I  caught the last part of Oprah yesterday, and Dr. Oz was on.  After seeing him I'm always compelled to wipe out everything in the frig and do it his way -- fresh food, lots of veggies, limiting fat and animal products...nothing really new.  In fact,  the South Beach Diet is very much in line with what he's saying (but it has the bad "D" word in it so I had to rebel).  Yesterday he talked about living to 120 -- and that we know how to do that.  Some of it will be the result of new research and technologies, but he's also been talking for some time about calorie restriction as a key to long life, as well as a greater quality of life.  He says that cells are healthier, don't die as fast, and don't have to deal with so many toxins if you reduce calories.  Research on animals shows that restricting calories extends both the years and the quality of life.  

When I think about how long I'll live (and I don't spend all that much time thinking about it!) I guess I have something in the 90s as my guess.  I mean look at Mom -- jumping (that's a little generous) up off the sidewalk after her fall in her 80s.  So, let's say we find a way to live an extra 20 years -- for Doug and me this would mean that more than half our lives are still ahead of us.  I welcome the thought that it's still not all downhill from here, but in this economic mess, can we afford to live that long?  Don't old people have to just move on at some point?  And at 110, will they find a way to go to 140?  People are seriously talking about those possibilities.  Isn't the world just waiting for the baby boomers to get the hell out?