Why Republicans live longer?

Reuters:

Optimists live longer, healthier lives than pessimists, U.S. researchers said on Thursday in a study that may give pessimists one more reason to grumble.

Researchers at University of Pittsburgh looked at rates of death and chronic health conditions among participants of the Women’s Health Initiative study, which has followed more than 100,000 women ages 50 and over since 1994.

Women who were optimistic — those who expect good rather than bad things to happen — were 14 percent less likely to die from any cause than pessimists and 30 percent less likely to die from heart disease after eight years of follow up in the study.

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I am reminded of the headstone near Princeton that reads "I told you I was sick." Other studies have shown that conservatives tend to be happier and more optimistic than liberals. I have always felt that the will to survive is one of the most important considerations when injured or ill. Giving up is easy for some but optimism has its rewards.