Genes vs Lifestyle
Maybe you know of a smoker who never exercises and still lives happily into old age. And perhaps you read about someone who has been a fitness buff from a young age and had a heart attack in his middle age.
These kinds of stories make you wonder: if health is written in your genes, what’s the point of exercising and eating right? Why not just do as you please and enjoy life?
These are rare cases scientists call “outliers”.
The truth is, for most people, habits like eating well and staying active have a big effect on age-linked issues such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and Alzheimer’s.
Epigenetics - the study of how age and exposure to environmental factors affect gene expression shows that while such genes may raise your risk for disease, they rarely act alone. More often you inherit traits that raise the odds of illness, but they may not affect you unless triggered by other factors related to the environment and lifestyle.
So when it comes to longevity, what matters more: genes or lifestyle? Studies say only 15% of lifespan is dictated by genes. If your parents died young, it doesn’t mean you will; and if they lived past 100, that doesn’t guarantee you will too.
Conclusion:
About 85% of lifespan depends on healthcare, consciously remembering to exercise, choosing to eat well, and shaping your environment - who you spend time with, how you live, and even your zip code. That’s the real secret!
Zareer Patell
#Longevity #HealthyLiving #Epigenetics #GenesVsLifestyle #Wellness #AgingGracefully
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