Americans living longer than ever

The good news is that the life expectancy for Americans is higher than ever -- with the average person living to the ripe old age of 78. The bad news, on the other hand, is that this age is lower than dozens of other countries (like France, Spain and Japan), and -- while Americans are living longer -- they're also dying in higher numbers than in previous years.

Researchers say this increase in age is mostly due to the drop in deaths from heart disease and stroke -- two of the largest killers in the US. The increase in the number of deaths, on the other hand, is due to almost entirely to cancer.

Maybe the best news is that, assuming the number of deaths from heart disease and strokes continue to decline, Americans' average life expectancy could continue to climb. With continued focus on these diseases, who knows how long we'll be living in 20 or 30 years?