Today people are living to be much older than ever before. Some of the main reasons for this are the improved health care and better nutrition available to everyone.
; E' A* g" Y' G4 `, j" {, S/ L4 lMedical care is more available to people. Although not everyone can get the best health care,
4 U* j$ k2 @3 m7 U, N$ Ceveryone can get basic health care and advice. When people are seriously ill, they can go to a
: k/ I% E8 |; i# B; A4 `% vpublic hospital and be taken care of. Years ago, health care wasn’t available to everyone. Some people didn’t live near a doctor or a hospital, and others couldn’t pay for the care they needed. + y! g. m6 ]6 ^9 G
They made do with herbal medicines or folk remedies. Of course, some of these worked, but not for the more serious diseases.
) f7 e8 ^9 p. d% KThe quality of medical care has improved. That’s also a factor in longevity. Doctors know more
. {, t7 `; E0 T$ w, C/ Bnow about what causes disease and how to cure it. Years ago, doctors only knew about the most
2 Z. e/ [- N T {% S: K3 wbasic diseases and cures. Medicine was not very advanced. You could die from something as 6 m8 r' b3 ~- s5 C: Q4 w `
simple as an infection from a cut. Now we have antibiotics and other medicines to help cure 8 }- L. Y+ \, z( J3 G
infections.
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# _2 ^4 Y9 E' o% `& O( X/ l$ n. ^People are also living longer now because of better nutrition. We’re eating better and more 3 O; J" ?2 ^2 n9 @& M; G3 {
healthfully than we used to. That’s reduced the number of people with heart disease and cancer.
" Q5 a9 h/ x8 f' x0 G- `We try to eat low-fat foods and eat more vegetables and fruits, which are now available year- 1 B( V1 _, m( j5 p
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Improved medical care and healthy eating habits has greatly expanded our life spans. What we need to do now is make ’sure that everyone in the world has these benefits. |