How true is the concept that health is the result of healthy living, while disease is the result of unhealthy living?
Full blown BS - imo.... genetics, lifestyle, environment, then eating choices make up our health issues. I cant tell you how many people I have known or read about who early on worked at staying healthy and died of stomach cancers, and many other diseases . Bottom line, live best you can , after that it is a crap shoot as to what happens.
Nature/Nurture? The answer is "Yes." My genetics have always allowed me to eat whatever I want and to not gain weight. In fact, when I was in my 20s I ate 6 full meals a day in order to gain weight, and I lost 5 pounds the first month I did that. Physical exams found no underlying reason. Extreme bicycle riding.cardio turned that around for me. Even though I've always eaten whatever I chose, recent vascular screenings indicate that everything is clear. Any current weight or energy issues I have are from being so sedentary, but it does not take much activity for my metabolism to properly regulate. Any gained weight has rapidly come off within a month after hitting the gym a few times a week (I've been through the cycle several times.) My only current health issue is my shot bladder I've spoken about. But I've always liked to cook, so for most of my life I have eaten a decent varied diet of meat/starch/veggies, including at least one fresh salad a day. There are those people whose systems seem to be bulletproof, those people with undeserved chronic ailments, and most of us in between. I've mentioned how short-lived my male relatives have been, dying in their 50s. Apparently familial genes leave us exposed to the worse effects of alcohol and tobacco. I guess we'd all agree that the best you can do is to maximize the odds that you were born with, and still try to enjoy your life.
I believe healthy living usually adds years to a life. Of course, some genetic issue may end a life prematurely, despite a healthy life style. In my case, I have no doubt I would have died years ago, except for trying to live a healthy life which includes emotional as well as physical. In addition to moderation in most things, here are a few other things I think made a positive difference for me: 1. I gave up smoking 40 years ago. 2. Divorced my first wife 23 years ago which reduced my daily stress level from very high to very low. 3. Stubbornly tried to neutralize the bad experiences by thinking “At some level, everything that happens is for the best.”
After almost dying in 2017 and genetically should have died 3 years ago... I am all about living decent and good while I am still here. Living to 100 is not my goal
How true is the concept that health is the result of healthy living, while disease is the result of unhealthy living? Such is a question that cannot be answered because the same person can't go back and live another life to compare. Furthermore there is no consensus on what "healthy" living is. The one that has a lot of stress, but gets exercise and eats the best balanced organic diet may die before one that drinks, doesn't exercise, and stays high on pot and has little stress. One born with disease prone DNA may increase their lifespan by good diet, exercise, and low stress, but still it may be shorter than the one with great DNA that smokes, drinks to excess, takes drugs, and gets little sleep.
It has been documented that there are joggers that have had a heart attack on a trail and died right there on the trail. Just like 30 years ago, I knew a lady that joined Weight Watchers to loose some weight. She lost 30 pounds, but it only took one emotional setback and she gained the 30 pounds back, plus a little more.
I believe that the statement is true in many cases, although there are a lot of exceptions, given that diet is not the only component. Genetics and the environment in which people live play a part, too. Whenever I hear of someone who smoked for ninety years, yet lived to be over a hundred, I suppose that he'd have lived even longer if he hadn't smoked, and I doubt that those who died young despite a healthy diet would have lived longer had they smoked or eaten at MacDonald's more often.
Exactly ... We humans do many things i suppose that are unhealthy , maybe even dangerous, but that's called living . If we cannot live in a manner that pleases us .... what's the point ?
I’d like to throw a qualifier in the midst of things and say that whilst one’s health can be impaired by numerous obstacles beyond our control, Healthier living does indeed come from healthy living. Maladies such as MS, cancer, TB etc can’t necessarily be avoided by exercise and a good diet but sitting around saying poor me simply adds to the ill effects of a disease or malady. Among other problems, Yvonne has a heart condition that she has, in reality, no control over because her very heartbeat is determined by a machine. She could understandably (like many others do) just sit around and say, I can’t but she tries to eat well and exercise so that those “I can’t” days are less than the “I can” days. In other words, Yvonne isn’t healthy by any stretch of the word but she is definitely healthier and more physically independent than if she did nothing at all.
What is in your DNA tends to make healthy living a choice of paths. I agree with the above posters on their thoughts. My own advice to myself? Do what makes me feel better. Stop doing what makes me wonder why I keep doing it. Walking most days makes me feel better physically and mentally. Outdoors is a gift that keeps on giving. Healthy meals with fruits, veggies and a bit of meat works well. Don't overeat. Enjoy a delicious dessert every two months, no harm done. Smoking....speaks for itself. I quit 23 years ago. Smart choice. Sleep habits have paid off for me. Less stress is probably top of the list.