SandwichShortOfAPicnic
Veteran
Absolutely. There is a point where people are living restricted lives taking part in activities they don't enjoy to prolong their life for what? More of the same?!Unfortunately, health is less in our hands than we get told by media and popular culture. When I first got diagnosed with Crohns disease I had been vegan for 10 years, and despite my life long weight issues have always tried to be as healthy as possible. Nothing is as motivating to want to do health 'right' as being as ill as SatNavSaysStraightOn or I are.
But doing things 'right' doesn't solve all issues, even more so if you started out at life disadvantaged like I am (disability, abusive parents) no matter how hard you try it isn't all in your hands.
I've certainly not got the 'perfect' diet for myself currently, but that's because I've been near death three times already and doing everything 'right' made no difference. For me personally quality of life is more important now, as I don't know how long I still have. What people tend to forget when you're struggling with serious illness for 20+ years like I am is that you are already fighting for things others consider perfectly normal and expected when you're young, like being able to go out or see friends. Then there comes a point where you're going to choose quality over quantity. Of course, I am speaking for me and not Satnav. I am sorry for her that's she's in this position even though trying so hard
Someone can do absolutely everything that's advised as a 'good lifestyle' and still get whopped by their genetics or simply the luck of the draw.
But we do also know for sure that certain behaviours are likely lead to ill health, avoiding certain things and making a conscious choice to take part in others can help people have a better quality of life too.
Some folk get lucky and have the genes that allows them to get away with things others can't.
I assessed an alcoholic for surgery once who was drinking approximately a bottle of whisky a day. He made no bones about the fact he wasn't stopping, he enjoyed it. Now that is an unhealthy lifestyle choice but it is his life. As a concession to taking care of himself he attended his GP surgery every six months for a liver function test saying he'd stop when the results weren't good.
This had been going on for many years.
So I look up his results knowing for sure they are going to be bad and this guys not telling the whole truth.
But he was. His results were perfectly normal! Realistically they are unlikely to stay normal forever but his liver was able to easily process this enormous toxic load and had done for many many years.
So there you go genetics!