All kidding aside we all could stand to take better care of ourselves, like considering the chemical load we contact in the food we eat. Contact with plastics in our food and water supply, home pest control chemicals. There are a lot of places in our lives we come in contact with cancer causing agents and don't think twice about it. I personally like to think that I am doing all I can to prevent environmental contamination but how do I know.
I don't have the stamina to keep track of all that. I will stay away from tobacco, I won't drink alcohol, I try to limit my intake of caffeine, I grow a lot of my own vegetables. I am sure the best thing I can do for myself at this point in my life is exercise more than I am. The key for me I think is pay attention to the things I have control over and work on those that I can begin to control and leave the ones I have no control over alone. I definitely can do better. I will quote a Hollywood movie and see if anyone recognizes it "You can not decide how much time you are given, you can only decide what you do with the time you are given." (those who are willing to acknowledge they know where that quote came from are in jeopardy of being labeled a nerd.)
I have contemplated the causes of my an for awhile, looked at the research and have come to no conclusion at all. I am a likely candidate for the theory that loud noise is a cause. I hope the current study being done can shed some light but I know we are in the beginning stages of understanding. I apologize Mike if I have offended with my attempt at humor, my wife says I am the only one laughing most of the time. The reality for me is I am already here so knowing how I got my AN is so much less important as how am I going to deal with it going forward. That is where I want to spend my time now.