Here’s an excerpt:
Without realizing it, us humans have always felt that we are closer in nature to the Mayfly than the Bowhead whale: the Mayfly is born in the morning, dances and procreates in the afternoon sun, and is dead by nightfall. This is how nature has programmed it and there is nothing that the Mayfly can do to change it.
Put this into human terms, and we believe that we have been allotted three-score years and ten, after which we too are programed to die. The not-so subtle message behind this is that we may as well: “Eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”
The Bowhead whale on the other hand has longevity built into its genes: it lives up to three times longer than other whales, is highly resistant to cancer and stays healthy right up until the end.1
Our approach to life might change dramatically if it turned out that, like the bowhead whale, we too possess protective genes that can be activated with certain healthy habits.
It was only in the 1990s, with the work of Cynthia Kenyon that the world even contemplated the concept of a longevity gene. With this came the realization that if we too possess genes that can extend healthy life, then it is well worth doing what we can to activate them, and equally worth avoiding the bad habits that shut them down.
This growing understanding is partially why the world has become so fascinated with cold plunges, hot saunas, exercise and fasting. Wim Hof breathing classes are trending, Saturday morning park runs have become global, and whenever I drive past the beach there are people striding confidently into the icy water.
However, the question remains as to what the mechanism might be that activates such important health pathways? If one could explain this mechanism to people in simple terms, then perhaps many more people would start to embrace these healthy habits. For every person tip-toeing into icy water, there remain a hundred more who are either too comfortable in their modern lifestyle, or who subconsciously believe that they are programed like the Mayfly and see no point in putting in all that effort. We have a twenty first century crisis of comfort and society has never before been so physically inactive, so enamored with fast foods, so obese, or so ill.2 3
It is common knowledge that our medical systems are creaking under the strain of chronic illness. The authorities are doing what they can to correct this: There are health warnings on cigarette packs, many countries have a tax on sugar, we are encouraged to do 150 minutes of exercise a week – but still this tsunami of ill-health grows. We might know what to do to stay healthy, but without our “why,” then most of us are never going to achieve it.
This is precisely the point of “The Power of Discomfort”: to explain why discomfort activities are so healthy for us and why our malaise of comfort is killing us.
The first step in this journey is to appreciate how nature has programmed all creatures in a way that will keep them healthy for procreation and ensure the formation of the next generation. If we are damaged by heat, radiation or dehydration, this activates an awakening of internal pathways that repair the damage, allowing us to procreate and ensuring the survival of the species.
To put this another way – we have been designed to thrive under stress. The body can’t distinguish between the threat of an incoming winter blizzard or the discomfort of an ice bath. In both circumstances, ancient pathways are activated inside of us that repair any damaged DNA, to allow us to retain healthy sperm and eggs, to be used once the winter is over. By understanding these pathways and by activating them, we can successfully enhance our health today and promote our longevity for tomorrow.
- Firsanov D et al. DNA repair and anti-cancer mechanisms in the long-lived bowhead whale. BioRxiv. 2024: 539748. ↩︎
- Strain T et al. National, regional and global trends in insufficient physical activity among adults from 2000 to 2022: a pooled analysis of 507 population-based surveys with 5.7 million participants. The Lancet. 2024: 12: E1232-43. ↩︎
- Thomas S et al. Transforming global approaches to chronic disease prevention and management across lifespan: integrating genomics, behaviour change, and digital health solutions. Front Public Health. 2023: 11: 1248254. ↩︎
