Yeah, But I Have Good/Bad Genes How often do we rationalize our less than ideal food fancies and excuse ourselves from exercising because we think to ourselves, Yeah, but I have good genes, so chances are I will live a long timeno matter how I eat and no matter how out of shape I get. Your mother lived a long time and/or your father lived a long time and, even if they didnt, you are certain that, because that your grandmother or aunt was long-lived, you will surely be granted the same good fortune. On the flip side of the coin, if there isnt longevity in your family history, it is just as easy to rationalize poor choices. After all, whats the point of going through all that trouble and sacrifice of taking care of yourself if your days are numbered anyway? You may as well indulge and enjoy life to its fullestright now. There may be no tomorrow. The state of your health and the length of your life have little to do with Lady Luck or how long your mother or father lived. The gerontologists, or old age specialists, tell us that the length of our lives depends on the choices we make every day of our livesnot on our genes. Genetics, with the exception of whether you are male or female and rare inherited conditions, are estimated to influence longevity only 5% to 10% of the time. No matter if those genes of yours are good or bad, as if you could know that for sure, the number of your days and the quality of those days are up to you. |
