WE are increasingly outliving our parents due to advancements in medicine, improved access to quality healthcare, and better, more nutritious food – all of which have significantly increased our life expectancy.
In the 1950s, the average human lifespan was just 45 years. Today, it’s around 73.
In some Mediterranean countries, people live well into their hundreds, thanks to diets low in fat and rich in fresh produce.
In fact, in certain regions of Greece, Sardinia, Japan and Costa Rica, a third of the population in small towns is over 100 years old.
China also has many people living well into their 90s in small rural villages – perhaps because they live simple lives, largely removed from the temptations of modern processed foods.
They tend to consume only what provides real value to the body.
So where do we fall down?
Temptation – and easy access to food, especially in large shopping centres – may be our undoing. So too might be the endless cooking shows showcasing rich, indulgent meals that seem irresistible to try at home.
But why is it that the most tempting food is often bad for us? Many processed foods are considered unhealthy because they lack essential nutrients while being high in calories, fats, sugars, and salt.
Reading the labels can be an eye-opening experience – revealing ingredients that don’t resemble food at all.
While many of us aim to live longer thanks to improved lifestyles, the quality of that extended life is another matter. Around the world, healthcare costs are rising, and everything seems to be getting more expensive.
Innovations in medical science often come at a high cost.
Countries with relatively small populations but vast geographic footprints – like Australia –struggle to “balance the books”, regardless of which government is in power.
Funding is stretched across many sectors, meaning projects are rarely completed quickly. Priorities clash, and essential services can miss out as a result.
Some people enjoy long, healthy lives, while others do not.
What matters most is that we live our lives as best we can – and remain grateful for this one-in-a-billion opportunity to exist, even if only for a short while on this earth.
