MISCONCEPTIONS


Longevity: the Bible and modern Science

When I used to teach Hebrew school and my Grade 1 class  came to Genesis ch 5 where it mentions that Methuselah lived 969 years (Genesis 5:27) and lists many others who had very, very long lives (see the list at end) , I would ask my students if they believed these numbers.

My students, who were not Orthodox and came from very modern and educated homes, universally believed the text’s numbers.

They suggested the following explanations:

1. Maybe their counting of a year was different than ours; maybe a year was one of our ‘seasons’

2. They did not suffer from air pollution as we do today

3. Their food would be free of pesticides  

4. They had healthier diets than we do and did not suffer from being overweight, diabetes, etc.

 

I was amazed at their knowledge of current medical concerns and, in this light, wish to share new findings from the realm of genetics as published in Maclean’s , May 27, 2013, “How Long Will You Live?” (pp.  65-68).

The article starts by noting that the number of Canadians age 100 and over is rising.  In 2001 there were 3,795 and 5,825 as of 2011, and the projection is over 17,000 by 2031!

Most of these people are still alert and active, as is the similar generation on the island of Okinawa that has been studied for years.

Doing gardening, cooking or Tai Chi at age 105 is nothing unusual for these East Asians -- despite the hardships and trauma of the Japanese invasion and subsequent  World War II bloodbath that was the Battle of Okinawa.

Other communities have also fostered longevity in small pockets in Italy and elsewhere and genetic causes have long been suspected as the key.

Now, science has found that exact key: telomeres – tiny bits of DNA – that coat the tips of chromosomes.

As people age, these telomeres shorten, but people who live longer also maintain their telomeres length better.  (Though overly long telomeres are also harmful.)

As the article highlights, “those with shorter than average telomeres had a 25 per cent greater risk of dying”. ( p. 68)

In 2010, Dr. Ronald DePinho  published a study in Nature which showed that telomeres can be made longer in mice and this ‘rejuvenated’ the mice: restoring brain mass, improving cognition, reversing skeleton degeneration and muscle atrophy,  and even reviving  fertility . (Maclean’s, p. 68)

Drug companies are now in high gear to apply these findings to humans.

 

Naturally extending telomeres life

Other, natural ways to encourage telomerase length and longevity, according to recent studies (Maclean’s, p. 68), include:

1. the diet long recommended by Canada’s food guide:

a)      eat whole grains:  whole grain breads, wild rice, quinoa, oatmeal

b)      eat fruits and vegetables

c)      eat  foods rich in omega-3:  fish such as sardines, salmon, halibut;  egg yolks (Yes, they are good for you);  flax seed, walnuts, soybean, tofu and lean BEEF.   (Info on eggs from Wikipedia “Omega-3” and rest from http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=84)

2. regular, moderate exercise – such as walking  or swimming for a half-hour  4 or 5 times a week

3. yoga or other meditation for stress management

4. join groups and build a sense of community

 

Moses’ 120 years seemed impossible to reach in 1960 when Canadian life expectancy figures were 68 for males and 74 for females. (http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/health26-eng.htms )

But life expectancy figures are rising steadily, so 120 may soon be here.      A Methuselah may yet be in reach in a few generations to come – thanks to healthy eating, moderate exercise, etc. and medical science.

So after all, my young students by and large got it right.

_________________

Bible’s top 10 for longevity:

 Methuselah - 969 Genesis 5:27; Jared - 962 Genesis 5:20;  Noah - 950 Genesis 9:29;  Adam - 930 Genesis 5:5: Seth - 912 Genesis 5:8; Kenan - 910 Genesis 5:14; Enosh - 905 Genesis 5:11;  Mahalalel - 895 Genesis 5:17; Lamech - 777 Genesis 5:31; Shem – 600 Genesis 5:8 (See http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Ten_oldest_people_in_the_Bibleong lifetimes,)