Right. A person who lives to 100 is an outlier. Assuming that is due to lifestyle and not genetics is no different than assuming an NFL player got strong and fast by doing whatever bullshit their S&C coach is hawking this week.
They lived long because they were healthy. Not going to the doctor didn't make them healthy. They didn't go to the doctor because they were already healthy.
James,
Thank you - that's a very useful post. BTW, my waist measures 39" and my BMI is 30. I'm not too worried about the BMI figure (I think the whole England rugby team would qualify as "obese" on the basis of BMI and I realise that it was devised for populations rather than individuals).
I'm picking up the need to become a better informed, more discerning consumer when it comes to health services. And it's a fair point.
I guess the skill here is finding the "sweet spot", somewhere between the two extremes of slavishly following the doctor's every utterance and never seeing a doctor at all.
Incorrect. They chose a healthy lifestyle, as we all can. They chose not to adhere to the new healthcare paradigm that our scientific community of health professionals say we all need to, which is to go to the dr every time we feel a sick tummy and medicate ourselves into numbness. They are outliers in that they chose not to live how medical professionals teach us. In that way, they are more like those who seek Rippetoe’s methods. They see a better and simpler way to live a healthy lifestyle. They are not adopting this new scientifically “proven” method of fitness like the ones you ignorantly tried to compare it to. They are doing what has worked and has always worked. Healthy diet and exercise. Just like adding 5 pounds to the bar every work out improves strength, this method works well for a long healthy life. It’s not complicated. Again, health isn’t a gift from your doctor nor does it come from a prescription. So if you don’t understand my message of simplicity, then the issue is with you. Good luck with your quarter squats.
I apologise: I thought I'd posted individual replies to individual posters, but they all appeared in one post. I'll try again.
I'm picking up the need to become a better informed, more discerning consumer when it comes to health services. And it's a fair point.
James,
Thank you - that's a very useful post. BTW, my waist measures 39" and my BMI is 30. I'm not too worried about the BMI figure (I think the whole England rugby team would qualify as "obese" on the basis of BMI and I realise that it was devised for populations rather than individuals).
I guess the skill here is finding the "sweet spot", somewhere between the two extremes of slavishly following the doctor's every utterance and never seeing a doctor at all.
C'mon, man. Less than .02% of Americans will make it to 100. For reference, something like .08% of high school senior football players will make it to the NFL. Choosing to live healthy won't get somebody to 100 years old any more than hard work and dedication will get a kid to the pros.
Not that I necessarily disagree with you in general about the state of medical advice today. Following their advice won't get you to 100 either. But basing your choices on the behavior of extreme statistical outliers is just silly.
And every day, dozens of people are brought into the emergency room with a medical problem that has progressed beyond the possibility of complete recovery. They are asked "how did you let this go for so long?" and the answer is "I don't take medications and I don't go to the doctor." Might want to think about that for a bit, too.
Actually I worked for 2 years in an ER, as a physician, I’ve never heard anyone say that. Ever. I swear you people argue just to argue. My last sentence in my original post was “something to think about”. Did I say emulate? No. I will say this, the US spend more on healthcare than any other country in the world and we spend more on pharmaceuticals than any other country. Our life expectancy isn’t in the top 30! That is embarrassing. That is the result of sick care, not healthcare. My point to the OP was not to look for another med or doctor to give him health because it is a losing proposition. If health came from a pill than we would lead the world in life expectancy and quality of life, we don’t! Look at what happens when immigrants come to this country and adopt our way of eating and our lifestyle. Within a generation they are fighting disease their relatives never had to. Most of the diseases we deal with in the medical profession are preventable. But until we focus more on prevention and less on symptom control, our health and quality of life are going to continue to go down the shitter. Any doctor with more than 20 minutes of actual experience would agree.