Biologists’ conventional wisdom held that humans were genetically programmed to expire at about 115 years of age. Once in a while, an odd specimen might exceed the limit; most of us fade away earlier due to disease, poor habits or bad luck. But, try as it might, science would never be able to extend our expiration date.
Or maybe it can.
Researchers at Canada’s McGill University analyzed trend lines since 1968, comparing year by year the age of the oldest known people in several countries with increases in the average lifespan of the general population.
The result: “We just don’t know what the age limit might be,” scientists concluded. “In fact, by extending trend lines, we can show that maximum and average lifespans could continue to increase far into the foreseeable future,” thanks to medical advances, improved nutrition and better lifestyle habits.
The combination of new understandings about the benefits of nutrition, exercise, mind-body interventions, and especially of genetic manipulation and synthesizing new body parts, will extend the healthy human lifespan well into a second century. Babies born in 2050 will see an average “health span” of more than 100 years.
TRENDPOST: Sure, genetic manipulation and synthesizing new body parts are scientific breakthroughs. But only marginal life extension will be achieved if the body being manipulated and the new parts being attached are to an average American. In fact, the life expectancy of Americans (as well as other cultures) that overeat, overmedicate, underexercise, and are out of work, overworked, stressed and distressed… is in decline.
Indeed, according to the National Center for Health Statistics, life expectancy for Americans declined last year.
As we have forecast for decades, the path to a longer life, minus unforeseen wild cards, can be enjoyed through a rigorous and regime of whole health healing: being in the best physical, mental and spiritual health attainable.