thehonestdoctor.com

I’m not talking about “survival” in the cutesy sense of how to feel good and thrive while in your 20’s and early 30’s; I mean how not to die before the age of 35, literally.

The primary killers of young people are very different from the leading causes of death of people over age 35. In order to improve your odds of survival, you need to know what you’re up against.

The Leading Causes of Death for people aged 16-35:

1. Motor Vehicle Accidents
2. Homicide
3. Suicide
4. Accidental Poisoning
5. Cancer
6. Heart Disease
7. HIV
8. Diabetes
9. Stroke
10. Drowning

The list above essentially generates the second list.

Top Ten Ways to Survive ’til You’re 35:

1. Drive Safely. Motor vehicle accidents are not only the leading cause of death for those aged 16-35, but also result in many more people with severe injuries and permanent disability. This may seem like simple (even trivial) advice, but the importance of this can’t be overemphasized. Slow down, obey the traffic laws, and drive defensively.
2. Drive Sober.  A huge percentage of traffic accidents involve drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs.  Having a designated driver or calling a cab is a minor inconvenience for you compared to dealing with a suspended license, jail time, living as a quadriplegic, or being dead.
3. Don’t Do Drugs.  Users of illegal drugs are much more likely to be involved in motor vehicle accidents, become the victims of homicide, commit suicide, or suffer an accidental poisoning/overdose.  Not coincidentally, those are the top four things on the list of things that kill you at your age.
4. Practice Safe Sex or Abstinence.  HIV is among the top ten causes of death at your age, and while all those nasty sexually transmitted diseases like herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhea, hepatitis, trichomonas, syphilis, genital warts/HPV, etc, etc, are less deadly, they’re still a real drag to put it mildly, many of them incurable.
5. Protect your Arteries.  While heart disease and strokes are less common at your age, they’re both still remarkably among the top ten.  Estimate your risk by getting your blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure checked and reviewing the results with your doctor, especially if you have any family history of heart disease.  You could also consider a salad instead of a cheeseburger once in a while.
6. Choose Not to Own a Firearm.  Statistically, those who own firearms are more likely to become the victim of gun violence and add themselves to the homicide statistical category in the first list above.
7. Don’t Self-Medicate.  Many people with mood disorders like depression and anxiety ’self-medicate’ themselves with alcohol and drugs, rather than seeking the help of a professional and receiving appropriate treatment with prescription medication and counseling.  Self-medication will make you more likely to become the victim of an accidental poisoning, car accident, or suicide.
8. Get Checked for Cancer.  Women should have regular pelvic exams and pap smear to reduce your risk for cervical cancer.  Men should be examined occasionally for testicular cancer.  If you have a family history of other types of cancer like leukemia, colon cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer, lymphoma, etc you should meet with your doctor and ask what screening if any he/she thinks is appropriate.  Symptoms such as unexplained weight loss, night sweats, swollen lymph nodes, abdominal pain, breast or testicular lumps should be evaluated by your doctor immediately.
9. Get Checked for Diabetes.  All adults should have an occasional fasting blood sugar test to screen for diabetes, and you should be especially concerned if you develop excessive thirst, increased urination, fatigue, blurred vision, and/or you have a family history.  Adult onset diabetes is becoming more common in your age group, especially among those who are overweight.
10. Don’t Take Excessive Unnecessary Risks.  I’m talking to you, bungie and base jumpers.  Don’t dive into water if you don’t know the depth.  Consider not getting around on a motorcycle (ER doctors call motorcycles “donormobiles,” since so many riders end up as brain-dead organ donors).  What might be a fender-bender in a car is a life-threatening collision on a bike.

So there you have it; one list begets the other.  Now live smart.  Take it from me, living to be 37 isn’t so bad.