Can We Determine Our Own Lifespans?

by D.M. Murdock

How long can humans live? What is our life expectancy?

For thousands of years, humans have attempted to extend their lifespans, using a wide variety of methods and products designed to increase longevity. Egyptian pharaohs expended tremendous time and money trying to live forever, while in 350 BCE famed Greek philosopher Aristotle wrote his classic "On Longevity and Shortness of Life." Legend holds that centuries ago, a man named "St. Germain" appeared in elite European circles and claimed that he was essentially immortal. Popular movies such as "Highlander" glorify the quest of immortals. The "Fountain of Youth" has been a dream worldwide, sought after by such notables as Ponce de Leon, who believed he had found it in Florida. Does a single Fountain of Youth exist? Thousands of sites on the net hawk one miracle potion or method after another.

What really works? Anything at all?

Why do some people live longer than others? Why do some people die of illness at a young age while others can smoke and drink into their 80's or beyond, never experiencing serious illness?

The first thing that crops up in a discussion of human longevity is health, specifically as is related to habits. Are your habits killing you or allowing you to live a long, healthy life? The focus should be on the health aspect, as we are interested in the quality of life, not merely the quantity. It is no fun to live a long, tedious and painful life, devoid of health and happiness.

How do we increase health, which can substantially extend our lifespans? First and foremost, we must eat properly. Proper eating includes the abundant use of whole, organic foods wherever possible. Snacking on junk food day and night is generally not a good idea, as these foods are highly denatured and contain many substances that will decrease both health and longevity. It is apparent that numerous substances we ingest can either cause or cure cancer, which is such a predominant killer in the modernized, technological world today.

Prevailing wisdom asserts that we can determine our longevity to some degree. How much is still the question. With good habits, most of us can count on living into our 70s, but what is the highest threshold that the human body can achieve? 120? 130? 140? 150? Or more?

Genetic research suggests that the human genome could be tinkered with to extend longevity by 400 or so years. In other words, through genetic modification some people could live to be 500 years old! Some doctors, scientists and researchers, however, caution that going much beyond 120 may be impossible. We are certain that humans can live to 120, because there have been several documented examples, including the Frenchwoman Jeanne Calment, who lived to be 122. Ms. Calment's life was remarkable, indeed, in that she drank alcohol daily and smoked Gauloise filterless cigarettes until she was 120. She quit smoking at that age only because she had become too blind to light her own cigarettes. Ms. Calment prized her independence and remained sharp as a tack mentally, complaining that it was no picnic being trapped inside a body that could barely see or hear anymore. Astonishingly, Madame Calment lived on her own until she was 110, only then moving into a nursing home.

What was Ms. Calment's secret? How did she manage to accomplish such a feat, despite her seemingly bad habits? Was it her spryness - she said she never got bored - and elfin outlook on life, which allowed for her to record a rap album at the age of 120? One major factor, apparently, was her low level of insulin, the hormone used to process sugars.1 Research concerning insulin and its effect on human longevity appears to be a very promising area.

Ms. Calment's own stated "secret" was that she enjoyed life and lived with a postitive attitude. Certainly, a postitive attitude goes a long way in contributing to our health and longevity, contributing to our choices in life, including what we think, feel and consume. In this way, it is possible to determine our lifespans to a certain degree.

So, how long can we live? Maverick gerontologist Dr. Aubrey de Grey enthusiastically proclaims, "Average life spans would be in the region of 1,000 years." As 60 Minutes correspondent Morley Safer says, "De Grey believes he has unlocked the mysteries of immortality."

Most scientists, however, are in concurrence that the human body at this point in time cannot live much past 150. We'll take it!

Note: The video below was not created by D.M. Murdock/Acharya S and does not necessarily represent her views.