How long will you live? Scientists have recently announced that they are finally able to answer that age old question by means of a blood test, which measures how fast an individual is aging, thereby giving a true biological age. What they are looking at are Telomeres; structures on the tips of all chromosomes which gradually shorten as we age.
The real burning question now is... would you pay to know your life expectancy? If you answered yes, you may be interested to know that an over-the-counter test will soon be available. Critics (rightly) worry that this technology will open a whole Pandora's box of ramifications. Imagine how much insurance companies would like to get their hands on this data? Or potential employers?
The good news is that it looks like we can proactively lengthen our telomeres through exercise, vitamin/enzyme therapy and stress reduction.
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| Expand this graphic for a closer look at Telomeres |
Wow, this is pretty amazing. Even so, I'm not sure I'd want to find out. Some things are better left unknown.
ReplyDeleteI'm tempted... it would definitely influence some money decisions. Having said that, if you get hit by a bus, it's all moot.
ReplyDeleteTempting, very tempting. But, it will probably be super expensive, so I'll likely pass.
ReplyDeleteThank you for stopping by and commenting on my blog. It's great discovering other Edmonton bloggers!!
The Blurb book was around the $40 including shipping. It arrived within one week, and is so worth it!
I agree with everyone - Psychologically I don't think it would profit anyone to have this information, especially since we already know what simple steps we can take to increase our lifespan.
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