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July 19, 2005
Health and Longevity
Right now I’m reading a book about health and longevity. In this book the author relates the effects of our Socio-economic Position (SEP) with the health and longevity of people. It’s very interesting. Evidently there is a huge gap in the length of life between the wealthy, powerful and the poor, powerless. It’s easy to point the finger at lack of health care, etc. but it’s not that easy. According to the author even in 10-15 year studies where the rich, poor, lower status employees and the highest status employees had the exact same health care, those with less money and status had shorter lives and more health problems. Another obvious answer was in diet. Many lower-status/income people eat less fruit and whole grains. They also have higher rates of smoking and eating fatty, high cholesterol foods. Diet accounts for some of the life expectancy related to SEP, but even in studies where the diet was the same, the differences in SEP life expectancy was still huge. The main gist of all of this was that all of the other baggage that comes along with our SEP effects our health and longevity the most. Our attitude and the way we think has the greatest impact on our health and longevity!
This is probably no surprise to people who study this kind of thing, but to us uninformed in general society, especially those of us with little money and status, it should come as an eye opener. Do people deserve to live longer lives and be healthier because of their SEP? In my opinion for this situation to change, it’s not the wealth or status of people that needs to change, but the attitudes.
What attitudes could effect our health and longevity?
A sense of self-worth/value.
Care, attention to our own health and well being.
Stress.
Worry.
Fear.
Happiness.
Enjoyment.
Challenge.
As sense of purpose.
Love
Hate, anger…
Probably a lot of things can be attributed to our attitudes. That’s why people have said that we create our own realities. For instance, if we view the world as ‘against us’ then it will be. If we have purpose and determination, then the reality we create is fulfillment of purpose.
It gives me something to think about as I have purposefully and systematically decreased my social and economic status in this society over the past 5-10 years. Today for instance, I turned down an opportunity to do some specialized GIS software training for $125.00 per hour. It would have been an easy $500.00. I have now ridden my totally free dumpster bike that looks like crap for over a week and it’s been a liberating experience. In our society there is this constant lust after the perceived “bigger, better, more efficient, higher status, more respectful, etc.” I carry my own respect in knowing this bike was discarded and no one, even the homeless guys wanted it. And it’s a pure pleasure to ride! It gets me from point A to point B. I had the freedom to dig this piece of junk out and turn it into something functioning and useful to me. Will I die sooner because of my plan to reduce my SEP? I don’t think so! My self-worth is not tied to my position, rank, earning status, purchasing power, education level, etc. but based on a God given base of spiritual equality between every living thing.
Fear eats away at us in more ways than one.
To your health!
Posted by carl1236 at July 19, 2005 12:06 PM | Attitude