It’s incorrect to view long lives as a remarkable and unique characteristic of the “modern” era.
Knowing that people often did have long lives in the past might help you feel more connected with the past. For example, you can imagine multigenerational households and gatherings, with grandparents in Neolithic China or Medieval England bouncing their grandchildren on their knees and telling them stories about their own childhoods decades before.
You might have more in common with people who lived long ago than you had realized.
The idea that old people are rare is outdated; while centenarians were once considered exceptionally rare, their numbers are now growing significantly and are projected to continue increasing. Historically, few people lived into old age, but advances in healthcare and lifestyle have led to a dramatic rise in the elderly population, with the number of people over 65 expected to double the under-5 population by 2050.
Historically, old age (meaning living into one's 70s or 80s) was relatively uncommon, but some people lived well past 70. Life expectancy was much lower due to high rates of accidents and disease, and chronic conditions that couldn't be treated.
In the 20th and 21st centuries, the number of elderly people began to surge. Now, while there are fewer centenarians than any other age group, they are the fastest-growing demographic.
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Do you have gout like I do?
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on the blog, I get credit for whatever you buy.
Granted, it's only pennies, but every penny helps, right?
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this stuff works. i took Colchicine for quite a few years and became allergic to it so i had to quit it. the tart or black cherry and a bottle of cran apple juce a day has worked for me. i still have to watch what i eat, but i don't over-do things like red beans and oysters. when i first came down with it in my late 20's the doc said " if it tastes good, spit it out " i can pretty much eat what i want now as long as i don't overdo it. 67 yrs old now and rarely have a problem.
ReplyDeletePrior to 1900 if you made it past your 3rd or 4th birthday your odds of reaching 60 increased dramatically. Infant mortality was a huge factor in the overall death rate.
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