Since the 1800s, people have been living longer on average than they did before. At one time, the average male could expect to live until he was in his mid-40s, while the average female could expect to live until she was in her late-40s. This doesn't make sense, since many people who were born in the 1900s are still alive today. As our system got better, experts noticed that more and more people were living past their 70s and 80s. The length of life has changed a lot, which is good for people. Still, men today are expected to live longer than 80, and women are expected to live longer than 90. People who have lived more than 100 years are rare. Experts say that the chances of a person living past 125 are the same as finding a needle in a big haystack. Most people can live past 90, though, as long as they get good medical care and come from healthy families.
Many illnesses today are caused by bad eating habits, not getting enough exercise, not getting enough sleep, and other bad habits like too much drinking, drugs, nicotine, etc. Still, some people are marked from the start because their genes make them more likely to get sick. Experts say that Alzheimer's disease, heart disease, and other diseases can be caused by your genes. Experts say that a person's genes affect how long they live. If a person has a family history of disease, they are more likely to get the same disease or one like it. In short, a person with a high risk of genetic factors is likely to live less long than other people.
How do doctors think about getting old?
Doctors look at a person's family history to find genetic factors that might predict a short or long life span. If you have had diabetes before, your doctor will take steps to lower your chances of getting it again, but it may not stop the disease. Doctors also look at how you live. Do you smoke? Do you have an alcohol problem? Do you have drug problems? Do you have anorexia or bulimia? Do you exercise? If you said "no" to every question, you are likely to live a longer, better life. If you answered yes to these questions, on the other hand, you can expect to live a shorter life.
When thinking about how long someone will live, doctors will also think about things like the environment. If you live in a place where there are a lot of toxins, you may be exposed to them in ways that aren't normal. This can make your life shorter. Even if your genes show that you will live a long time, your environment also affects how long you will live.
Doctors consider medical care. If you've been to the doctor often in the past, you'll have a better chance of staying healthy. Medical care is the process of lowering the chances of getting sick, keeping people from getting sick, and treating people who are already sick.
Did you know that some types of cancer, but not all, can be cured if the disease is caught early? Did you know that Alzheimer's disease can be treated if it is caught early enough? Did you know that most diseases can be treated if they are found and treated early?
If you know this, you'll see that you need medical care to stay healthy as you age. Experts in medicine have come a long way since the 1800s. Also, experts keep coming up with new ways to help people live longer. Doctors are in their jobs because they care (at least mostly) about your health, so pay attention to what they say to help you live a healthy life as you age.
