A longer life?

[Ken]

I would have thought that you also have to factor into longevity both people feeling happy with their lot (whatever their lot is) and continuing physical work (i.e. exercise). Most of the centenarian Latinas (Ecuador, Peru etc) I've seen on TV are still feeding their chickens, cleaning their own homes and taking care of themselves but have extended family nearby. So maybe the pampering of senior citizens in the Western world leads to early demise?

Lambada, I think there is a lot of truth in that.

There are all sorts of studies confirming that keeping active helps to keep you alive.

I am sure living here has helped me. Not because it is the Dominican Republic, but because I am living here I live differently than in the US. Much less stress, and much more exercise. We don't have a car so we walk everywhere, unless it requires taking public transport because of the distance.

Also, I am involved in things that interest me a great deal. I'm sure, as some other poster mentioned, that this is important, also. If you don't enjoy your life, you might as well check out early.

 

[jrf]

I do agree that the obvious things are what will/may determine your longevity.

Adding a few years because of a change of pace, environment, attitude, the chance to relax by the water or under an umbrella with a presidente and a friend - is not so much about getting a couple of more years - it means a better way of life.

Brought up this topic due to some of the stress in life here for me - and remembered that yes, troubles did come to me while in the RD as well but seemed to affect me in a different way.

I have friends there, say hello to more people, more mobile with less effort.

It is absolutely amazing here in Canada especially at this time of the year but life is life and I figure I'd last longer and be happier there in the RD than here.

 

[dv8]

Do you feel that living in the RD has reduced your stress level? Do you think living there will add some years to your life?

like hell it did! :tired:

maybe my stress level got reduced - i have minovio to worry for my future and what a relief to have somebody else paying my bills! :cheeky:

but i am getting sick a lot more. parasites - first amoeba and now i am being tested again for unwanted guests. then a/c is giving me throat/eye/nose/ear intections and comida dominicana gives me intestinal problems.

after second thought - maybe i have extended my lifespan after all, they say it's the hope that keeps people going and i hope to live back in europe one day again - with minovio, of course!

 

[Chip00]

like hell it did! :tired:

maybe my stress level got reduced - i have minovio to worry for my future and what a relief to have somebody else paying my bills! :cheeky:

but i am getting sick a lot more. parasites - first amoeba and now i am being tested again for unwanted guests. then a/c is giving me throat/eye/nose/ear intections and comida dominicana gives me intestinal problems.

after second thought - maybe i have extended my lifespan after all, they say it's the hope that keeps people going and i hope to live back in europe one day again - with minovio, of course!

How long have you been here dv8? the reason I ask is that after about 6 months and a good few bouts of the bug you should be good to go more or less. I can recommend that whatever you do don't take anything to plug you up - let it run it's natural course.

The normal Domican food of rice, beans and meat shouldn't be causing the problem but green vegetables can. I in fact eat a green salad washed in the normal tap water everyday and it's been a while since I had a bout. I wouldn't be surprised if trying to protect yourself by being very cautious has not allowed you to get all of the good salmonella(yes salmonella!!) in your intestinal lining that you're system needs.(this from a Doctor here in the Dr and the States)

As far as the ac we have none here in Santiago and I haven't missed it yet. Everytime I go back to the States the house I stay at always has the ac on high and my sinuses stop up the very first day. Get rid of the ac if you can. Believe it or not you're body will aclimatize itself and you will feel so much better. Then after that all you will need to sleep well is a cold shower and the fan.

Take care

 

[Camden Tom]

Lambada, I think there is a lot of truth in that.

There are all sorts of studies confirming that keeping active helps to keep you alive.

I am sure living here has helped me. Not because it is the Dominican Republic, but because I am living here I live differently than in the US. Much less stress, and much more exercise. We don't have a car so we walk everywhere, unless it requires taking public transport because of the distance.

Also, I am involved in things that interest me a great deal. I'm sure, as some other poster mentioned, that this is important, also. If you don't enjoy your life, you might as well check out early.

I think that Lambada is right on the money. Longevity comes about from living an active life. Ken, I think you and Barbara are definately in the minority of expats. You do take care of yourselves. So many expats that I know or have observed have made themselves into invalids. " Why do it yourself when you can hire a Dominican to do it for 10 bucks a day?" When Mary and I decided to paint our own house in Cabarete, everybody looked at us like we were nuts. Why not? We're perfectly capable. I don't ever want to fall victim of becomeing an "expat invalid".

 

[Mirador]

I think that Lambada is right on the money. Longevity comes about from living an active life. Ken, I think you and Barbara are definately in the minority of expats. You do take care of yourselves. So many expats that I know or have observed have made themselves into invalids. " Why do it yourself when you can hire a Dominican to do it for 10 bucks a day?" When Mary and I decided to paint our own house in Cabarete, everybody looked at us like we were nuts. Why not? We're perfectly capable. I don't ever want to fall victim of becomeing an "expat invalid".

I suggest next time, Mary and you hire a Dominican "for 10 bucks a day" to do the house paint. You probably knocked off a few years of your average life expectancy by doing it yourself. The professional literature is chock-full of brain and lung diseases caused by inhaling the fumes of house paints, like toxic encephalopathology, bronchiolitis obliterans, pneumoconiosis, even heart disease and stroke. Not trying to scare you though. I assume you both used appropriate NIOSH approved chemical protection masks....

 

[Motorcycler]

Ea Rayos Mirador... You have given me something to think about next time we look at painting the house...

 

[M.A.R.]

Ea Rayos Mirador... You have given me something to think about next time we look at painting the house...

:ermm: Ea Rayos is right...but I mean Mirador is totally paranoid, hahah that rhymed....anyway....I would say fumes are harmful but not in the DR if you are painting a house out in the open not locked up in an apartment and even if it was an apartment there's always lots of windows and a breeze to sweep away the fumes. Mirador I think you worry too much, relax and add years to your life.:cheeky: and in any case, wear a mask.

 

[M.A.R.]

like hell it did! :tired:



but i am getting sick a lot more. parasites - first amoeba and now i am being tested again for unwanted guests. then a/c is giving me throat/eye/nose/ear intections and comida dominicana gives me intestinal problems.

QUOTE]

dv8 here is helpful info.to settle your stomach....try it, it works for a healthy intestine.
http://www.dr1.com/forums/living/59128-glass-containers-kefir-kambucha.html?highlight=kefir

 

[laurapasinifan]

I guess there might be a chance and a longer more tranquil life in the DR if you dont have to deal with Codatel, or the electric company...........at least from what I hear.

I just got off the phone with my internet, and phone provider.... they have been messing up my bill for the last 4 months....and it is insane how stupid they are....their company's right hand doesnt have a clue what their left hand is doing.....soooo knowing dominican customer service...I got to believe it is 10 times worse there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

bob

 

[Sharon Ann]

My moto is " AGE IS JUST A MARKER OF TIME " It only means you are on this planet for a certain amount of time. It really does mean anything else one can be healthy, or unhealthy. activie or unactive, depressed or happy, sane or insane, in love or hurting, wise or stupied etc at any age.

But personally being near the ocean does help me to go into a state of meditation where I am totally in the moment and when I am lost in the moment I believe it contributes to being more relaxed and helps me destress and more focused and more stable.

Although if you become involved with a elloco Dominicano you can end up having lots of stress in your life in to DR. It all about self care and setting healthy lifestyle and relationship boundaries which can really be a challenge. But I do love the DR.

 

[Chip00]

I've heard a lot of people say in this thread say living next to the ocean is relaxing but I, on the other, hand grew up looking next to the ocean and even though I like going to the beach sometimes I prefer the mountains.

For me the ocean always seemed so lonely - however, that was in South Carolina where we had a lot of grey skies and even greyer water and of course here it is a lot different. It has actually fun for me to go to the beach again and I can't wait to get my snorkel in the mail so I can start checking out the coral reefs!

 

[Mirador]

.... but I mean Mirador is totally paranoid, hahah that rhymed....anyway....I would say fumes are harmful but not in the DR....QUOTE]

Paranoid? It took me years to get over lung damage produced by inhaling paint fumes, which I?m sure contributed to two cardiac events I've suffered. When I was in college, I discovered my favorite fine arts teacher pouring industrial paints (the kind used for painting the underside of boats) over huge canvases. I told him about the dangers of inhaling the fumes, and his response was that he was aware of the consequences, and added that he only needed ten years to complete his work. He was a young fellow. I don?t know how much longer he lasted, or whether he completed his ?life? work. I?ve never seen any of his works in museums. However, I?m grateful he gave me an ?A? for his class, which I tend to attribute more to the fact that I provided him regularly with peyote, bofore it was outlawed, and became legal only for Native American Religious ceremonies...

 

[palomitamia]

Same in Georgia,. Armenia and Azerbaijan in former Soviet Union. People there have no health care and eat very unhealthy diet with a lot of meat and wine. But live up to their 100s and never are impotents. But they do not have neither contamination from traffic, nor oppression and stress from police nor McDonalds or KFC fast food.

Almost like DR.

wow, this is unfortunately not right. The contamination from traffic is higher, then in some big cities in the States and people very often do pass away in their early 60-s. The stress level is also extremely high, because the life is really hard there......The police does stress people whenever they can. The fast food chanes arrived ages ago.Where did you get this information from?

Take care,

P.

 

[Ken]

I don't ever want to fall victim of becoming an "expat invalid".

Tom, going to the gym instead of talking about it will help in that regard.

 

[batich]

wow, this is unfortunately not right. The contamination from traffic is higher, then in some big cities in the States and people very often do pass away in their early 60-s. The stress level is also extremely high, because the life is really hard there......The police does stress people whenever they can. The fast food chanes arrived ages ago.Where did you get this information from?

Take care,

P.

Maybe my info is outdated and obsolete. Many years passed since the last time I climbed those beautiful clean mountains.
Elbrus. Cheget. Terskol. Adil Su.What a memories!

If now they also live like americans I feel sincerely sorry for them. Que lastima. Que verguenza.

 

[dv8]

thanks to everyone who cared - results are back from the lab with amebiasis (again) and helicobacter piloris (that's new).

i am sure my life will be cut short...:tired:

chipp00, i have been here 10 months, maybe i am an easy pray for all parasites, given the fact i've had anaemia for the last 6 years (can't blame DR for that :cheeky: ). minovio calls me "diseases magnet".....

but, on the bright side - when i was sick in london there was no one to give me proverbial glass of water. at least here i am have someone to take care of me. relaxing ocean is on the other side of the road (crossing the road is a stress thou ). altogether it's good, yes.

 

[Lambada]

If you've got chronic H. pylori then minovio is right because it weakens the natural defences of the lining of the stomach. Did the 6 years anaemia diagnosis come from a test of live blood cells (via darkfield microscopy) or an electron micoscopy test (test taken away & done some time later in a lab.)? I just wonder if the anaemia might be elevated white cell count due to something like rouleau condition. Google & read up on it. If you've got ulcers with the H. pylori they'll probably prescribe 2/3 types of antibiotics - if you haven't they might not.

It's also possible that you didn't fully get rid of the amoebas last time. They just lay low for a while & then zapped you again. All of this is treatable so I won't buy a black dress just yet. And look on the bright side - the more weight you lose from tummy area the more those DDDs are going to.........be really noticeable.

 

[dv8]

damn...:tired:
never mind my parasites.

actually this story with longer life - could it be that gringos life span increases because of the wealth? life expectancy in DR is several years shorter then in USA, CA or UK.....
we have this thread about breastfeeding and lack of understanding about nutrition...

 

[jrf]

That's a good question. (by the way - glad ya well dv8)

I am not totally sure that wealth has anything to do with it. If you mean by 'wealth' you mean the ability to pay for a doctor's visit or medication I am sure.
Wealth to the Dominican I am sure is much different than the definition to an ex-pat.

Life for the Dominicano figuring the apparent lack of stress and a freer less stressful way of life - just don't think so.
I think they may be able to say 'manana' however the diet, environment (as opposed to living in the campo), and likely many worse uncontrollable events happening in their lives, such as family illness, lack of work must take their toll.

Would a Dominicano live longer in NAmerica or the UK?

What percentage of the population does not really understand the value of nutrition - wouldn't that be relevant to the level of poverty?
As in, if half the island is living under less than acceptable levels of income (lol) wouldn't the ratio be about the same?
If the amount of wealthy Dominicanos was 15% then I would imagine that they may live longer.

When we visit the RD we seem to relish in the fact that it is carefree, easy going, and less worries. The issue of wealth affords us to be there but I believe when we don't worry about our wealth - or stress about the bills - we are happier.