The Perfect Storm of Health

We think of a perfect storm relating to weather. It is a rare combination of factors that meet at a single point in time. It can also be equated to other things in our lives. The Perfect Storm of Health is a double-edged sword. It can be fantastic or devastating.

Multiple events occurring within a very short period of time can combine to make you super healthy or super sick. We’ve seen it with the elderly. One day they are in reasonable health and can do most things to live a normal life.

A fall might result in a broken hip. Treatment for that problem might result in another malady (conjunctive heart failure, for example). Then another and another. Several unpredicted events compound the original problem and make it worse.

Before long, this combination of health issues might end with deathbed visits from relatives. A common thread of conversation is that this person was in such good health not that long ago.

We tend to think in the negative. However, I see articles about people living well past their 100’s. When asked about the secret of their longevity, it can be anything from one drink a day, to forgiveness, to a special food they eat daily.

I believe there are many factors that influence health positively if we choose them. However, if we choose not to, then our health can be in jeopardy down the road.

Studies show that human growth hormone and telomere length are the two primal causes of aging. Exercise (both strength training and HIIT) enhance longevity. Intermittent fasting increases human growth hormone faster than almost anything else. Caloric restriction is linked with 20-30% increase in lifespan with most animals. Balanced nutrition is needed to keep us healthy from nutrient deficiencies. The level of pH of our bodies is also relatively easy to control.

We have many options, yet we don’t know about them. If we ignore them, then it is possible that several unpredicted factors might collide at the same time and wreck havoc on our health. Sometimes we can recover and make amends and live a better life. But, many we can’t. Half the time a person with cardiovascular disease finds out about it when they survive that first heart attack.