A New You - Every 7 Years?

in #science7 years ago (edited)

Picture

”Don’t you know? The cells in your body replace themselves all the time! In 7 years, you’ll be a whole different person than you are right now.”

I’ve heard and read this more than once, I even believed it for a while. And why not? It seems kind of logical. We know, that our cells replace themselves on a regular basis. Seems only logical that at one point, they’ll all be replaced at least once. So we’re a new person at 7 years old, 14, 21, …

But wait, do we start counting at birth? Or at conception? From the moment a specific organ is formed? All organs are formed? When do the seven years begin?

This alone already makes the statement a bit weird. But let’s look at some examples for cell lifespans in your body, shall we? I dug out some for you.

Blood, let’s start with blood. According to what I found (source linked, as always, at the end), the mean lifespan of a red blood cell is about 115 days. But a “mean value” doesn’t give you the specific age for each cell, can live longer or shorter. And in fact, they do. The survival rates for red blood cells range from 70 to about 140 days. @suesa
Let’s assume all red blood cells survive 140 days. That would mean in seven years, they’re completely switched out roughly 18 times. Not too shabby, certainly doesn’t disprove the statement.

How about skin? What do you think, how long does your skin take to replace itself? A week? Two weeks? A month?

Epidermal cells, the ones that make up the outer layer of your skin, are replaced roughly every 40 to 56 days. That means that, in 7 years, you switch them out about 45 times. That’s even more frequent than the blood cells! Should we correct the 7 years “new body” time period? Make it shorter?

Your immune system kind of disagrees.

T cells, which are important for immune response, mostly live for about 2 weeks after they’ve been activated (= reacted to a pathogen). I’m saying mostly as that’s not the fate of every T cell. The memory T cells, those who remember what the pathogen looked like and what’s required to fight it again, can live several years.

How many years exactly depends. Is it 7? Maybe in some cases, but it can be a lot longer.

And did you ever wonder how your bones fit into all of this? Sure, their matrix (the part that isn’t cells) is made from mineral crystals and other things, but there are cells that synthesize that matrix, it doesn’t appear out of nothing.

Synthesizing it is the job of osteoblasts, which regulate the growth and destruction of bone. After 200 days, most of them (60-80%) die. Some of the surviving cells are then embedded into the minerals of the bone (then called osteocytes) and survive for … 1 to 50 years.

Okay, you won’t have a completely new body after 7 years. But surely, you’re a completely new person? Your personality has changed, you’ve changed!

Except … not really. It depends on how you define “you”, because the neurons (the cells that make up the brain and are not glial cells. They’re what makes us think. And while the connections between change over time and as we learn, the cells itself don’t - as long as there isn’t some kind of injury or sickness.

Neurons don’t age through replication. Normally, cells replicate and changes happen in their replicated genomes (mutations, shortening of telomeres, those things). This causes them to “age” and at one point, stop replicating. One reason for this halt in replication is to avoid cancer. Cancer cells have accumulated a lot of mutations over time and at one point, start proliferating in a way they’re not supposed to.

A neuron cell can, in theory, live as long as the rest of the organism. Interestingly, it even seems like neurons can live longer than the organism they belong to!

Researchers have implanted neurons from one mouse into a younger mouse, that outlived the first. And the neurons just adapted and kept on living their life.

Now that we’ve cleared up the myth, one question remains, at least for me: Where did it come from? And why, out of all time spans, 7 years?

The first part of the question I kind of answered in the beginning. People know their cells are switched out regularly, which probably lead, at one point, to the conclusion, that all your cells will have been replaced.

But why 7 years?

Have you ever noticed, that the number seven seems to pop up everywhere, especially in religion? The seven days of creation in the Bible, the seven hells and heavens in Islam, the seven days of mourning in Judaism and the seven Chakras in Hinduism. Seven seems to have always been associated with spirituality of some sort.

Not surprising then that it has been chosen for a myth that promises you a new start every seven years.


Sources:

Measurement of Red Cell Lifespan and Aging

Cell Division and Cancer

Aging and Bone

Lifespan of neurons is uncoupled from organismal lifespan

Extending the lifespan and efficacies of immune cells used in adoptive transfer for cancer immunotherapies–A review

Making an epidermis

7


Pictures taken from pixabay.com


SteemStem

GIF was created for me by @saywha and @atopy , rest of the signature by @overkillcoin

Sort:  
There are 2 pages
Pages

I’m a nurse and was surprised to see the accuracy in this post- not that I have any reason to doubt your credibility, but I see a lot of health/medical posts written by the misinformed.

How bout those T-cells though- I have a love hate relationship with those because I have a ton of autoimmune issues. Sure, the cells help me when they are doing their job but when they mount a full scale attack on my thyroid- my life becomes quite shitty (for lack of a better word).

Anyways, super cool post- definitely my style for sure.

My son has the same condition as you. His immune system is attacking his thyroid. Sadly there is really nothing to stop it. He inherited the autoimmune issue from me. I had my right thyroid removed 21 years ago due to large nodules... and now my left thyroid is full of cysts and nodules. 😕

Damn - that’s just terrible. Living with thyroid issues is so much harder than people think...as I’m sure you know. I have days where I feel like I haven’t slept in weeks. I was diagnosed a year or so ago and my appearance has even changed. My complexion and everything. My TSH was finally normal at my last visit but it’s usually way off- like 80s.

Anyways, I feel for you and your son. I wish the absolute best for both of you. It’s rough but you can do is take it one day at a time.

It's so sad that more and more men are having this problem. You are only 25 and my son is only 19!! What is going on??
I'm starting to think it may be something in the food we eat?
Thank you for responding and I wish the best for you too.

It really is scary. And it happened out of nowhere!!! I was healthy and then one more I woke up and had some kind of episode - hard to describe but I panicked and went to the ER. They said everything was normal except my thyroid which was completely and utterly off! I was really confused and then my doctor started my on synthroid almost immediately. Now here I am a year and a half later dealing with this crap everything. Sorry I feel like it just spews out of me life vomit when I start thinking about it. I truly wish the best for your son and you. Life is what you make it I suppose. All we can do is fight for the best. Anyways time for me to sleep for now- goodnight!

I know of something that may help your son. Thyroids can often be boosted with a concentrated form of iodine that has been detoxified. You can purchase a small bottle of "Detoxified Iodine" sometimes called "Energy Iodine". It's often iodine crystal in ethyl alcohol.

Take this and put 1 drop in 8oz of water and drink the water. The next day put 2 drops in 8oz of water and drink the water. Continue this for 5 days so you get up to 5 drops. Then, stop for 2 days and start the process over again. This should really help thyroid function.

Best of Luck,
Spencer Coffman

Thank you spencercoffman. Yes, I will tell him about this treatment. He does have an endocrinologist he sees once a year but she just monitors his thyroid and never gave him any kind of treatment. So, yes, thank you so much and I hope it works! 🙂

Please be cautious about posting potential treatments for people. There is more evidence that additive iodine is harmful to people with autoimmune disorders like Hashimoto's or autoimmune thyroiditis. It has been used to treat the hyperthyroidism in Graves disease, but should not be a recommendation for all thyroid related disorders as it can make their condition worse.

Yes, it is essential to do your research before simply taking anything. Thank you for adding this word of caution. Iodine can indeed be harmful in large doses, especially to those with thyroid problems. However, this is why it is essential to use detoxified iodine. It provides a different chemical delivery than normal iodine.

Still, read up on it before taking it. This is also why you are to start with one drop in a glass of water. That is such a minuscule amount that it is very safe.

Seriously, wtf is the deal with autoimmune disease, I feel like that's all I hear lately. Are they increasing in prevalence, or are things now being diagnosed that were not previously?

The trouble lies within all of the chemicals and preservatives in the food we eat. Sugar is one of the worst things for the immune system. Sugar beets are bathed in acid and go through a terrible chemical process to become crystalized sugar. Then you eat it and ingest all of those chemicals.

Meat is injected with antibiotics and other vaccines. When you eat the meat you are ingesting those antibiotics and vaccines in small doses. Thus, your body builds up immunity to those medicines. Thus, when you get sick your body does not respond to any treatment. Therefore, you end up with autoimmune problems because your body starts attacking itself. Really it is attacking all of the foreign medicines that you unknowingly consume in your everyday food.

no doubt that sugar isn't good for you - i think we've established that..

not sure about your claim about meat - never really heard about that one before...

but we don't know that either of those is the cause.. it has to be something specific..

I was reading a while back about the balance of gut bacteria and how it's affected by diet, though that doesn't seem to really be an issue in non western countries.

I think also the prevalence of gluten intolerance is related... .i was reading yesterday about some of the chemicals they use to process and regulate the properties of flour, and who knows whether it goes even further up the chain with the insecticides they use on wheat etc.

Yes, all of the flour and gluten people it causes major problems to the body. Look at the epidemic we have of diabetes.

Regarding gut bacteria. That is a major problem nowadays. People are no longer eating fermented foods filled with probiotics like they did in days past. Years ago, people would can all kinds of food and store it in the cellar. As the food aged it grew certain bacteria. Thousands of different strains of probiotics. They consumed these probiotics and they helped make people healthy enough to fight off all kinds of health problems. Now, without all of those antibodies, our immune systems are much weaker.

what kind of foods are you talking about?

Foods that people canned themselves and then they fermented or aged. Things like sauerkraut, pickles, canned fruits that may have became a little tangy, canned vegetables.

They can't be things that the stores can because those are pasteurized, boiled, pressured, or whatever to make sure they last a long time without changing.

Years ago, canned foods grew bacteria. Obviously, if they got too bad then eating them would cause negative effects. However, prior to that, they were great for the bacteria in the gut.

To everyone in this line of commenting—

Gluten is certainly a culprit in some of these issues- I myself have been gluten free for over a year now and it has helped me in many areas

Secondly and VERY IMPORTANTLY

(This is not medical advice, I’m only expressing my opinion)

Iodine is a necessary nutrient for thyroid function however those with any thyroid disfunction may have severe adverse effects from taking iodine in larger than daily recommended values. This is especially true in those with Hashimotos/ autoimmune thyroid issues. It can cause an auto immune attack and or cause t4 levels to rise significantly. I do not mean to discredit you @spencercoffman - this is just something that you should absolute speak to a doctor about before starting.

It’s even recommended that those with hashimotos, completely avoid iodine rich foods like seaweed because of the adversity of having too much iodine.

Just wanted to throw that out there.

Yes, thank you. Don't worry, you are not offending me. I am speaking from years of health experience obtained through both myself and others.

Iodine can indeed be harmful if you have an existing thyroid problem. However, it can also help. It will only help if you have a pure form of iodine. The toxins have to be removed. This is why "detoxified iodine" should be used. In addition, when you only place one drop in a glass of water that is a pretty safe dosage.

Still, you should always consult a medical professional (preferably your doctor) before doing any kind of treatment. Your doctor knows you and what you are on. If you add anything they will know how it will effect everything else you are doing.

Therefore, before doing anything you read online, check with someone who knows and understands your specific condition.

Honestly, I’m not sure. I think that we use the term more often to describe things we cannot place in any other category - or something that has not outside cause.

I have been healthy my entire life - I’m 25 years old for Christ sake. And then 1 year ago I get diagnosed with these thyroid issues and my life starts changing. Oddly enough, nobody else in my family has it and it’s more predominantly seen in females. I don’t really fit the bill at all ...but I digress

ha to be honest when i first replied to your post off my phone and i didn't see your display pic i kind of assumed you were female - because you're right it definitely hits females more.

i've read about people going on paleo diets and that kind of thing to improve their health...

I don't really have anything like that myself, but my wife does, and it's made me take a lot more notice when i hear people complaining of autoimmune diseases... it can be really debilitating.

What do you call a small protein on Steemit?

A: Amino

Well I have the 7 year theory....but its not bout cells. Its bout change. At 7 you start school. Then at 14 you hit puberty...which is another change. Then u hit 21...which again is sorta legal age. 28 is when u start feeling age. etc.

I know there is a bunch of loopholes but hey...u asked...this is my theory. :) It may not be a new you....but a slightly changed u...

Its good to know that you can change completely in such a short time frame.

Dammit @suesa! First the 10% brain myth, then this. If you don't stop dropping truth bombs I won't have anything left to make me sound smart at cocktail parties.

Nonono you're going at this the wrong way. Now you can be the smartass at cocktail parties who debunks the attempts of everyone to sound smart!

I'll give it a try next time I'm invited to a party!

Oh wait - there's one major flaw in my plan...

You should throw a "do you want to feel stupid?" party.

This information right here explains why our towels while drying us gets dirty from a supposedly clean body :)
Too many skins shed plus other things ongoing. The body's incredible ability to self heal is what makes it the more amazing piece of work.

The real question here is what is you? Are the cells you consist of you, or maybe the genetic information in your cells is you? But the latter suggests there can be two or more of you, even in different bodies. Anyway, this is all getting so philosophical.

I've heard this a few times about skin and I just think... Scars? They're there a lot more than 7 years, haha.

I had never heard that ahaha but it doesn't seem very plausible indeed that our bodies would regenerate themselves every 7 years. But it's very true about number 7 - 7 days of the week..Don't they say that in order to calculate a dog's life in human years, you should multiply its age by 7?
Or, that a marriage survives if you can make it until the 7th year?

Those are the only ones I can think of tight now...

Thanks for all the details about cell regeneration, interesting read!

@suesa, thank you for opening my eyes to this myth! I feel very silly for perpetuating this now. I never was any good at biology, and I figured all cells eventually died and were replaced.

It's weird to think about, but we are kinda just brains in spongy mobile suits. We associate our body with ourselves but really the brain is where it's at. So, as far as I'm concerned, I don't care what other cells get replaced-- the neurons are what actually matter!

I don't know what to think now. For years now I've been convinced that I have none of the brain matter I did when I was a child, and it routinely made me think a little too much about it. I suppose that it's nice to know that I'm still "me," and will be, for years to come.

Just as the post suggested, I'll start a new life new me ever 7 years.

I'll leave my family, find a new one, pick new hobbies, get rid of any extra genes I do not like.. if I put enough effort in it, I assume I could change my biological gender every 7th year.

No I do not have anything proper related to this topic - other than the use of 7 years. I've noticed the same. 7 is a key number in so many things.

Lucky 7. Even many car companies promise you a 7 year guarantee. I should create a car brand named "Cell" and create a campaign "Renew all your Cells every 7 years. Get a new you!" (or You, if it could be a car model)

i was reading an article on this the other day - great info (and food for thought). one take away i had from the other piece was that the lens cells you're born with...those are it for life. interesting stuff!

In my country, when we marry, we make 7 promises by taking 7 rounds of fire. Yes its true that 7 has some spiritual significance, But what is it ? I thought 11:11 was spiritual. Are you aware about 11:11?

I only know that at you can "make a wish" at that specific time. There are many numbers in many cultures that are given spiritual significance. I can't be sure where it came from and why.

Yeah !! 🤔 every culture has its own belief. I wish i could find the reality behind it all someday.

Das habe schon erlebt, mein Mann hatte ein Unfall gehabt mit einer Holz Schneider Maschine and hatte fast 2 finger getrennt... Die Ärzte sagte, er muss einen haut transplantation unterziehen, zurück nach Wien hat aber die Ärtze , espezialisten in der Wiener AKH dass sein Haut wird regenieren... also mit Salbe und alles drum und dran, hat sein finger jetzt nach 2 Jahre vollig geheilt, fast normal schon von aussehen her ohne transplantation.
Vielen Dank für Deine Content, es ist toll was solche zu lesen!
@mers

Knew about most of this stuff, but didn't know that the osteoblasts would become part of the bone, that is new, but from what i know osteoBlasts dont create and destroy the bone, destroying is the job of the osteoClasts @suesa

I said they regulate it, not do it themselves. But yes, you're correct, the breakdown is done by osteoclasts.

Yes, I have read and listened to Deepak Chopra talk about this pretty extensively. In theory it makes sense... but I think the cycles would be so off... you could never really talk about it as a whole. Unless you go with the limiting factor of which cells would take the longest to start the cycle anew and go from there. That is pretty much the frame of reference he used if I am not mistaken. This has always been an interesting topic to think on. It reminds me of the ... "We only use x% of our human brains! What if we could tap in to all the unused part of our brain!"

Yes, I linked my post about the 10% myth in the text above xD

Wow! I just went back and looked at the link. That's crazy i mentioned it then and I didn't want to give the % because I have seen it vary so much from myth to myth! I thought the neurons portion here was particularly interesting. Ghost in the Shell is closer than we realized! =)

I actually made a note to maybe re-use this study in one of my fictional stories.

I think there is a lot of untapped potential there! Have you seen the anime Akira?

Not yet

I won't spoil it for you in any way... but even if you aren't into animated movies or anime in general... I really feel like you should watch it before making your fiction post. The premise is pretty interesting but the end is a mindblower! It took me years to understand what the value and meaning was behind the whole theme or conclusion. I was young when I first saw it... but wow! I think it goes in line with this post's notions!

Wait until you aren't in the trenches and don't have any papers due... so you can delve in to Akira head first! hahaha I hear they are making a Live Action movie soon...

Never really gave a thought to the spiritual value of 7, found that quite interesting.

I have a very complicated objection to the fact of getting a new me every 7 years from a more science and less spiritual point of view :)

I don't know if I can explain it properly coz even in my head i'm struggling with this. So i'll just stick to the example of red blood cells. The calculation as i understood assumes that all RBCs are at the same age, right? If not, then my following argument is invalid and let me know, I'll have to read the post again lol!!

But in reality all the cells are never at the same age, in fact there maybe RBCs starting from the age of day 1 till the age of 120 days for example. So even when a lot of the RBCs are getting turned over and newborn RBCs are getting released from our bone marrow, there will ALWAYS be significant number of RBCs moving aroun in the blood that are 1, 2, 3, 4....months old.

And this concept applies to all the other cells. So we never really get an entirely "new me" as you mentioned (that we don't). But even with the personality change you mentioned, do we REALLY get an entirely new me? I like to think of this as even though everyday is a new beginning, we can not ignore the past. We can try and forget the past, but it's still there. Nothing is wiped off, not really.

Thank you for this wonderful post :) Really got me thinking about so many things in life, that has nothing to do with science lol!!

You're correct, for my calculation, I assumed that all cells have the same age and live for the exact same time, which is bullshit in a living system.

And technically, all cells come from the same very fist cell anyway. As cells can't be created out of nothing, there is no way we become an "entirely new person", at least not biologically/naturally (if you add cells from a diffent person, it might look slightly different but I'm not going into this philosophical debate).

if you add cells from a diffent person, it might look slightly different but I'm not going into this philosophical debate

Hahaha let's not!! :)

Now that we’ve cleared up the myth, one question remains, at least for me: Where did it come from? And why, out of all time spans, 7 years?

Someone has sometimes read the real research about... Let's say blood
He forgot what he read. But needed some urgent, late night, 500 words text for newspapers to make the quota for the day. He wrote something.

Without the Source (because - daily newspapers)

It perpetuated for 20 years or more. There should be a law about publishing without the source.

/signed

Hahaha, I am pretty sure this is how fakenews happen

I have heard the seven year theory for years. Once I began to read the data about cell changes along with their expected life span I had a feeling it was based on the Bible. You pretty well debunked the seven year scientific aspect. 🐓🐓

Interesting take on the 7 years myth. I've heard of it, but never thought about it much at all and certainly not in cellular terms. I always took it as an approximation to when something (minor) changes psychologically like our taste for food or music for example. Let's see...

When did I stop liking chocolate? - Never actually. Just no praline collection box, please! OK, still waiting for this one then. Bad example.
When did I start liking Sauerkraut? - Ah, 21 might be a good bet. We're onto something.
When did I get into metal? - Hm... mid-20s. Oh, we can make that work. We just calculate the mean of 14 + 7 (10.5) and add that to 14, i.e. a multiple of 7. That makes 24.5. Sounds about right.

Yeah, the myth must be true. 😮

On another note, do we not experience quite a few changes in life every 7 years, especially in our younger years?
In Germany school starts at age 6/7. Next big thing is Jugendweihe or its Christian equivalent at 14 when you're told that you'll be an adult (surprise!) and have to act responsibly. 21 isn't a big deal in my world, but US Americans seem to make a fuss about if I believe Hollywood. Not sure about later milestones ... 28 marriage ... 35 kid ... 42 kid off to school ... 49 ... kid's Jugendweihe ...? Oh, a neverending cycle!

Yet another piece of evidence for the 7 year myth. 😎 😇

Your body’s cells are not actually replaced every seven years.

For example, neurons are amitotic, or they do not undergo the process of cell division. They are in your body throughout your entire life, and you do not get new neurons once they die. Muscle cells also do not divide.
Your entire body is not made of cells.
The tattoo is put in a part of your skin called the dermis. The dermis is directly below the epidermis, or the part of your skin that is on the outside. The epidermis is the part of your skin that sheds. The dermis, however, is made of dense irregular connective tissue, and is what gives your skin that stretchy-elastic component. All connective tissue has an extracellular matrix (ECM), or a substance that surrounds the cells inside it. Dense irregular connective tissue is full of collagen, a protein, which runs in all directions so your skin will not rip. Inside the collagen fibers are cells called fibroblasts, which make the collagen, and the amount of collagen greatly surpasses the amount of fibroblasts. The ink of the tattoo lasts so long because it is in the fibers, or ECM, not the cells.

Congratulations on only reading the title and the first 2 paragraphs ;)

Savage but true

Happens all the time. I mean, I get it, reading the whole thing takes a while, so they base their comment on the first bit, but it makes the person who comments look like a fool.

He even upvoted himself which makes it look more sad.

Your entire body is not made of cell...really?

Really awesome. Never new the 7 year cycle was a myth. Very informative and the link to religion really makes sense. Thanks for sharing!!!

Hi @suesa, thank you for this great and informative article.
I enjoyed it a lot.

I think the "7 year theory" originated from the 7 year chakra cycle.
In TCM women also have a year cycle.
Either way, as you pointed out does not transfer medically.
With that said, I think its the human flaw of wanting a new beginning that is appealing and keeps the myth going.

What this post does highlight well is that the body CAN regenerate.
This is also seen clearly during injury (not just regular turnover).

Our natural state is health!

Can I just start getting younger every 7 years :). Great info, I knew about it but not so much detail.

Always seven, I have not come across eleven as yet.

That's just amazing
This means that a part of our body changes itself to new life to help us live healthily
That's good
Thanks for the information
I didn't know about this at all

thanks for info very nice post @suesa

Thanks for this totally generic spam comment.

great

I've posted this 2 minutes ago. You replied 1 minute ago. I don't believe you've read a post with about 800 words in under a minute. Why do you post a generic comment under a post you didn't even read? What do you hope for? An upvote? A flag is a lot more likely.

hahahah point to be noted good one

It's not like your initial comment was a lot better than this

great info thnx alot for sharing

great spam, thx for not putting effort in your comment

i am sorry, will be careful next time.

Mam i understand you put a lot effort to create this post. take very knowledgeable data from different resources at one place. any one comment or up voted without reading is realy irritate the person who give his precious time . i really appreciate your effort
and
above all I am new here its first interaction with you i wasn't know i am interacting with angry young lady

You're interacting with someone who is tired of constant spam comments. I decided not to flag you but to show you how annoying these kinds of comments are. You can learn.

If you want to reply to someone's post please have the courtesy to contribute to the topic of the post. Silly comments that do not have anything to do with the topic of the post make everyone angry.

you have given me very good information, my friend is also very interesting. 7 had never caught my attention. until you read it! Thank you so much for sharing this information with us :)I am trying to count how many times my life has been 7 years: D

I never remember this seeing in our textbooks what this is amazing to known. but I think stress and disease can also affect are cells too because degeneration of some cells.

Slightly sensible content of your post @suesa. If we remember, what we are like and our bodies at the age of 7 years, 14 years, 21 years old, there is certainly a great process and change that happens to our body.

Have a nice day and Best Regards from me in Aceh, Indonesia.

IS MY FIRST TIME THIS , I KNOW CELLS GET REPLACED THEMSELVES MOSTLY IN THE INJURIES OF THE BODY AND RECOVERY. ABOUT RECYCLING IN EVERY 7 YEARS IS THE NEW LESSON TO ME! THANK YOU FOR SHARING THE KNOWLEDGE!

Read the post again. It's not every 7 years.

So why do we get older then so fast?

Define "older". As stated above, your skin cells have quite the fast turnover rate, it's made worse by damage through things like UV light.

OK, yes i meant in appearance. Ok UV Light might speed up the process.

My dad always says:

"To live, it's never too late, if you have doubts, change like the snake"

I liked your post very much, especially because it is full of a lot of relevant information. It would be great if you link it with another post that talks about how to maximize the rejuvenation of every 7 years (just a reader's idea).

I'll keep track of your posts, thank you very much @suesa

Have a nice day!

But there is no rejuvenation every 7 years. Technically, most of your cells replace themselves all the time, aside from neurons and some others.

It is true, perhaps I did a parallel reading, although regeneration (in man) is often understood as returning to a past time, therefore, to a more "young" state.

However, I still believe that your post was very enriching.

And I appreciate the observation, that makes me understand better what our body's functioning is with respect to cellular regeneration.

Check out @aboutscience's post "Becoming Undead How Zombie Cells Make You Older" and @Clausewitz's "Telomere and Telomerase in Age Preventive Treatments". They're good posts for telling why, even though your cells may be 'reborn' they still make you age. 🙈 Oh, the Horror!

Wow, very wonderful article. I'm a biologist so I like very much this kind of papers.

It is true that individual cells have a finite life span, and when they die off they are replaced with new cells.
There's nothing special or significant about a seven-year cycle, since cells are dying and being replaced all the time. It's not clear where this myth or reality @suesa thanks for the share...!

Great information @suesa
Thanks, I like post you.

Avery thought provoking subject matter ,this van lead to a very long discussion especially about the N.o 7 factor .When I was a boy my mum taught me that 7 was meant to be lucky but not sure why .

I am SO GLAD I discovered this post. Many of the ideas presented in this post such as the new you every 7 years idea have crossed my mind and are encapsulated beautifully in this post by you. Keep up the thought-provoking posts! I am fascinated by the wonders of science, nature and the complexity of the human biology. :) Cheers

its an interesting link of spirituality with biology.......but as we do know most of the body cells have the division power of up to 50 times and to that point of replication halt is because chromosomes lose its telomers and with out telomers cell replication cant pass the check-posts of cell division....if it is possible to be new us after 7 years it would have been superb like after the said time we would be having fresh brain as well:):)

CYCLING EVERY 7 YEARS? THIS IS ALL NEW TO ME. THANKS FOR SHARING THOUGH.

I didn't know that until now, thanks for the information

I knda about this fact,but I love your take on the subject and the Way you drew a parallel with Many meanings of number 7. I will make sure to follow you!

We know, that our cells replace themselves on a regular basis. Seems only logical that at one point, they’ll all be replaced at least once. So we’re a new person at 7 years old, 14, 21, …
But wait, do we start counting at birth? Or at conception? From the moment a specific organ is formed? All organs are formed? When do the seven years begin?

I think, its might not be logical too... There's no time we can start counting... Because as new cells are forming, others are dying...

Yes. It was just a way to start the topic.

thought provoking. 7 seems to be a magical number... perhaps this is one reason why i am so attracted to the number 7... every 7 years is a rebirth... to a certain degree. :)

It's not. That's what the post is about. That the "every 7 years a new you" is a myth.

Not so sure about he 7 theory, I just think we grow and learn and gain more experience that morphs who we are in general

No wonder you're not sure about it, it's wrong. We're not a new person every 7 years. That's what the post is about.

I know, I was agreeing with you! :)

Ah, sometimes hard to see with all the people getting the post totally wrong. I mean, look at the comments -.-'

I apologize for the misunderstanding!

There are 2 pages
Pages