What? Can that be real?” Well, according biologist Andrew Steel, medical science is making progress on that very subject. He has written about the field of biogerontology, examining emerging treatments that range from new drugs that can clear out old cells to gene therapies that can actually fix damaged DNA.
Steel has found people’s response to be interesting, even observing the push back that some have given to the idea of slowing or halting the aging process. He says, “It’s wired into our brains, innately or socially, to accept that [aging] – and to think it’s a bit weird to want to do something about it.”
It reminds me of people I have encountered that seem to adopt a mindset of getting old. It is almost as though they think, “Well, I’m 60 now, so I guess I had better begin to dress old, hang out at old people activities, think like an old person, and, well, act my age.” Oftentimes these individuals cease to learn, grow, try new things, or continue to have an impact. But, aside from debilitating health issues, this is so unnecessary.
While we haven’t stopped the aging process yet, we are reminded of the wisdom we have been given regarding eating well, exercising, and not smoking. Those three things alone will slow down the aging process. Other factors that also will contribute to remaining younger are: not allowing our chronological number to dictate our self-perception; continuing to learn and expand our horizons, and remaining engaged with people, endeavoring to make a difference for as long as God gives us breath. I want to be able to say, as Timothy writes, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. (2 Timothy 4:7)