World's Oldest Woman Dies Aged 116

[Guest guest]

Hi folks:

They said it was a surprise!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/5293436.stm

Rodney.

[Guest guest]

Hi folks:

I may have said the equivalent of this before. But I don't think I

have said it quite this way previously.

FACT #1: In the case of rhesus monkeys, those fed 30% less of a

healthy diet starting at the human-equivalent age of 50, live a total

lifespan that is 30% longer than those eating as much as they want of

a healthy diet.

FACT #2: The average north american human currently lives about 78

years, eating as much as s/he wants of a thoroughly UNhealthy diet.

So, how long would the average american live if we all ate as much as

we wanted of a diet as free of the bad stuff, and as nutritionally

complete as that of the rhesus monkeys? Of course I do not know the

answer, but for sake of argument I am going to suggest ten more

years, for a lifespan of 88 years.

So, if instead of eating as much as one wants of a very healthy diet

one were, in addition, to restrict calories to the same extent the

experimental rhesus monkeys were restricted, how much longer might

north americans live, on average? Perhaps 88 x 1.3 years? If so

then that would be an average of 114.4 years.

So it may not be unreasonable to project that caloric restrictors may

be able, on average, to achieve approximately the age of Esther

de Capovilla.

FACT #3: The calculation of current life expectancy, 78 years, is

based on the performance of today's medicine. Fifty years from now

when, with luck, some of us will still be around and healthy,

medicine's ability to fix problems will presumably be much improved,

perhaps remarkably so, even without revolutionary developments in

geriatric medicine. So this is another factor arguing for a still

higher average lifespan for today's healthy-nutrition restrictors who

are able to take advantage of future advances in medicine.

It is nice also that Mrs. Capovilla was reported to have been in

great health until shortly before her death. And the fact she died

from pneumonia reminds us yet again of the importance of doing

everything we can to maintain our immune function. IMO that is a

topic that has been inadequately addressed in the material that I

have seen posted here. Any suggestions for sources of good

information about maintaining a strong immune system, would be

helpful.

In summary, it is not out of the question that CRers currently aged

50 may enjoy an average lifespan in excess of 110 years. While for

those born a century ago such an age is clearly an extreme outlier on

the chart. So there are reasons for optimism that we are not wasting

the time we spend here at : ^ )))))

Rodney.

--- In , " Rodney " <perspect1111@...>

wrote:

>

> Hi folks:

>

> They said it was a surprise!

>

> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/5293436.stm

>

> Rodney.

>