LONGEVITY
Statistics are of course a multivariate and inconsistent aspect of what I call vague mathematics! Average listing of longevity in Americans in 2003 was listed as 77.6 years. It is based upon average age of death in the preceding year. But even in our third largest city, Chicago, average longevity ranged from 75.8 to 60, depending upon the suburb in which people live! In September, 2006 THE HARVARD GAZETTE reported that Asian women living in Bergen, N.J. lived an average of 91 years, compared to Native American males in South Dakota, who lived an average of 58 years!

Earlier Dr. Hans Eysenck had reported on a 20+ year study of over 13,000 Europeans, who had been evaluated as adults and while healthy, that those with a lifelong personality measured as hopeless lived an average of 35 years less than those who tested initially as autonomous, similar to self-actualized a defined by Maslow. Seventy-five percent of those who died of cancer within the study period were Type I or lifelong depressed; 15% of the cancer deaths were in lifelong angry (Type II) individuals and 9% of the cancer deaths were in individuals who were both depressed and angry (Type III). Indeed, only 0.8% of cancer deaths were in the autonomous group (Type IV)! Those dying of heart disease were roughly similar: 75% Type 2, 15% Type I and about 9% Type 3. So, overall, 99% of the individuals dying of cancer or heart disease were depressed, angry or both.

February 1, 2007, The New England Journal of Medicine carried an article showing that women living in polluted air had increased mortality from both heart disease and stroke. And overall these women spent less than 2 hours per day outside!

Add to these factors obesity, smoking, lack of exercise , less than 5 servings of fruits or veggies daily and we see the multiple factors which influence both health and longevity:

  • Lifelong depression, anger or both
  • Body Mass Index above 24
  • Smoking
  • Low intake of fruits and vegetables
  • Little or no exercise
  • Living in most cities (more air pollution than rural)
  • Excess alcohol
  • Street drugs

Average longevity can vary by at least 33 years depending on these factors. Genes undoubtedly play a role but Bruce Lipton (BIOLOGY OF BELIEF) and others have demonstrated that attitude and belief determine gene expression. Basically: Every Thought is a Prayer. Thinking affects your choices of life versus death! You cannot afford the luxury of anger, depression, anxiety, guilt or any of the choices that lead to obesity, inactivity, smoking, excess alcohol, where you live, etc. Ultimately longevity is determined by your choices for or against health and longevity!