Animals and plants have developed incredible strategies to survive and some become immortal. Human beings can learn from nature and lengthen our lives.
Eternal youth is a myth haunted by different human cultures of all times. After arriving in America, the Spaniards under Ponce de León took it seriously and sought the source of immortality throughout Florida. Today, biologist and researcher Nicklas Brandberg has set out to find in nature the keys to delaying aging and death. He explains his findings in a fascinating book, The Immortal Jellyfish (Destino editorial).
It is true that there is an immortal jellyfish. Turritopsis is the size of a fingernail and spends its potentially eternal life adrift eating plankton. His secret is incredible: when he gets stressed, when he perceives a threat, he returns to his polyp state and grows again as if nothing had happened. It’s as if an adult becomes a child again and again. It’s the perfect trick, though it can’t stop it from being eaten by a larger animal catching it off guard.
Turritopsis is not the only potentially immortal living being. There is also another jellyfish, the Hydra, and the Planaria worm, which when food is scarce eats itself and then grows back without sequelae.
There is no single path to immortality. Biological evolution is super creative and there is no shortage of scientists who believe in the possibility of finding a pill that is the solution for the human being (relative solution, because it would not prevent wars or slips).
Brandberg, more modest, reviews all the examples of immortality and longevity that nature offers and draws the lessons that we can apply now in our lives to live longer. They are as follows.
1. DON’T EAT TOO MUCH
Studies show that reducing calorie intake after a certain age extends the life span of many laboratory animals. In the human being it also seems to work, but it is not necessary to take things to the extreme of always being hungry. It may be enough to be moderate with the rations and periodically fasting or diets that achieve similar effects, such as the plans proposed by the longevity expert, Valter Longo.
Brandberg, more modest, reviews all the examples of immortality and longevity that nature offers and draws the lessons that we can apply now in our lives to live longer. They are as follows.
1. DON’T EAT TOO MUCH
Studies show that reducing calorie intake after a certain age extends the life span of many laboratory animals. In the human being it also seems to work, but it is not necessary to take things to the extreme of always being hungry. It may be enough to be moderate with the rations and periodically fasting or diets that achieve similar effects, such as the plans proposed by the longevity expert, Valter Longo.
4. MAKE FRIENDS
In addition to the healthy diet, there is another reason that seems to exert a great influence on the fact that in the Mediterranean peoples, in the Nicoya Peninsula (Costa Rica) and on the island of Okinawa (Japan) there are the highest concentrations of centenarians in the world. The reason is that they live in communities with strong social relationships of friendship, neighborliness and mutual aid.
Of course, if you want to apply teaching, don’t just have a few beers. Alcohol shortens life. The friendship that helps you and your friends live longer is what leads you to lend a hand when needed. In this case, the reference animal is the baboon: those who have more stable and solid relationships with the rest of the group are those who live longer.
