In a very primitive way we are on the road to Immortality.
Within the nucleus of nearly every one of the 100 trillion cells
that make up our body is a Computer Program of enormous
complexity. This Computer Program is our DNA. We can now for the
first time in Man's history read the message this Computer
Program produces.
We can read this message by so-called DNA sequencing. What is
DNA sequencing? DNA sequencing is the process of determining the
exact order of the 3 billion chemical building blocks which make
up the DNA of the 24 different human chromosomes. This
sequencing revealed the estimated 20,000-25,000 human genes
within our DNA as well as the regions controlling them.
What are Genes? Genes are segments of DNA that are the basic
functional units of heredity. Genes are determined by an ordered
sequence of chemical bases found in a unique position on a
specific chromosome. Their "blueprint" guides protein
production, which determines how different cells in the body
function. Inherited genes also control our unique set of
physical traits.
Think of your genes as a blueprint for cell growth and function.
Abnormalities in the DNA are like typographical errors. They may
provide the wrong set of instructions, leading to faulty cell
growth or function.If there is an error in a gene, that same
error will appear in all the cells that contain the same gene.
This is like having a blueprint in which all the copies have the
same typographical error.
So now we have what is basically a blueprint of the Human Body.
What are we going to do with that blueprint?
Just because we have the blueprint does not mean we understand
it. We are just starting to nibble at the edges.
What we would like to do is create personalized health care
designed just for us.
Humans have the same DNA sequence except for less than 1% that
differs from person to person. The variations in this small
percentage are very important because if they do not follow the
usual pattern there may be a chance that the body is more or
less susceptible to certain diseases.
Our behaviour in most cases can influence to what extent a gene
is expressed as a disease. Smoking, drinking, drugs, overeating
can all cause a gene or a combination of genes to express as a
disease.
There are now tests available using cells collected either from
a simple mouth rinse procedure or from a single blood draw that
measure selected segments of the genetic code that differ from
individual to individual. These are called single nucleotide
polymorphisms, or SNPs for short.
So by looking at the exceptions we can now see where we might be
at risk in future.
These exceptions are not certainties but possible risk factors
which could affect our health if we do not use preventative
measures. Historical Medicine treated a person only after he
developed the disease.
We now have the ability to not only know to what unique diseases
we are at risk, but to know all of them, so we could
theoretically protect ourselves against all of them and as
healthcare providers become more knowledgeable, better diets,
vitamins and exercise programs will be developed that will form
the basis of more longevity.
About the author:
How to live longer
by J Schipper How to
live longer; quit smoking by J Schipper
