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Peoria. Health. Blog.

How To Live a Long, Full Life

8/19/2013

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Last fall, the New York Times Magazine featured a remarkable story about a number of elderly individuals on a small island in Greece. What made these folks so fascinating was their incredible longevity and quality of life: not only are they living longer than almost anyone else in the world, but their bodies are not undergoing the steep physical and mental decline that we tend to expect in the United States.

The people of the island of Ikaria have not come up with an explanation for this phenomenon, and neither have researchers. We know that diet and exercise play a role, but researchers are also concluding that cultural values and community play an important role as well.

Here's a short snippet from the article, but the whole thing is well worth your time:
If you pay careful attention to the way Ikarians have lived their lives, it appears that a dozen subtly powerful, mutually enhancing and pervasive factors are at work. It’s easy to get enough rest if no one else wakes up early and the village goes dead during afternoon naptime. It helps that the cheapest, most accessible foods are also the most healthful — and that your ancestors have spent centuries developing ways to make them taste good. It’s hard to get through the day in Ikaria without walking up 20 hills. You’re not likely to ever feel the existential pain of not belonging or even the simple stress of arriving late. Your community makes sure you’ll always have something to eat, but peer pressure will get you to contribute something too. You’re going to grow a garden, because that’s what your parents did, and that’s what your neighbors are doing. You’re less likely to be a victim of crime because everyone at once is a busybody and feels as if he’s being watched. At day’s end, you’ll share a cup of the seasonal herbal tea with your neighbor because that’s what he’s serving. Several glasses of wine may follow the tea, but you’ll drink them in the company of good friends. On Sunday, you’ll attend church, and you’ll fast before Orthodox feast days. Even if you’re antisocial, you’ll never be entirely alone. Your neighbors will cajole you out of your house for the village festival to eat your portion of goat meat.

Every one of these factors can be tied to longevity. That’s what the $70 billion diet industry and $20 billion health-club industry do in their efforts to persuade us that if we eat the right food or do the right workout, we’ll be healthier, lose weight and live longer. But these strategies rarely work. Not because they’re wrong-minded: it’s a good idea for people to do any of these healthful activities. The problem is, it’s difficult to change individual behaviors when community behaviors stay the same. In the United States, you can’t go to a movie, walk through the airport or buy cough medicine without being routed through a gantlet of candy bars, salty snacks and sugar-sweetened beverages. The processed-food industry spends more than $4 billion a year tempting us to eat. How do you combat that? Discipline is a good thing, but discipline is a muscle that fatigues. Sooner or later, most people cave in to relentless temptation.
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    Disclaimer

    Unless otherwise attributed, all content is written by Kyle Johnson, DC, of Johnson Family Chiropractic of Peoria.

    All images used are under Creative Commons license.

    Although every effort has been made to provide an accurate description of our chiropractic care and its benefits, the information given on this website and blog is not intended to be, nor should it be interpreted as, medical advice for any condition.

    If you have any questions regarding your condition, you should seek the help of Dr. Johnson in person, so that he may properly assess your condition.

    This blog is provided by Johnson Family Chiropractic of Peoria, S.C., proudly located in Peoria, IL.
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  • home
  • services
    • activator methods
    • webster technique
    • spinal decompression
    • consultations
    • x-ray
    • other therapies
  • conditions
    • headaches >
      • migraines
    • neck pain >
      • jaw pain
      • pinched nerve
      • text neck
      • torticollis
      • upper crossed syndrome
      • whiplash >
        • car accident
    • arm pain >
      • shoulder pain
      • elbow pain
      • wrist & hand pain
    • back pain >
      • low back pain
      • mid back pain
      • disc problems >
        • degenerative disc disease
        • disc herniation
      • scoliosis
    • hip pain >
      • piriformis syndrome
    • leg pain >
      • sciatica
      • knee pain
      • foot & ankle pain >
        • plantar fasciitis
        • sprained ankle
    • women's health >
      • back pain during pregnancy
      • fibromyalgia
    • children's health >
      • ear infections
      • chronic strep throat
      • congenital torticollis
    • other conditions >
      • asthma
      • Diarrhea
      • high blood pressure
  • what to expect
    • what is chiropractic?
    • insurance
    • download forms
    • for medical doctors
    • links
  • hours
  • find us
    • locate us
    • contact us
  • about us
    • meet the doctor
    • FAQ
    • patient testimonials
  • blog