Nature vs. Nurture: Exploring the Factors That Influence Our Lifespan
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The influence of both nature and nurture has long fascinated scientists and philosophers alike, with debate raging over whether one force has a more dominant impact human development, behaviour and also how long we live for.
Our genes inherited from our parents play a significant role in determining factors such as our susceptibility to certain diseases and conditions. Genetic variations can make some individuals more prone to certain health issues, which impact how long they live in the end. For example, genes related to heart health, immune function, and cellular repair can all impact how an individual ages and their susceptibility to diseases.
While genetics provide a foundation, it is important to note that environmental factors and lifestyle choices also have a profound impact on one’s overall health and how long they live. Factors such as diet, exercise, access to healthcare, socioeconomic status, education, stress levels, and possible exposure to toxins or pollution can all have a part to play in whether or not someone remains healthy and lives well into what is considered “old age.”
It can be argued that Genetic susceptibility to certain diseases can be modified or mitigated through the environment one finds themself immersed in, which also includes positive or negative lifestyle choices. There are many opinions out there, but many have stated that by living healthy, reducing stress, and living more comfortably may stave off or delay conditions inherited at birth compared to those who live in adverse conditions or surround themselves with the wrong people, and/or make poor lifestyle choices.
Epigenetics is an exciting field that explores how nature and nurture intersect. It states that environmental factors can cause chemical modifications to our DNA, impacting gene expression without altering the underlying genetic code. Research suggests, things like nutrition, stress, and other environmental influences can bring about these changes, which can have significant effects on one’s lifespan and overall quality of life from a health perspective.
Research suggests that genetics may account for at least 20% of the variation in human lifespan, with environmental factors playing a more substantial role. Therefore it can be argued then that our genetic framework simply provides a foundation for a healthy life, however lifestyle choices and the environment we surround ourselves in has a significant impact on one’s fight to live a longer more fruitful life.
Therefore, as humans we have the conscious choice to positively influence how long we live. These choices include maintaining a balanced diet, engaging in regular physical activity, quitting smoking, finding ways to manage stress levels, not putting things off when you should be going to see a doctor, and heeding medical advice when it is given. Positive lifestyle choices can only help to increase the chance of one living a longer life and potentially will help stave off the ailments that come with natural aging overtime for much longer.
