Originally Posted by SolitaryRider

That is SO true! Most people's lifestyles were so much healthier 100 years ago; which is why these people live to be those ages and are often still active (My mother is 88 with no major health issues!). In my mother's case, she's never been fat or sickly- but that was likely due to the fact that she spent most of her life not owning a car, and walking a lot. Others from her generation, although growing up under similarly active conditions, all seemed to adopt the car lifestyle in the 1950's or 60's, and their 50 years of inactivity seems to have taken it's toll and negated the good starts they had in their earlier lives.

I was so blessed by the fact that we did not have a car when I was growing up! We walked everywhere. Ironically, I succumbed to the car culture in my mid 20's- and by my mid 30's, for the first time in my life, I had gained weight and became out-of-shape- a problem which I have just now rectified.

I'm amazed by how many of my peers from my own generation are already dead! Never even making it to 50. And I'm talking people from decent middle-class homes. It amazes me how the health of the general population has declined just over the last 40 years. The powers that be would have us believe otherwise- but I've never seen so many people so decrepit as I do now. I used to know this 99 year-old woman who lived alone and who volunteered her time to help at a senior center! Some of the people she was helping were 35 years younger than she! Conversely, more than half of the guys I grew up with are dead already- before they were 45. Not from accidents, either. One girl I knew when we were kids, she died at 42...weighed over 400 lbs!