Probably not, but we may be able to enhance the quality and quantity of our lives. This profile has changed dramatically within the last few generations. Currently, the leading causes of death in the United States are chronic diseases.
Numerous reasons account for the change in causes of mortality.
Improvements in public hygiene, the discovery of antibiotics, and other medical interventions have controlled or eradicated some infectious conditions. However, our declining rates of infection cannot solely explain our increased incidence of chronic diseases. More than 80 percent of women and more than 70 percent of men consumed less than two-thirds of the RDA for one or more nutrients. And, as of 1994, Americans remain deficient in at least a dozen essential nutrients, according to the most recent National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The effects of nutrient deficiencies are equally complex.