Dupre Mr Marcy M on tue 10 jun 03
As sometimes happens (with less frequency these days!), a thought
occurred... Yes, a *real live*, actual thought!
Our friends across the pond from the USA know about cholesterol, know about
the possibilities of lead poisoning, and I believe they even are aware of
the dangers of getting out of bed in the morning. It seems to me that one
of the big differences is that our European cousins, while knowing all the
dangers of living, go about it with more gusto and less paranoia than we do.
FACT: The "average" European male lives to be 82. Source, World Book, 2002.
FACT: The "average" American male lives to be 82. Source, World Book, 2002.
Extrapolation: With care and *REASONABLE* caution, we can live out the span
of our lives with a minimum of worry (which ages us terribly), and a maximum
of happiness (which increases lifespan).
I do not deliberately go barefooted and dressed in shorts into the woods
where the rattlesnakes are holding their annual convention. I do not stick
my hand in the blender to see what it feels like. I wear a mask when
handling substances that are dust-producing and _MIGHT_ cause silicosis with
prolonged exposure. I wear gloves when handling hot things. I don't snort
white powders, run with scissors in the house, or tease the rottweiler next
door.
We in the USA have a tendency to be overly concerned with the _span_ of
life, as opposed to the _quality_ of life. We eat granola, obsess over our
cholesterol, carry portable blood pressure gauges, and spend billions of
dollars to look younger. The end result is that we live just as long as
other folks, but we do not enjoy the same flavor of life.
I have been very fortunate to have visited a number of other countries and
sample their cultural flavors. Belgian fries and stuben ale are among the
greatest pleasures life has to offer. Add to the list, knackwurst,
fleischsalat, tournedos avec hericots verts, slumpie, trifle, Shepard's pie,
blutwurst, roast lamb with new potatoes, deep dish apple pie (made in a pot
I threw) with French vanilla ice cream and sharp cheddar cheese... And the
list goes on.
As we can prolong our lives with care and reason, let us not forget to enjoy
the lives we have. I say this from the standpoint of having been a
professional grump--a curmudgeon. Everything pissed me off, very little
pleased me. I now take life, one day at a time, as it comes.
Reading the posts about international foods makes me drool, and long for the
days I was stationed in Germany, when all I asked for was a free weekend and
a car that worked! Pure heaven!
Best to all,
Tig
in temporarily sunny Springfield, VA
Bob Nicholson on wed 11 jun 03
>Our friends across the pond from the USA know about cholesterol, know about
>the possibilities of lead poisoning, and I believe they even are aware of
>the dangers of getting out of bed in the morning. It seems to me that one
>of the big differences is that our European cousins, while knowing all the
>dangers of living, go about it with more gusto and less paranoia than we do.
Actually, the European community has significantly greater restrictions
on food products than the US. I don't think this has anything to do with
paranoia... they simply use the best medical and health data available to
intelligently regulate their food industries.
>
>FACT: The "average" European male lives to be 82. Source, World Book, 2002.
>FACT: The "average" American male lives to be 82. Source, World Book, 2002.
This is not correct. According to the US Census Bureau and the Center for
Disease Control, the life expectancy at birth for a male born in the US in
2000 was 74.1 years.
Using data from the US Department of State and the CIA World Factbook, it
appears that life expectancy at birth is lower for the US than for most of the
developed world. In fact, the US ranks 33rd in the world, behind every Western
European country except Ireland and Denmark.
>We in the USA have a tendency to be overly concerned with the _span_ of
>life, as opposed to the _quality_ of life. We eat granola, obsess over our
>cholesterol, carry portable blood pressure gauges, and spend billions of
>dollars to look younger. The end result is that we live just as long as
>other folks, but we do not enjoy the same flavor of life.
>
Clearly this is not the case. Far too many Americans are addicted to
the fat- and salt-laden foods churned out by our fast-food industry.
The result, in the words of Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona,
is an "epidemic of obesity." The rate of obesity among American
children and adolescents has tripled in the past two decades,
greatly increasing lifetime risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
No matter what country you live in, it's possible to live a great life
while eating healthy foods. Unfortunately, because Americans haven't
seemed to get that message, their lives are significantly shorter. Moreover,
since health is the single most referenced factor when people judge their
"quality of life," I would say that we lead lives that are both shorter
and poorer, by sacrificing our health.
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