Society Needs Yogurt Culture Professor David J. Demko, PhD, Gerontologist AgeVenture News Service LOW FAT ... NO SALT ... SUGAR FREE ... FIBER RICH. These food labels caught my eye as I gathered the usual, week's-worth of groceries. "Healthy Food Labels" are today's Cultural Icons for America's health-conscious boomers who are well aware of the undeniable relationship between healthy living and longevity. Boomers have plenty of good reason to be health-conscious. After all, Boomers are responsible for paying the medical bill when their health status takes a nose-dive. Ironically, millions of Americans ignore the "eat well or else" credo, choosing instead to pursue reckless, health-robbing habits such as over-eating, excessive consumption of alcohol, smoking, lack of exercise, malnutrition, and sleep deprivation ... just to name a few. Lifestyle habits like these have two things in common. First of all, these habits jeopardize your health. Seventy-five percent of America's health problems are due to negative lifestyle habits. Secondly, these habits are matters of choice. Americans do, in fact, exercise a great deal of control over their health status. I don't know how you feel about these things, but I pretty much mind my own business when it comes to the lifestyle habits of other people. People want to smoke like a chimney? Eat like it's their last meal? So be it. That's their choice. Live and let live. On the other hand, when I have to start chipping in, by way of increased taxes and higher health premiums, for the medical bills of these health-laggards, that's another matter. I'm talking about federally-mandated, national health insurance. Like it or not, the nation may be on the brink of adopting such a program. Case in point, Medicare continues to expand like a hot-air balloon at high noon in the Sahara desert. Politicians will make sure that ever-increasing tax dollars foot the bill. Funny thing about tax-supported programs, people see them as free services. When Uncle Sam starts picking up the nation's health insurance bill, what incentive will be provided for Americans to adopt the kind of healthy lifestyles that we know are likely to keep Americans healthier, and help control the cost of health care? Not only are more Americans living longer and longer. In fact, the fastest growing segment of our population is the 80-plus age group. Americans may be on the brink of receiving free health care under the auspices of national health insurance. What will such a future hold in store? Will Americans become increasingly health conscious, taking better care of themselves? Or will we simply continue to hear the sound of ... "anyone care for more cheesecake?" Who cares if our lifestyle makes us sick and unhealthy? "The government is going to pay for the hospital stay. Don't get me wrong. I'm all for helping the millions of Americans who desperately need, yet can't afford, catastrophic health care. They deserve our compassion and support. America's heart and resources have always been big enough to help those who are in dire need through no fault of their own. On the other hand, those chain-smoking, couch potato, refugees from the all-you-can-eat buffeteria should start taking personal responsibility for their health habits. Most won't lift a finger from their potato salad bowl long enough to help themselves, and the rest of us who have to share the cost of their next self-induced health crisis. Let's give Americans an incentive to stay healthy. Hold society's members accountable for their lifestyle choices. Health-robbing habits such as smoking, over-eating, substance abuse, and couch-potato lifestyles are irresponsible life-choices. If people started to accept responsibility for their health status, society could reduce illness and disease by 75 percent. That's enough health cost savings to allow the truly needy to get any kind of treatment, surgery, or health care they needed. I'm a bit tired of hearing nonsense like "I didn't know the cigarettes would hurt me. It's not my fault." Well, it isn't my fault either. The next time these health-laggards storm the health care gates, it's time to say ... "Let'em eat yogurt". BACK TO TOP Copyright © 1974-2006, David J. Demko, AgeVenture News Service. All rights reserved. Copyright Terms and Restrictions