Inexcusable culture

metalpalace

Here is a staggering statistic. According to ACE and ACSM 80% of all American deaths in TODAYS culture is largely due to lifestyle choices. Seriously, by choice??? Quite frankly that is inexcusable.

What the hell is wrong with us???

Discuss...

P.S. BRAVO to those of you out there who give a damn about your well being and the wellness of those around you.

VardaElentari

Interesting. My hubby and I were just conversing about this. We decided that the only way to rebel against American culture is by not consuming. And none of us natives seem to be able to stop consuming once we've started. That's what we concluded, anyway. We were discussing this after being gluttons at the greatest Mexican restaurant in town. :drinker: :laugh:

kankan213

Gluttony is sad. But thanks to big business and capitalism, America cares more about making money off of brainwashing children to crave soda pop and ice cream rather then their general health. Video games have taken over playing outside and sugary processed foods have replaced natural sugars like fruit.
I expect nothing less from a country who spends billions of dollars marketing things that will potentially (more than likely that is) kill its consumers.

metalpalace

Interesting. My hubby and I were just conversing about this. We decided that the only way to rebel against American culture is by not consuming. And none of us natives seem to be able to stop consuming once we've started. That's what we concluded, anyway. We were discussing this after being gluttons at the greatest Mexican restaurant in town. :drinker: :laugh:

LoL I LOVE good mexican food that is typically where my cheat meals go, mexican style! But even my quantity of cheat meals I keep under control my body fat is right on key! Cheating responsibly is totally ok!

apalesko

Interesting statistic, thank you for sharing. How do they define "lifestyle" choice, though? That are many things that encompass a lifestyle, beyond what people choose to eat and drink. So I would take that to have a pretty broad meaning.

metalpalace

Gluttony is sad. But thanks to big business and capitalism, America cares more about making money off of brainwashing children to crave soda pop and ice cream rather then their general health. Video games have taken over playing outside and sugary processed foods have replaced natural sugars like fruit.
I expect nothing less from a country who spends billions of dollars marketing things that will potentially (more than likely that is) kill its consumers.

This is where I disagree with a lot of conspiracy theorists (not to say you are one or not). It's we the people that cultivate our culture including our media, government, and market places by our sheer demand, voting, and shopping patterns. The government is 100% empowered by us. Sadly we don't live up to our potential to be great but rather we have taken the lazy and gluttonous apathetic road. We even have a new phrase in our country NEVER heard before by any other society... The Onset of early childhood obesity. EMBARRASSING! It's embarrassing because it's preventable, even reversible.

It's the potential for greatness that gives me hope for the future because it is a free country, free to make it as great or as embarrassing as we make it to be. Lets hope in the near future we clean up ourselves.

metalpalace

Interesting statistic, thank you for sharing. How do they define "lifestyle" choice, though? That are many things that encompass a lifestyle, beyond what people choose to eat and drink. So I would take that to have a pretty broad meaning.

It is a broad term, lifestyle choices. In the context it was written in they are referring to increasingly poor nutritional choices and sedentary activity levels. To think it really is that simple.... Diet and exercise... And we are messing it up terribly with an 80% death rate. The more that logic sets in, the more I agree with my thread title.

apalesko

Hmmm. Okay, thanks for elaborating! I would not have expected just nutritional choices to include such a high number as a statistic, I had other 'dangerous' lifestyles in mind... Hmmm. Very interesting to know!

metalpalace

LoL point well taken. Whats the name of that medical examiners show on one of the learning channels? Always people meeting their deaths over really stupid stunts.

kankan213

Gluttony is sad. But thanks to big business and capitalism, America cares more about making money off of brainwashing children to crave soda pop and ice cream rather then their general health. Video games have taken over playing outside and sugary processed foods have replaced natural sugars like fruit.
I expect nothing less from a country who spends billions of dollars marketing things that will potentially (more than likely that is) kill its consumers.

This is where I disagree with a lot of conspiracy theorists (not to say you are one or not). It's we the people that cultivate our culture including our media, government, and market places by our sheer demand, voting, and shopping patterns. The government is 100% empowered by us. Sadly we don't live up to our potential to be great but rather we have taken the lazy and gluttonous apathetic road. We even have a new phrase in our country NEVER heard before by any other society... The Onset of early childhood obesity. EMBARRASSING! It's embarrassing because it's preventable, even reversible.

It's the potential for greatness that gives me hope for the future because it is a free country, free to make it as great or as embarrassing as we make it to be. Lets hope in the near future we clean up ourselves.

Well put. I am not a conspiracy theorist, (yay!) and I do blame "we the people" so to say, I suppose you just had better words to say where I was attempting to go. lol

BrendaLee

I have to agree that we are a brain-washed culture. We've been raised to want more of everything, and to demand it now, because we have a sense of entitlement. We buy now, pay later. We overeat, over-indulge, and over-enjoy now and pay later.

MacMadame

How do they define "lifestyle" choice, though?

That's what I want to know. Depending on how you define it, you could end up with practically every disease known to man and all accidents as being caused by lifestyle.

apalesko

How do they define "lifestyle" choice, though?

That's what I want to know. Depending on how you define it, you could end up with practically every disease known to man and all accidents as being caused by lifestyle.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. I mean, the way I see it, something like having unprotected sex is a lifestyle choice, and that can certainly have a big impact on your life/death. Speeding on the highways might be called a 'dangerous lifestyle' and could lead to deaths... Etc. Still, an interesting statistic.

LeanLioness

Gluttony is sad. But thanks to big business and capitalism, America cares more about making money off of brainwashing children to crave soda pop and ice cream rather then their general health. Video games have taken over playing outside and sugary processed foods have replaced natural sugars like fruit.
I expect nothing less from a country who spends billions of dollars marketing things that will potentially (more than likely that is) kill its consumers.

You are so correct. I don't even believe in mainstream medicine any longer.............I go to a naturopath and a natural pharmacist.

It is conspiracy against the people of this country..............Get us fat and addicted to non-nutritional sugar and white flour products (the low fat craze of the 70's and 80's).............Then you get all types of medical problems and have to go on expensive medications and go the Doctor frequently.............

Everyone makes money off of you being sick, tired and fat and a multitude of health problems, vicious cycle.................then you die.

It is a conspiracy and a form of genocide on our own people of this country.

That is why it is cheap to buy hot dogs (filled with preservatives and chemicals), chips, plain cheap pasta, boxed foods.............

Fresh meats and eggs that are free from hormones and anti-biotics are way expensive and so are fresh fruits and veggies................so much so that they are out of reach to be able to be purchased by the average american these days.

arewethereyet

I would include lifestyle choices as also drinking and driving, drug abuse, driving too fast for conditions, motorcycles without helmuts and common sense. I see deaths each day that are needless and have nothing to do with food and exercise and everything to do with lifstyle choices.

Sad

foxyforce

i doubt the validity of this study, and the idea that these are 'choices' is so confouded with other variables. i know people are dumb and make poor choices, we all have, we all do, and we all will continue to do so in the future, but 80%? someone may be using drugs and get killed in a car accident that was never their fault. 80% is too high for me to find that credible, maybe i just don't want to believe it though. i dunno. interesting to think about though.

cardigirl

Here is a staggering statistic. According to ACE and ACSM 80% of all American deaths in TODAYS culture is largely due to lifestyle choices. Seriously, by choice??? Quite frankly that is inexcusable.

What the hell is wrong with us???

Discuss...

P.S. BRAVO to those of you out there who give a damn about your well being and the wellness of those around you.

Could you post a link to the article where you read this statistic? Would love to read it. Thanks.

lessertess

Gluttony is sad. But thanks to big business and capitalism, America cares more about making money off of brainwashing children to crave soda pop and ice cream rather then their general health. Video games have taken over playing outside and sugary processed foods have replaced natural sugars like fruit.
I expect nothing less from a country who spends billions of dollars marketing things that will potentially (more than likely that is) kill its consumers.

This is where I disagree with a lot of conspiracy theorists (not to say you are one or not). It's we the people that cultivate our culture including our media, government, and market places by our sheer demand, voting, and shopping patterns. The government is 100% empowered by us. Sadly we don't live up to our potential to be great but rather we have taken the lazy and gluttonous apathetic road. We even have a new phrase in our country NEVER heard before by any other society... The Onset of early childhood obesity. EMBARRASSING! It's embarrassing because it's preventable, even reversible.

It's the potential for greatness that gives me hope for the future because it is a free country, free to make it as great or as embarrassing as we make it to be. Lets hope in the near future we clean up ourselves.

I agree. As a society it's easy to blame the government or big business, but they don't make these choices. We do. As a parent if you choose to purchase fast food and sodas and allow the TV or games console to "babysit" your child, that's your choice. To place the blame anywhere else is simply another way to avoid responsibility. The government and business are just reacting to what society has asked for. The government isn't brainwashing anyone, nor are businesses. They just deliver what we ask for.

As for what's wrong with us. In the long run, nothing. Sooner or later (unfortunately it looks like it will have to get much worse before it gets better) America will figure it out and find a solution. We've taken the first step in becoming aware.

lessertess

Gluttony is sad. But thanks to big business and capitalism, America cares more about making money off of brainwashing children to crave soda pop and ice cream rather then their general health. Video games have taken over playing outside and sugary processed foods have replaced natural sugars like fruit.
I expect nothing less from a country who spends billions of dollars marketing things that will potentially (more than likely that is) kill its consumers.

You are so correct. I don't even believe in mainstream medicine any longer.............I go to a naturopath and a natural pharmacist.

It is conspiracy against the people of this country..............Get us fat and addicted to non-nutritional sugar and white flour products (the low fat craze of the 70's and 80's).............Then you get all types of medical problems and have to go on expensive medications and go the Doctor frequently.............

Everyone makes money off of you being sick, tired and fat and a multitude of health problems, vicious cycle.................then you die.

It is a conspiracy and a form of genocide on our own people of this country.

That is why it is cheap to buy hot dogs (filled with preservatives and chemicals), chips, plain cheap pasta, boxed foods.............

Fresh meats and eggs that are free from hormones and anti-biotics are way expensive and so are fresh fruits and veggies................so much so that they are out of reach to be able to be purchased by the average american these days.

Well, I can't agree with this. There are countries that are really experiencing genocide. A choice to eat processed foods simply does not qualify.

Again, it's about personal choices and your own belief system.

My sister grows her own vegetables, raises chickens and pigs, and she and her husband hunt for the majority of their meat (and butcher it themselves). For a family of three, they probably spend less than $1000 a year on groceries (and that includes canning supplies). The food they eat is extraordinarily healthy. They don't even have cable or the internet because they work full time jobs and then come home and work full time to manage the farm and livestock. I've never seen people work so hard in my life. I could do a smaller version of this in my back yard but DONT WANT TO. It's darn hard work.

As for the price of organic foods. I had a college roommate who made next to no money who would buy nothing but organic. She sacrificed a whole lot of things the rest of us would consider essentials to be able to do so. I have a friend who will only buy locally produced items and refused to support any kind of national or chain business. He and his family sacrifice a lot of other things to support that belief because it's important to them. And we live in a country that supports those choices.

The bottom line is that you will find ways to do what is important to you. If you care about organic than sacrifice in other areas of your life to be able to purchase it, or grow it on your own.

However, not all of us have this belief system. I'm a firm believer in moderation. I eat mostly whole foods but supplement it with processed foods (especially some frozen veggies). Based on some research I did, there are some things that are more important to have organic than others. For those, I'll pay extra and for the rest, I buy conventional. And I'm also more than willing to buy a hotdog or pizza every now and then. I don't think those hotdogs are going to kill me, I've been doing it my whole life and I'm 47 years old and never been seriously ill.

My point is that, as Americans we have a choice and we have to take responsibility for those choices. To blame the governement or business is simply a way avoid that responsibility.

carisarae8569

i totally agree!!! OUR CHILDREN ARE LEARNING WHAT WE TEACH THEM!!! You know wht really irritates me about this conversation....one time i was in the back of a cop car...and the cop said to me"why would a good girl like u be hanging around a guy like this?"....he wasnt a bad person..but raised in a situation where his lifestyle was all he knew!!! ...n i told the cop that!! n i told the cop its societies fault kids grow up how they do!! if you have rich parents...they teach u to be rich....if u have poor parents ...u learn to survive in a poor lifestyle...so how in the hell ..im sorry...but how are we supposed to change how other people raise their kids??? people in this country are too fast paced...nobody can slow down and relax..that's what is wrong with us!! ya know once i had a argument with my good friend ..she was saying how everyone should eat organic food!!...lol...i said WHAT ABOUT THE PPL WHO CANT AFFORD IT? ...and she said that was a choice they would have to make...having nice things or eatin healthy..and i said...some ppl would have to live n a box to eat your healthy food...lets not be blind people...

carisarae8569

and yes our country wants to kill us.....and the media brainwashes us....and its a man's world where women are forced to be competitive more and more...we are all forced to dress up like porn stars and prance around men so they can pick us...screw that..screw ppl that r tryin to kill me with their food..and their pills...i never take pills...i take childrens vitamins..i dont trust anyone..and if you were smart you wouldnt either!

tabbydog

Another issue is the fact that Americans are so germaphobic. Everything has to be pasurized, bleached, processed and prepackaged to protect us from dirt and germs. I live in rural VT and it is against the law for farmers to sell more than a couple of gallons of fresh, unpasturized milk. So, even if I live right next door to a farmer, he will get in trouble for letting me take milk that might have germs in it! I do think that the "system" is afraid that too much of the milk (just using milk as an example) will become "unregulated." Another thing, the prices being paid to the farmers are lower than they have been since the '50's, but we consumers still pay nearly $4 for a gallon at the grocery store. In a perfect world, we could buy from the farmer for a fraction of the cost in the store, and he would get a more fair price than he does now! Small family farms are going out of business left and right, and the choices are getting fewer and fewer for buying locally grown, healthy, unprocessed, and yes, maybe a little bit dirty, food! :mad:

I just re-read, and it seems like a rant, and maybe slightly off topic, so my apologies! :embarassed:

TCASMEY

I don't think anyone is to blame for your choices other than you. We all have brains and must use them. I think we are smarter than the ads we see on tv. We don't have to eat what they are selling....unless we want to. This is still a country where you are allowed to make choices. The problem is when people make bad choices rather than blame themselves they look for a scapegoat. (I ate every meal at Mcdonalds, supersized it and now I am fat therefore I must sue Mcdonalds.....I put hot coffee between my legs and it spilled and I got burned now I need to blame somebody because it was not my fault) There are examples of this every day. Even our government officials blame others until not one of them can tell fact from fiction anymore. If our leaders cannot stand up and take responsibility for their actions why should we.

I don't see our culture as inexcusable I think we use too many excuses. Instead we need to take responsibility for our actions and choices and learn from them, or continue doing them. It is a free country and we are allowed to make choices, as long as they do not break our laws. I may not agree with your choices and you may not agree with mine but that is what makes us unique and not the same as everyone else.

xsargex

I just got a message from Tyler Derden.... he says you all have broken Rule #1.

"First rule of Fight Club is...you don't talk about Fight Club"

metalpalace

How do they define "lifestyle" choice, though?

That's what I want to know. Depending on how you define it, you could end up with practically every disease known to man and all accidents as being caused by lifestyle.

The 80% statistic is based on only exercise and nutrition. So, in todays culture 80% of all deaths in America is largely a result of nutrition and exercise choices, or lack there of. Diseases and illnesses are largely cultivated through nutrient deficiencies. Nutrient deficiencies can lead to any number of illnesses and diseases in the book. Increasing sedentary life styles exacerbate the natural aging process and further inhibits our bodies natural tendencies to recovery ,fight off illness, and prevent illness and disease.

It is very rare in our country, today, to hear of someone dying of old age peacefully in their sleep. Most of us are robbing ourselves of a higher quality life and of a more peaceful and more dignified death. This is also a huge emotional burden on surrounding loved ones who have to witness a less than peaceful death. Our health crises in America is also a HUGE contributing factor to our over all economic situation not just in health care. Billions of dollars spent on what could have been prevented through nutrition and exercise per one city in fact.

metalpalace

i doubt the validity of this study, and the idea that these are 'choices' is so confouded with other variables. i know people are dumb and make poor choices, we all have, we all do, and we all will continue to do so in the future, but 80%? someone may be using drugs and get killed in a car accident that was never their fault. 80% is too high for me to find that credible, maybe i just don't want to believe it though. i dunno. interesting to think about though.

Im sure there is a margin of error. If you follow studies at all then you know the significance level is going to be within a .5% margin of error or it would not have been published. I'm not sure if these findings can be found online I only know of them in academic text book publishings. ACSM and ACE are the two that I know of.

havingitall

I would have to think that smoking and old age cause more than just 20%

metalpalace

and yes our country wants to kill us.....and the media brainwashes us....and its a man's world where women are forced to be competitive more and more...we are all forced to dress up like porn stars and prance around men so they can pick us...screw that..screw ppl that r tryin to kill me with their food..and their pills...i never take pills...i take childrens vitamins..i dont trust anyone..and if you were smart you wouldnt either!

The media and the government may or may not be trying to brain wash us who knows, I wouldnt put it past them. But, it is still a free country. If you believe "they" are trying to brain wash you then it is up to you to not be naive.

As far as your belief on, its all how you are raised... Sure most of us grow into how we were raised but even that is still a choice. Some people have STRONGER character than others and a stronger sense of individual identity. Our great opportunist nation has plenty of rags to riches success stories. People pull themselves up by their own boot straps all the time in our great country even against great odds! Most people do not. Either way it's a choice. The opportunities are out there. If you dont like where you are at right now then change your personal philosophies to change everything for your future regardless of how you were brought up. I'm not pointing you out specifically, just speaking in general terms.

LeanLioness

Another issue is the fact that Americans are so germaphobic. Everything has to be pasurized, bleached, processed and prepackaged to protect us from dirt and germs. I live in rural VT and it is against the law for farmers to sell more than a couple of gallons of fresh, unpasturized milk. So, even if I live right next door to a farmer, he will get in trouble for letting me take milk that might have germs in it! I do think that the "system" is afraid that too much of the milk (just using milk as an example) will become "unregulated." Another thing, the prices being paid to the farmers are lower than they have been since the '50's, but we consumers still pay nearly $4 for a gallon at the grocery store. In a perfect world, we could buy from the farmer for a fraction of the cost in the store, and he would get a more fair price than he does now! Small family farms are going out of business left and right, and the choices are getting fewer and fewer for buying locally grown, healthy, unprocessed, and yes, maybe a little bit dirty, food! :mad:

I just re-read, and it seems like a rant, and maybe slightly off topic, so my apologies! :embarassed:

I agree, but who says that everything has to be homogenized and pasteurized............The government says so.

I buy raw milk, raw yogurt, cheese, butter, heavy cream, eggs - straight from a farm. I also go to the farmers market and my neighborhood coop for all of my groceries. I purchase grass fed beef, free range chicken and pork from another farm so I know there are no hormones and antibiotics in my meat................That stuff is unnecessary, but the government says it is.............


And whomever said that hot dogs, frozen pizza will not hurt you???? Yes, it will. It is full of nitrates and nitrites, which are known carcinogens and then cancer feeds off sugar, which most Americans are so addicted to.

Sugar is in everything - things that sugar does not belong in. I don't need sugar in my mayonnaise, salad dressings, etc.................it is even in cigarettes.

Jennplus2

I think the movie Wally said it all! The humans ride around in chairs and never take there eyes off the TV screen, all over weight, slurpy sucking waste of life forms.

But instead of *****ing about it why not go talk at a local school about healthy food choices. Support the local farmers, write to congress about the lack of water to go to farms, ect.

My kids have quite a few friends who wont eat at my house because we serve fruit and veggies for snacks and if they don't eat the fruit or veggies they don't eat. Once a boy asked me where are the frozen pizzas, I told him he could have carrots or an apple and he laughed! He thought that I was kidding, that made me sad. He said he didn't think that carrots looked tasty! He had never eaten a carrot before! He can however, tell you ever kind of pizza that Round Table serves!

xsargex

I think the movie Wally said it all! The humans ride around in chairs and never take there eyes off the TV screen, all over weight, slurpy sucking waste of life forms.

But instead of *****ing about it why not go talk at a local school about healthy food choices. Support the local farmers, write to congress about the lack of water to go to farms, ect.

My kids have quite a few friends who wont eat at my house because we serve fruit and veggies for snacks and if they don't eat the fruit or veggies they don't eat. Once a boy asked me where are the frozen pizzas, I told him he could have carrots or an apple and he laughed! He thought that I was kidding, that made me sad. He said he didn't think that carrots looked tasty! He had never eaten a carrot before! He can however, tell you ever kind of pizza that Round Table serves!

My mom ran a small daycare when I was growing up. She had them kids convinced that crackers were cookies. hahahaha, now thats manipulation if I've ever heard of it.

p.s. I had pizza sunday night.