Q: How strong of an influence does ancestry play in regard to longevity? According to my father, his side of the family lived to ripe old ages without complications of modern-day diseases, such as diabetes, Alzheimer's, etc. Some family members actually lived to 109! However, my mother's family does not exhibit this longevity. My grandfather lived to 72 and was treated for type II diabetes. I'm not certain what that treatment entailed in the 1940s; however, my mother seems to think it was diet based.
A: Genes can have a profound influence on your longevity, but it is your diet that activates the expression of your genes, both positively and negatively. Longevity is usually genetically determined by your mother’s side of the family. Nonetheless, following an anti-inflammatory diet like the Zone Diet can prevent those negative genes from being activated.