Originally Posted by alcanoe

What does keep you alive longer is that aerobics (and weight training) causes sufficient cell damage to stimulate the body's repair mechanisms (human growth hormones and other chemicals). Those mechanisms repair the aerobics damage plus the decay damage due to aging. You don't do the damage, the age-related decay does not get repaired and you degenerate far faster and are more prone to disease than the fit individual.

Genetics for most people is a small factor. You can suppress most negative genetic tendencies through a lifestyle of strenuous activity, reducing meat/dairy and emphasizing fresh/frozen fruits/vegetables

Al