Perhaps the
key point made by Hayflick, both above and in a recent paper titled, «Biological aging is
no longer an unsolved problem,» (and generally accepted among leading gerontology researchers) is that the body's repair and maintenance systems are the primary determinants of
longevity.14 The question then becomes, «What causes these systems
to lose their ability
to outpace the damage of daily life?»
Humans are on an endless quest for a fountain of youth —
keys to longevity and health — and we'd like
to know what might help our pets live longer too.
Our modern life seems
to be so out of touch with the beauty of the natural world that we can't seem
to hold on
to what people from cultures around the world have
known for centuries — turtles are a
key to longevity.