Do you think we were healthier than todays children?

Question

It seems were were less germophic and built up our resistance to many illnesses. Aside from ear infections and regular old colds we seemed fine. The younger ones are having all these allergy problems and their mom's worry about germs and are contstantly using sanitizers. We are developing tough "Bugs" because of all this santization. Many mom's insist on antibiotics for their kids, again, many resistant types of bacteria. Bacteria adapt and become resistant to all this stuff

Denie: I used to eat the vgetables right of the vines/or plants, we never washed them.
Dug for worms (nightcrawlers), ate mudpies, played with frogs, toads, snakes, went fishing, cleaned the fish.
I probably didn't wash my hads after all that either. Oh well, I made it this far!

Answer 1

I have my own theory based on nothing but anecdotal evidence. I think if one is exposed to the elements on a regular basis, then one's T-cell count goes up. That cell is an important factor in the immune system. Since I've been living in the high desert, where folks move from climate-controlled residences to climate-controlled autos and busses, to climate-controlled work places, there is little opportunity to be in the elements. So, we have the nagging little colds and the like around that recur with frequency.
The other factor is the over-sanitizing of the residence. Being so phobic about germs that the play area for the children inside the home is more sterile than a hospital operating room. The use of antibiotics to take care of a viral infection is not only stupid, it's a violation of medical standards and a disregard for medical knowledge. Antibiotics can't kill viruses! They only work on bacteria. There is one sole exception where Erthromycin has proven effective against a certain type of viral pneumonia.

Answer 2

Yes, I think so. We also were always playing outside, getting plenty of exercise. We rarely ate 'sweets' and ate meals at regular times, not snacking all the time. I rarely got sick as a child, now I have all kinds of allergies/sensitivities. The good 'germs' are being destroyed, along with the bad, with all the bleach and hand sanitizers. I am so sensitive now, I can't even have bleach in my house.

People often live more years, but when I go to a nursing home or hospital and look around at the quality of life many people have, it's so sad. Some are so ill, they barely know they're in this world. Being alive and living are not the same thing.

Answer 3

No, the average life span is longer, pollution is responsible for a majority of asthma and other allergies. Doctors do come up with new illnesses, ie ADHD, years ago, children were just considered naughty, without people looking into the reasons behind it. Food colouring and preservatives are also responsible. I think todays society are getting back to basics where food and exercise are concerned which could have a huge impact on health. You will never remove the pollution caused by the amount of traffic in towns and cities now unless everyone is forced to go green.

Answer 4

I definately think we were. Although I know it was a normal
thing to have your tonsils removed. And you don't hear of that
today. I had alot of colds as a child, and I had Tonsilitus many
times before they started to rot out (according to our doctor).
So I had them out in 6th grade.
I had pretty good health, until I developed hay fever and in
highschool I went on the shots and they became less a problem. I didn't have further trouble since I moved away to
the south and there weren't things I was allergic to in the
states I lived as a young adult. They began to flare up in my
40's in S. Calif. And I started having respiratory infections and
allergies heavier. So I've lived with sinus and allergies up into
older age. I also developed Asthma, which is sometimes a
problem to contend with.
Our grandson has a form of Autism after first being diagnosed with ADHD. He has an anger management prob-
lem when he's not on his meds. They feel he will have to live
at home, all his life. I hope he can establish himself in normal
society and the workplace. He is a smart boy, just not socially
inclined. When he was young, he was hyper,and rarely sat
still. Even at dinner time, he wanted to leave the table and
wander around while eating. So he had to have a stern hand
to make him sit to finish his meal.
I remember when I was young, kids played outside, even if
it was raining. We played on our covered porches with all
sorts of stuff, including making mud pies and playing house.
We didn't have vitamins to take, so we took cod fish oil, if
our moms' could get it down us. There was no snacking, only
three meals a day, and maybe an occasional dessert. You
finished your meals, or went to your room or to bed early as
was often my case. The only time pop or chips were bought
was for an outing by car for the day. Then mom bought
sausage and cheese and crackers and made sandwiches
out of them. Then we got a store bought pop. Sometimes on
the way home, we got an ice cream cone. But that was a
special treat. Rarely did we have ice cream at home. And
certainly no candy. Even on Halloween we weren't allowed to
feast on our treats. Maybe a couple of snack bars and the
rest was taken by one or two pieces daily. Even tho, I ate
sweets very little, I still managed to find myself in the dentists'
chair too often. I often think that my dentist simply drilled holes
and filled them for the extra money.
I hate to see kids today staying inside to play with video
games and not be physically active. Although I believe most
have bikes, I never see kids riding them anymore. Maybe an
occasional skate board, and that's all. Not even rollerblades.
Kids don't even run anymore, unless it's on the school ground.
I know our grandson is always sick with allergies or infections related. And he only wants to stay inside. And I hate
to see that with him, as well as the general population of kids
today.

Answer 5

We were healthier even with eating ketchup sandwiches. As others have said , we played outdoors until dark,even in the coldest of weather.When was the last time you saw girls playing skipping? We did, non stop and played wall ball, with 2 balls! We played tag and hide and go seek after dinner and came in for a bath, went to bed and started all over again. People didn't move as often and kids grew up in neighbourhoods with the same friends . They were comfortable with people and didn't live in fear of strangers. Yes, we were a lot healthier and happier.

Answer 6

MOST definitely! I only knew one peer in my childhood who had asthma...my cousin. Now seems most kids have it!....ADD and ADHD were unheard of...kids didn't get depressed. They didn't have 'grown up' diseases as is the case today.....I could go on and on. But, perhaps the thing that stands out most is that as children we were FIT. Afterall play for us was exercise!..not sitting in front of a PlayStation, TV or computer. And the schools had mandatory P.E./Gym. My bike and my skates were my best friends! lOL

I had chicken pox and german measles...that was it. Almost never got a cold - didn't get the flu until I was fully grown; didn't take vitamins but ate well and healthily. The nutrition guidelines they recommend today is how my Mom fed me back then :-) Bless her!

Answer 7

We went outside and played in the dirt and made treehouses out of tree roots and caught ladybugs and fireflies. I even sold roaches for fishing. (Ewe...can't believe I did that!..and the smell! Ewe Ewe!!). The kids today sit inside and play computer games..in houses full of all kinds of dust mites, mold,lead paint etc etc etc.And then they go to school and do the same thing..where thousands of other kids have been for decades..(no telling what's in the wood or brick etc. at school)
I just know everybody in my household got that virus bug..but me! Guess I must have eaten a lot of dirt in my day!!!

Answer 8

Yeah and after all of that we still had to go to school. But I must say in our defense, we at least learned something or we didn't go forward. Which is probably where all the jokes came from about being 37 and finally moving to the 4th grade.

Answer 9

I think we were far more healthier. Most children are overweight, but i don't think it's their fault. Everything we eat now has preservatives in it, and additives to make us eat more. Also i think we were more active growing up and staying outside till dark. Of course we didn't have computers then. My friends and I played baseball and fished, and rode bicycles all day and were never in the house.

Answer 10

I think we are all getting sick even though we grew up eating healthier. The food is horrible now, no wonder all the problems.