In the introduction to Scale by Geoffrey West, a graph is shown presenting a general limit on heartbeats in a lifetime for any species of mammal. Regardless of size and metabolic rate, most species of mammal aren't able to pump more than 1.5 billion heartbeats in any given life, discounting the life expectancy of species that are endangered or die quickly due to outside influences.
I find it remarkable that there is such a limit. It explains why people with lower resting rates are generally in better shape, and tend to live longer. If your resting rate is 60 or below, you have a better chance of living longer than people with rates above 60, because you will have taken longer to reach this mystical limit on heartbeats. Let this be further proof that exercise and healthy eating helps you live longer.
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