects, low birthweight, premature birth, maternal pregnancy complications, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and unintentional injuries.
The most severe risk factors for our national infant mortality are, maternal obesity (any mother with a BMI over 35) and the use of alcohol and tobacco during pregnancy.
It is important to implement a variety of strategies to reduce American infant mortality. Key prenatal and postnatal strategies include:
Reducing maternal obesity.
Reducing maternal smoking and alcohol consumption.
Improving access to and use of ongoing prenatal care.
Improving health of all women.
Improving sleep practices among infants and newborns: Injuries such as suffocation cause many infant deaths annually. There are about 3,500 sleep-related deaths among US babies each year. Caregivers and parents need to place babies on their back for every sleep. Keep soft bedding such as blankets, pillows, bumper pads, and soft toys out of the baby’s sleep area, and share a room (but not the bed) with newborn and infant babies.
Secondly, we need to improve the Health of Americans, NOW!
Yes, it’s up to you and me, and everyone else we pass on the street! It’s an absolute horror that 54% of our American youth are diagnosed with at least one of (20) chronic autoimmune or neurological disorders, AND are at risk of obesity and developmental delays.
We need to approach our national health as a whole, rather than as a series of separate factors. Wellness is the continuous state of enhanced well-being. Maintaining wellness and optimal health is a lifelong, daily commitment by each of us, every parent, and every caregiver in our nation.
The best way to maintain health is to preserve it through a healthful lifestyle rather than waiting until sickness or to address health problems. How do we live a healthy lifestyle here in the U.S.?
A Healthy Lifestyle is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease. Wellness for EVERYONE in America must include:
eating a balanced, nutritious diet from as many natural organic sources as possible
engaging in at least (150) minutes of moderate to high-intensity exercise each week
screening for diseases that may present a risk
learning to manage stress effectively
engaging in activities that provide purpose
connecting with and caring for other people
maintaining a positive outlook on life
defining a value system and putting it into action
Thirdly, we need to change our Mindset.
The need in health care is very simple. When you hear the words, Health Care, what do you think of? Do you think of your doctor or health provider? This is what most Americans think of, health as being something outside of ourselves, not our innate personal birthright, freedom, and individual responsibility…..
This is the number #1 challenge for our nation’s mindset. What makes you or me healthy is not just what diseases pop up on a daily or annual basis. We must think about the totality of health for our families and ourselves – how we live, how we work, what we eat, how we exercise – the totality of how each and every one of us lives, each-and-every day.
Wellness promotes active awareness and participation in measures that preserve health, both as an individual and in our communities. Maintaining wellness and optimal health is a lifelong, daily personalcommitment.
Our families need to BE healthy, to STAY healthy, if we want to LIVE as long, or longer, than our parents did.
It may not be possible to avoid disease altogether. But, we must do as much as we can to develop resilience and prepare our bodies and minds to deal with illnesses as they arise, so we have much better odds of a fast and full recovery.
True Health is a state of optimal physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease. In other words, health is not limited to how we feel, but is how we treat our bodies daily as a whole individual.
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To those of you that are current members of our Ferguson Life Health family, thank you for doing your part in making America’s “living longer than our parents” health statistics improve.
Please pass this message along to those that need help getting better, staying well and realizing their family’s True Health potential. Have them give us a call, or bring them along with you next time, to see what we can do to help get them on-track to improve our nations “Living Longer” statistics!