Dan Buettner: Textual Analysis

This year 76 million Baby Boomers in America are entering their fifties and sixties, yet this generation is not the only one suffering from diseases derived from an unhealthy diet. Advances in medicine have continued to preserve lives, but still researchers have not found a miracle that fully sustains the quality of everyday life. Overcrowding and neglect is the fate of patients seeking long-term medical attention if individuals continue to lack nutritional knowledge, and depend on the care of others to survive. Heart disease and diabetes type two are factors that lead to a life of dependency and make a significant contribution to the large population needing medical care. These specific diseases take years to develop and can last a life time. Acting to prevent them includes consuming an adequate diet and managing an active lifestyle. Prolonging physical health with the use of nutrition and ecercise can insure a longer, happier life as well as, alleviate the need for medical assistance for daily activities for those with diabetes and heart disease.

where longevity is at. Here, they also eat a plant based diet, much like the Sardinians. The life

Apart from healthcare issue, the country has adopted the fast-moving life style, which has pushed most of our citizens to succumb to obesity as a result of fast foods. In fact, a recent report by the UN has ranked the United States as the most obese country in the world. Parramore (2012) outlines that, “Obesity is currently being considered as a national crisis in the United States and that it contributes 100,000 to 400,000 deaths per year. Statistics at the CDC and Prevention in 2010 indicate that 35.7% of the American adult is obese.” Many input trends exist in the American society, “First and foremost, people are highly used to fried foods, sugary drinks, and processed meats among others. There is also the sedentary lifestyle that has been adopted by many,” (Huffington Post, 2013). In fact, most of us love relaxing without exercise and too much television watching. These are some of the factors that contribute to obesity. The result is health complications problems such as diabetes, stroke, and heart disease just to mention but a few. These affect the longevity of life.

Another influence on life expectancy in the United States is preventative health measures. Typically education, income level, geographic location (in a city versus in the country or closer to medical assistance versus less access to medical assistance) and race are major factors on life expectancy. People who live in poverty have poor health, typically from malnutrition, stress and possible exposure to elements such as physical abuse, alcoholism, inadequate or nonexistent housing and drug addictions. Weight is an important factor in affecting health. Being underweight is unhealthy but so is being overweight. Unfortunately, 54.7% of all American adults are overweight and 19.5% are obese. Poverty also plays a factor, as 28.7% of women in poverty are considered to be overweight and 21.7% of men compared to 13.7% of women and 17.7% of men in higher income groups. Interestingly, women are 49.5% more likely than men to be a healthy weight. Only 36.3% of men are estimated to be at a healthy weight. (Tischler 2007). This is a factor in heart disease in men and a possible influence in their higher risk factor at a younger age. Americans with higher education level and more income also tend to have better access to

In general they suggest a lifestyle of moderation. However, a factor that they do mention that some cannot control is their genetics. Several people that are centenarians also had members of their families that lived long lives. Even though it is not certain a person will live to be a centenarian, maintaining a healthy body weight, exercising regularly, not smoking, and eating a healthy diet can all be contributing factors. Experts also agree that where a person lives, good diet, active lifestyle, and supportive family structure play a role in a person’s longevity. I’m sure these are all important factors, but there are no guarantees because life is unpredictable.

a very sedentary lifestyle for much of the population. According to Food Fight, one study found

|findings that would be | |half of their diet in carbohydrates, proteins, fats,|vitamins A and C , meats 5 oz., fruits and vegetables |

Sometimes I ask myself, “Would I even want to live to one hundred years old”. From the perspective of an elderly person in modern America, my answer is a flashing neon “no”. When I think of the elderly, hospitals, bedside care, and group crafts are what come to mind. That is not exactly how I want to spend my golden years. But what if someone found a formula to create a higher quality and longer life? According to Dan Buettner, it’s possible. In a Ted Talk entitled “How to Live to 100+”, Buettner dives into blue zones, which are the few hot spots in the world where more people make it to and past one hundred years old than anywhere else in the world. Not only do the people

Factories and many workplaces were developing efficient ways to complete tasks that did not require the masculine “men” strength. As the country and world was advancing, so were researches that helping people live longer than before. “With life span lengthened to nearly seventy-five years it is no longer either

consume ice cream after every dinner, they exercise and walk to places they need to

3. To give enough calories for achieving or maintaining a normal weight for adults, normal development and growth patterns in children, and for allowing an increase

The second blue zone is Okinawa, which is made up of 161 small islands and is 800 miles south of Tokyo. The northern part of the main island of Okinawa is ground zero for world longevity and has the oldest female population. This society has the longest disability-free life expectancy in the world. Their diet consists of a plant-based diet, full of vegetables with lots of color, and they eat

Nutrition aseesment is focused on the patterns of food and fluid consumption relative to metabolic needs (Kriegler & Harton, 1992). Nutrition in the Semanovich family is well balanced. This family eats three meals a day with snacks. Fruits and vegetables are eaten in large quantities and limited carbohydrates and sugars. They allow themselves one day a week to eat fast-food. Water consumption and teas are the main fluids consumed in this household. This has not always been the way the Semanovich family ate, their life style changed when Mrs. Semanovich was diagnosed with Diabetics. The Semanovich family has learned the eat healthy to maintain their current health and prevent problems associated with diabetes.

The next subject that Buettner discussed was the three "Blue Zones" where more people live to be over one hundred and the life expectancy is higher than any other locations in the world. The first "Blue Zone" is located off the coast of Italy, in the Nuoro Province of Sardinia. These people have many habits that make it possible for them to live well over one hundred years old. Some of these habits include physical activity related to their jobs as shepherds, plant-based diets that include special cheeses, breads, and

•     energy intake adjustments when the weight goal is reached in order to maintain optimal weight.