“You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”
~ Jim Rohn
One of my clients looks, and physically acts, at least a decade younger than her chronological age. Her husband is ten years younger. Could mingling with younger people be the secret to prolonged youth and vitality?
This morning I learned, that in a preliminary high quality study done at Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing (in Germany), researchers dramatically increased the lifespan of short-lived fish, by feeding them the poop of younger fish.
First, they gave some of the middle-aged fish, being tested, antibiotics to sterilize their gut. Then, they placed bacteria-laced poop, of much younger fish in feed-free water, for these fish to nibble on. Lo and behold, the median lifespan, of the younger-poop treated fish, increased an impressive 41%.
No, the secret to healthy ageing is not kid-poop eating. Or, marrying someone younger. But, this got me thinking, as I find myself in the early days of being an empty nester.
In middle age, some cultures are often in such a rush to push kids out the door, craving peace and quiet - time for self. Could that contribute to some degeneration? Is our perception that a stress-free life promotes vitality misguided?
Of course, research does show that loneliness and social isolation are harmful to health. Idleness and sedentary behaviour cause degeneration. Not isolating elders and treating them with reverence increases longevity, as reported by National Geographic fellow, Dan Buettner, in The Blue Zones. And daily challenges, often presented by those we are surrounded by, provide opportunities for continued learning, spiritual growth and transformation.
But, on the physical realm, could the microbes we share between generations influence our health span?
Should we be considering more interaction between seniors and healthy children – as in co-habitation (seniors’ home same location as daycare); perhaps create more opportunities for extended family interaction?
Or, will physically altering human gut microbes become the new ‘fountain of youth’? After all, we’ve just shifted from the century of antibiotics, to the century of probiotics (microorganisms introduced into the body for their beneficial properties). Poop for thought*
*Hmmm…could be another blog post ;)
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