Their life expectancy is right at the US average even though they avoid modern medicine whenever they can...but the life expectancy of the Amish has been 72 or greater for almost 300 years, even when ours was 40 and they still eat like our ancestors did too, which is pretty much whatever they want.
In a study released last November, researchers at Northwestern University announced the discovery of a gene in an Amish community that seemed to be associated with an average life span 10% longer than that of people without the gene.
People with the mutation live to be 85 on average, significantly longer than their predicted average lifespan of 71 for Amish in general, which hasn't changed much over the last century. The age range of Amish in the study was 18 to 85 with the average age of carriers 44 and the unaffected 46 years old.
Dating among the Amish typically begins around age 16 with most Amish couples marrying between the ages of 20 and 22. To find a prospective date, the young adults socialize at functions such as frolics, church, or home visits.
Do the Amish Practice Polygamy? The misconception surrounding the believe that the Amish are polygamists is the result of two factors: a lack of knowledge about Amish beliefs, and confusion with other religious groups. The Amish don't practice polygamy, and they have never done so since their formation as a people.
As part of their Ordnung, Old Order Amish forbid owning automobiles; tapping electricity from public utility lines; owning televisions, radios, or personal computers; attending high school or college; joining the military; and initiating divorce. All Amish groups expect men and women to wear prescribed clothing.
Amish women are esteemed in Amish society for the contribution they make to home and community. They are mothers, managers of the household, and play an important role in maintaining communal ties.
Ever wanted to not just slow down, but jump off the grid? A family leaves behind the trappings of the 21st century to lead a simple, pious life in rural Tasmania.
Despite the fact that mate choice is limited to other church members, the young people do not necessarily choose to marry close relatives.
Marrying a first cousin is not allowed among the Amish, but second-cousin relationships are allowed. Marriage to a "Schwartz" cousin (the first cousin once removed) is not permitted in Lancaster County. The onset of courtship is usually not openly discussed within the family or among friends.
Health among the Amish is characterized by higher incidences of particular genetic disorders, especially among the Old Order Amish. These disorders include dwarfism, Angelman syndrome, and various metabolic disorders, such as Tay-Sachs disease, as well as an unusual distribution of blood types.
The Amish religion does not restrict people from seeking modern medical care. For the most part, Amish use local doctors and dentists and will go to specialists and hospitals as determined.
Most Amish families have an average of 7 kids, and most children are given chores starting at the age of 4 or 5.
In the Amish community, divorce is forbidden and not sanctioned in the Amish church. If a member of the community violates this, they are violating their vows that they took during their Amish baptism, which takes place between the ages of 18 and 22 years old, according to National Geographic.
Birth control and abortion are forbidden by religious doctrine, even when pregnancy is life threatening. The Amish church has no rule against immunization, but only 16-26% of Amish children have received immunizations against the common childhood diseases.
They didn't want anything to do with alcohol or tobacco, and both of these are strictly forbidden in the New Order Amish groups. And the same is true for the Beachy Amish/conservative Mennonites as well. They also have rules against alcohol and tobacco use.
Each person sleeps on their side of the bed, with a board in between them to prevent any physical contact. The couple is allowed to talk to each other during the night, but they're not allowed to touch each other.
After their wedding, the white cape and apron used in the ceremony is kept in a safe place until her funeral. There's no first dance, kiss at the altar, or photographers at Amish weddings.
The Amish wedding night will usually be spent in the bride's parent's home, as the couple will need to assist in clean up the following day. They will then spend their first months of marriage – their honeymoon – visiting relatives. (This is when most gifts they receive will be given.)
You can begin wherever you are.” Yes, it is possible for outsiders, through conversion and convincement, to join the Amish community, but we must quickly add that it seldom happens. First, the Amish do not evangelize and seek to add outsiders to their church.
The customs of Old Order Mennonites, the Amish communities and Old Colony Mennonites have a number of similarities, but the cultural differences are significant enough so that members of one group would not feel comfortable moving to another group.
Some Amish people have become quite wealthy. Often this is due to successful businesses including woodworking and construction. It's harder to tell who the Amish millionaires are, however, since status symbols are less visible (to the non-Amish eye, at least).
According to the Schwartzentruber Amish Ordinance Letter, Amish women are not permitted to shave their legs or underarms. Amish ordinances also forbid women from cutting their hair.
Try purchasing common household items in bulk such as toothpaste, toothbrushes, toilet paper, flour, sugar, coffee and more. The more you make buying in bulk a habit, the more items you will end up finding available in bulk. Finances are a large focus of the Amish way of life.
Tobacco and alcohol are also not allowed. They also wished to incorporate more evangelical elements into the church, including Sunday school and mission work. Some scholars see the group best characterized as a subgroup of Old Order Amish, despite the name.