Diet and Genetics Play Role in Longevity

I just wrote about a man who lived until he was 114 from an article I read, and how scientists had performed DNA tests on him to see if he was in possession of a specific set of genes that has been identified as the possible reason for why some people who share these specific genes, as with in long lived family members, why some people live so much longer than others.

For the particular man in question, he lived on a mediterranean island, and had a very low key, stress free lifestyle, he biked nearly every single day at least up until he was 102 years old, and he also ate a mediterranean diet, which consists of a lot of omega 3 fatty acid rich foods as well as other dietary foods that have been proven to help with a variety of health problems as well as are suspect in a lot of diseases as a helping hand in preventing them as well as helping control them.

The conclusion that science has come up with after running tests on people who have lived past 100 years old, is that there is no definitive answer, lifestyle or genetic combination that makes people live so much longer than others.  Rather, it’s most likely a combination of the factors themselves that play a role in their longevity. 

For example, some people may not possess the right genes, but if they consume a certain diet that agrees with their body chemistry, they have a low key lifestyle and they also live in a pollution free environment and have minimal toxins in their bodies and the food they consume or the materials they come in contact with, this may push them past 100 since disease and illness is less likely to consume their bodies before they die of natural causes – aka old age instead of an actual disease. 

I remember reading a story about a particular long lived male a while ago who was studied and it was found that his diet consisted of sausage and waffles every morning.  Hardly what most of us would consider a healthy start to the day, however he had other factors at work which may have contributed to his longevity, such as the fact that he had no children, a minimally stressful life, and by most indications he was  man who was rarely stressed out. 

I still think diet plays a huge role in our health and the prevention of disease, but there are also so many other factors that come into play.  Perhaps this man who ate sausages and waffles all the time controlled his portions wisely.  He probably was not overweight, which plays a large role in prevention of disease and the longevity aspect.  There are too many factors at work in the longevity world, however, we do know that restricting our caloric intake and eating certain high antioxidant foods as well as getting our necessary vitamins, minerals, fibers, and other micronutrients greatly enhances our quality of life.