LONGEVITY (Part I)
I was introduced to this topic because of an article I mentioned in the post called “Hoarding?”
Because I had never studied the issue as a researcher, I imagined that genetics was the prime factor in longevity. A friend’s parents both died in their early 50s. My friend died just before age 60. It seemed to me that he “won” compared to his parents.
Then I read an article which suggested that scientists have long been of the opinion that genetics were about 25% of the equation, the third factor really. It was diet, exercise, lack of exposure to cancer-causing products, and a whole bunch of good luck: Not going to war, avoiding shipyards, staying away from dangerous hobbies, and washing hands regularly was nearly 50% of the equation. For example, they researched and found that firefighters were much more likely to die from lung issues than the general public.
Sellers of homeopathic products took that ball and ran with it, declaring that their products, pills, powders and specialty drinks could go a LONG way in helping you go a LONG way. The evidence of efficacy was seldom shown. In fact, it was NEVER shown. You had to take their products by faith alone. You waste much of your disposable income buying vitamins and kale smoothies. Turns out almost no one needs a kale smoothie. Diabetics often need to take ONE vitamin supplement, B-12, because blood tests show that Metformin robs the body of that. (You can develop a certain dementia without enough B-12).
However, a much more recent set of studies, along with some extensive mathematical models have changed the whole longevity program. It turns out that there is only so much you can do to prevent death (I know! What a concept!) What researchers discovered with these extensive models is that when they studied adults, they could predict fairly accurately the life span of about half of them. The predictions came from knowing their genetic history. How old were their parents and grandparents, who did not die in an accident or from disease, when they died?
So, they now believe that genetics accounts for about HALF of when mortality will strike. There is nothing you can do about this half. It just is.
You also can’t do anything about actual accidental deaths. (Some accidental deaths can be prevented, by not jumping out of an airplane, not scaling a mountain, not riding a motorcycle without a helmet.)
Certain cancers can be prevented, some lung disorders, too (by not smoking any product).
What is left up to you, in the end, are all the behaviors you can change or improve upon. Wash your hands regularly, don’t play baseball, eat some carrots, exercise, get regular sleep, drink safe drinks (like water), and stay away from nasty foods (overly processed junk like candy). Coffee and tea are fine (in moderation). In other words, be sensible and a bit cautious and you have a 25% greater probability of outliving your genetics.
Forget the foul-tasting smoothies and multi-vitamins and all the things which probably WON’T help you. Do the things which MAY help. Move your weight naturally into a better category (obese to overweight, for example). Take 100 more steps (the stairs instead of the elevator). Reduce your dependence upon fast food (make it “special” rather than “regular”). Choose healthier portions (and you can ignore kale). The small steps you take may give you a better ending, maybe years later. My friend who lived longer than his folks … probably could have had 10 more good years with his wife and family had he done ONE more thing, PORTION CONTROL. That’s something I’m working on. I’ve given up a few things, like I now avoid ANYTHING with added sugar. When we eat out I avoid breads and pastas, too. It is a small thing which pays observable rewards (no gain weight, for one). I’ve said it before, reducing bread, pasta, rice, and potato portions allows me to lose actual pounds.
I’ve read so many diet programs (mostly because every doctor insists on it) and have found that the only crossovers from the diabetic diet and the kidney stone diet and the other diets is … water, and avocado guts (How is it that avocado helps to prevent stones when they have stones?). (Stepping onto a bunny trail: how is it that so many diets tell me to eat LEAN meats when I know from research that human bodies can’t use protein without the assistance of fats and oils? Frontiersmen knew that they should eat some fatty beaver and bear meat or they would starve to death with rabbit and venison in their stomachs. Lean proteins alone would be a waste of money then, right!)
Back to the subject of longevity: Exercise is good for you. Running alone on a remote path after the sun sets is NOT good for you. I don’t understand the “I’m going to exercise alone” bit. Almost everything else we humans do is with others. We work, worship, and eat in groups. We play sports and games in groups. We go to school in groups. But we have to exercise alone? Where did that concept come from? Are we ashamed of something? People spend a thousand dollars getting exercise clothes and shoes and never wear them in public! They have “spandex shame?”
Longevity creates problems. Those who live over 90 and still have two brain cells to rub together find that their friends and most of their offspring have already passed. It is lonely at the top. Living long also stresses the medical insurance and Social Security systems. The earth has to deal with people who live longer, and all the greenhouse gases (they say) which are “killing the planet” (as though the planet is more important than the humans who live on it). It is also a political death zone to live beyond 90; No one represents them in Congress. All the medical systems and banking systems demand ability to understand and use modern technology, yet the 90 year olds retired BEFORE today’s technology existed. They shouldn’t have to “keep up” with us. We should make it “kept simple” for them. That is the least we could do for those who have won the longevity lottery.
Copyright 2026 Donald Whelpley
[PLEASE NOTE that Don is always open to discussing the thoughts and opinions he shares here and welcomes comments as shared in the comment section. He doesn’t use other social media platforms and won’t see whatever you’d like to share with him if you post it elsewhere.
ALSO, Don is always open to offer his thoughts on various topics. If you have a specific request, you can let him know in a comment; he reads – and replies to – them all. ~ Sherry]
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