TELOMERES

Shoelace Caps

Life-span determination. 

Would you like to know how long you have to live, barring accidents?  Medic-mad me would be the first to join the very short queue in finding out.   

Given moments to evaluate, 9 out of 10 would back out, leaving the odd crazy enthusiast like me to be first in the queue.   

Why would I want to know?   Curiosity is one component, the other is planning out my now limited life. 

It could be argued - why not plan regardless?   Well, who does?  There's the "bucket list" types that do and see everything on their list before they die.  

I just want to be in the controlling seat of something uncontrollable.  Essentially mad but it captivates my enquiring mind.

Longevity compared to the caps on shoelace?

Hard to fathom but have you heard of TELOMERES?   If not, you should.  Your size of telomeres determine your time left on earth. 

Telomeres have been compared with the plastic tips on shoelaces, because they keep chromosome ends from fraying and sticking to each other, causing damage to genetic information, the caps  shortened as they divide.   

Brave enough?  Telomere diagnostics works by analyzing a drop of blood much like diabetics use to check their blood sugar.  The shorter the caps the less time you have.   

Anti-climactic to preserving the length of Telomeres for people like me is once you know, the act of preserving life becomes the end goal and not living the moment. 

My reminder of the day as I tie the shoelaces of my Trainers, is accepting mortality with grace.  No Telomere measuring ensures anything; to know or not only does one thing, the race to prolong life under your own control.  In itself, that is too much stress.