Amish prove clean living pays off

[The Straight Story]

Amish prove clean living pays off


COLUMBUS, Ohio, Jan. 4 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers say an examination of cancer rates among the Amish underscores the virtues of exercise, not smoking, healthy food and fewer sex partners.

Researchers at the Ohio State University's James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute in Columbus say they were not surprised tobacco-related cancers were 63 percent lower among the non-smoking Amish than in the non-Amish.

Other factors such as eating organic food, having few sexual partners and wearing long sleeves and wide-brimmed hats, may also have helped keep cancer rates 40 percent lower in the Amish community, the researchers say.

However, the researchers say they were surprised to find genetic factors may contribute to the lower cancer rate. At the beginning of the eight-year study that looked at 24 types of cancer, the researchers expected some cancers which run in families to be common among the Amish since they were all so closely related.

http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2010/01/04/Amish-prove-clean-living-pays-off/UPI-86621262665516/

[Skittles]

1. I'd rather live a few years less and have some fun

[Raine]

2. Study seems to contradict itself

by first saying it's clean living but then also saying genetics. Of course it should be obvious to anyone that not drinking, not smoking, not being in the sun, eating right etc. is healthier for everyone.

edit: changed one word.

[aquart]

4. Does the article mention the genetic diseases which are plaguing them?

[Raine]

6. Not diseases but the study credits their clean living

for their good health but then it also makes the claim that their good health is due to genetics. I think I misspoke by saying "contradicts", it's not really a contradiction just another one those studies that covers all bases.

[roguevalley]

7. the fact that their marriage pool is small is causing havoc in their genetics.

[formercia]

11. Been going on for a long time

We had a medical book from the 30's that did a study on 'Birth Defects' among the Amish. We sold it for a good price.

Some of the photos were pretty horrific. The hidden dangers of small gene pools.

Junior is a good example.

[WatchWhatISay]

3. Maybe it pays off for them, but not for all the dogs that come out of their puppy mills

Not all of them, of course, but the Amish are some of the biggest offenders.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/192478

[Demit]

5. Researchers speculate that they may not actually live longer, it only seems that way.

:)

[trotsky]

8. Well, given most Amish also eschew modern medical treatment...

A lot of genetic cancers are kind of going to be naturally selected out of the population, ya know?

[Stevenmarc]

9. I haven't been to many Amish gay bars, so I'll pass

[enough]

10. Funny, tobacco is one of their main cash crops here in SE PA.

I guess growing it doesn't have the same bad effects as smoking it.

Also, they use a lot of herbicide and pesticide, both on fields and in greenhouses.