People eat all sorts of garbage and think they are 'eating healthy.' It's true there is a genetic component - some people were dealt a crappy hand right from the start. I know a guy like that, his whole family has blood pressure & cholesterol & heart issues. He turns 62 this year. Apart from his inherited traits he smoked, never exercised, couldn't stuff enough crappy food in his face ..... and now has a defibrillator wired into his chest which was needed at least once. Yet, in a supermarket I've seen him grab all that processed crapola out of the frozen food section: Tater Tots. Frozen pizza and for a man with heart issues and sky high blood pressure - God Help Me ... Dinty Moore stew. He says "look - it doesn't need to be refrigerated!" Nope, I guess not because even bacteria can live in that salty primordial slime. If they want to see where Life can thrive in extreme environments there are easier test labs available right at the Food Lion, you don't need to go to one of Jupiter's moons. Aaack. Factor that thinking and excess availability of junk into the cost and scope of the health care situation in this country.
There are those of us who are going to just fall apart anyway, then there are those who succumb to poor maintenance at virtually any age, and then there are those that (and this is where I think I fit in) just burn out. To paraphrase Indiana Jones "it ain't the years honey, it's the mileage"
That's been one of my biggest worries since I was a lot younger. My health has never been really that great Since I was 14 I've known about my heart condition. In short, My heart got damaged while I was still an infant. I got what they call rheumatic fever it damaged the entire right side and back of my heart, Which is now dead. That scares people when I say that, But, It's been this way since almost birth, So, It's not like a new development. as far as diet goes, I've always tried to eat healthily, I've never been about Sweets and candies and sugary things, But I did develop a serious addiction to sodas, For, really a very long time, I've just in the last several months backed away from things like bread and sugar entirely. I have to say, I feel healthier just letting go of sugar and bread.
At some point, I also developed a rather tenacious smoking habit, This includes Marijuana. You would be surprised how few doctors have never brought up my smoking habit.
I do what I can to stay healthy, Working out and using the treadmill is Vital for me, because If I don't use it regularly, I get lethargic very quickly, I need the constant exercise just to keep my energy up because If I don't my heart gets weak and I can't stay awake.
Now, The very lest thing to take away from this is, Awe,, Poor shadow, I hate it when people do that, My health isn't the greatest, But even with my health issues, I could live into my 80's. But, I have to a certain point always tried to keep my health at least above par, The problem is, The older I get, The more difficult it is to stay above that line.
