Ny Times Article About The Change In Health Over The Past 100 Years

[sbk]

Its too long to reprint in its entirety but well worth the read. A very interesting article in the New York Times about a study done regarding the changes in health and well being of people in the past 100 years. Basically, by extensively studying the health records of civil war veterans and comparing them to the health records of people the same age today they find that there was a higher incidence of heart disease, lung problems and other ultimately fatal diseases much earlier in life than today. Interestingly, in the last page of the article, this study was reproduced by studying people in Europe whose mothers had suffered during WWII and found those who had been in the womb during periods of famine had much higher rates of serious health issues than those who were in the womb shortly after the famine.

Essentiallyly, the research points to the health of the mother and the early health of the child as being keys to life long health (or problems) of the person later.

NY Times article:

New research from around the world has begun to reveal a picture of humans today that is so different from what it was in the past that scientists say they are startled. Over the past 100 years, says one researcher, Robert W. Fogel of the University of Chicago, humans in the industrialized world have undergone “a form of evolution that is unique not only to humankind, but unique among the 7,000 or so generations of humans who have ever inhabited the earth.”

The difference does not involve changes in genes, as far as is known, but changes in the human form. It shows up in several ways, from those that are well known and almost taken for granted, like greater heights and longer lives, to ones that are emerging only from comparisons of health records.

The biggest surprise emerging from the new studies is that many chronic ailments like heart disease, lung disease and arthritis are occurring an average of 10 to 25 years later than they used to. There is also less disability among older people today, according to a federal study that directly measures it. And that is not just because medical treatments like cataract surgery keep people functioning. Human bodies are simply not breaking down the way they did before.

Even the human mind seems improved. The average I.Q. has been increasing for decades, and at least one study found that a person’s chances of having dementia in old age appeared to have fallen in recent years.

The proposed reasons are as unexpected as the changes themselves. Improved medical care is only part of the explanation; studies suggest that the effects seem to have been set in motion by events early in life, even in the womb, that show up in middle and old age.

“What happens before the age of 2 has a permanent, lasting effect on your health, and that includes aging,” said Dr. David J. P. Barker, a professor of medicine at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland and a professor of epidemiology at the University of Southampton in England.

Each event can touch off others. Less cardiovascular disease, for example, can mean less dementia in old age. The reason is that cardiovascular disease can precipitate mini-strokes, which can cause dementia. Cardiovascular disease is also a suspected risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease.

The effects are not just in the United States. Large and careful studies from Finland, Britain, France, Sweden and the Netherlands all confirm that the same things have happened there; they are also beginning to show up in the underdeveloped world.

Of course, there were people in previous generations who lived long and healthy lives, and there are people today whose lives are cut short by disease or who suffer for years with chronic ailments. But on average, the changes, researchers say, are huge.

Even more obvious differences surprise scientists by the extent of the change.

In 1900, 13 percent of people who were 65 could expect to see 85. Now, nearly half of 65-year-olds can expect to live that long.

People even look different today. American men, for example, are nearly 3 inches taller than they were 100 years ago and about 50 pounds heavier.

[Mark L.]

I believe the mothers health, and fathers health at time of conception-though other aspects if around Mum during pregnacy, is extreamly important to the health of the baby.

Ask anyone that breads animals and they'll tell you. Sadly its barely considered with humans.

Anyone can get pregnant and have unhealthy kids...

About 1930 a book call "Nutrition and Physical Degeneration" -Weston A Price was published thatt clearly shows the links of health in the parents and health of offspring. Of course the focus is more on food. This book will blow anyone away and every single person in the health profession should read IM

It shows a clear link. Toxins in the Mother WILL effect the baby.

Mental will effect too

The hearts electromagnetic field can have an effect of around 30 feet.

The Mums heart plays a role in the babies heart and health...but others around will effect baby too-be careful who you let get near you IMO

Mental, emotional-even from a sgtrictly western science point of view-all chemical reactions. You can't pretend that doesn't effect the child.

Eating processed food, drinking regular or worse yet diet pops or other sugar waters like juice, being negative, depressed, angry, around others like that, intake of toxins, imbalance of stress (mental/emotional, physical, hormonal, electromagnetic, financial, relationship, work etc etc etc) all add up

Many natuve cultures would prepare women before marriage. They would feed them a different way and get them health and strong to ensure a health offspring.

Women won't like this one but-birthing wasn't hard for them either...not while they were on thier native diets (and not processed crap).

Eskimo women wouldn't even wake up thier husbands. Just pop it our and introduce when he woke in the am.

N American Indian women would just go off into the bush with a sis or mum and come back 15 min later with the new baby

(never mind babies didn't cry hardly at all)

But with the introduction of sugar and processed flour etc they started having these very long and painful labours. There was a doc that lived with the Indians for about 30 years in and around the time of 'white mans' food starting to creep in.

When they started eating processed garbage the degeneration (and birthing probs began).

The degeneration shown, in part, of narrowing of the face and and hips in females-leading to even more birthing probs.

So this study above shows the effects of the mothers health on the baby.

But will anything come from it in the big picture. Or will it only be looked at in regards of interest how those crazy times effect babies??

Price also showed convincingly how the peoples on thier native diets were happier and more independant. Contributed more to village, tribe etc

He even looked at identical twins when one went to work for white man and ate his food.

No, sorry its not all genetics IMO

Off topic?? maybe.. but related to health of mother and child and sorry but shouldn't we be trying to have healthy children??

[Mark L.]

I do not think for one second though that we are getting healthier!!