Even though baby boomers may be more educated and prosperous than previous ones, there's a growing consensus among experts that they could be the first generation heading toward retirement in worse health than their parents, a frightening development I've been tracking for awhile.
Throwing up the most red flags is the ongoing Health and Retirement Study that monitors the health of more than 22,000 Americans over age 50 every two years. Researchers were surprised to learn the first group of post World War II children they surveyed (born from 1948-53) reported poorer health than patients born ads much as 17 years earlier.
Some speculate these dismal reports have to do with people being more health-conscious, thus less tolerant of the changes they're experiencing. I'm afraid the implication of a silver lining by some is a false one, however, that neglects to take into account the epidemic of obesity, an undersold problem at best in America.
That's not even taking into account the toxic load of mostly useless and unnecessary drugs even reasonably healthy folks take to regulate their blood pressure or cholesterol.
Fortunately, you have all the free tools you'll ever need on my Web site -- ranging from learning to eat what foods your body burns best to better managing your emotions -- to reverse this deadly trend.
Washington Post April 20, 2007