Findings of a new study have been released with researchers believing they have uncovered a DNA clock that can help in determining our life span. Without wanting to get to technical, the researchers studied 4 separate groups of people for up to 14 years and they looked at a particular chemical modification to DNA that plays an important role in our biological processes. They believe that these chemical changes in DNA can better predict our biological age. They compared the participants’ chronological ages with their biological ages. Their findings were that people with a higher biological age were likely to die sooner.
I have a couple of issues with all of this…
Firstly, it is being trotted out in some media as a guide to when we are going to die. Yep, let’s create more fear in people!! How do we control people at a communal and individual level? We get them scared, simple.
Secondly, we don’t need a tool to predict when we are going to die. The reality for all of us, is that at some point in time, we will all die. None of us know when that is going to happen. Even if this tool is created into some uber accurate guide, it does not take into account external factors – eg natural disasters & the many other ways that our lives can end. I imagine too, that if we chose to make lifestyle changes for the better, this would also have an impact on its accuracy for predicting our deaths.
The best things that we as individuals can do are these :
- Accept that at some point in time we will physically die & that our lives here are limited
- Live life well – eating well, exercising, create lives of happiness & gratitude
- Let those we love know that they are loved
- Resolve conflicts as much as possible
- Live our lives so as to avoid regret
- Complete Advance Health Directives, Enduring Powers of Attorney, Wills & an End of Life Plan. Then when the end does come, however it comes, our wishes are documented so they can be carried out both before & after we pass.
This is what living is all about – making conscious choices for our best & highest good. Mark Twain said it well…
The fear of death follows from the fear of life.
A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.
That doesn’t mean we necessarily want to die, just that we won’t have regrets & will have lived well.
So don’t worry about when, just focus on living well.
Peace & blessings, Sharon