Longevity and good health

The past two weeks have seen two persons close to me depart this earth.

- RAYMUND W. LO, MD, FPSP

One was my 96-year-old eldest sister who stumbled and fell breaking her arm in the process, then suffered two heart attacks due to the stress. The second was my youngest sister’s mother-in-law who was 106. Yes, that’s correct. She was a centenarian, and so was my mother who lived to 103.

We are all in awe of these persons’ longevity. Certainly, good genes run in certain families, and these persons are blessed. Research shows that both father and mother contribute good genes, though maternal influence tends to be stronger due to their extra genetic contribution through mitochondrial DNA, which are only passed on by mothers.

But while heredity plays a big role in longevity, it accounts for only 20-30 percent of lifespan. So, for those who aren’t “blessed,” there is still room for a longer life beyond what is considered a normal lifespan for Filipinos, which are 67 years for males and 73 years for women. The Philippines rank 24th among Asian countries and 119th in the world for life expectancy, a crying shame.

The big difference is the lack of access to health care and poor health education. Many Filipinos still die without seeing a doctor. No amount of good genetics will help if people can’t get good medical care when they’re ill. That says a lot about our health care system.