It's just how systems work in a general sense, energy counters entropy, if you can put new energy into a system you can maintain order. Fundamentally bodies don't need to break down as there's nothing theoretically irreplaceable or irreversible, so long as there is still energy available to inject into the system.

We are biological machines that evolved to reproduce and pass on genes, and the genes that consistently resulted in survival with successful reproduction formed a machine with a lifespan as long as ours. Many other creatures live far longer or far shorter lives.

So long as there is energy to inject into a system falling apart is not mandatory, age related death is 100% a curable disease

It's not about what gives me comfort, it's about reality. If it helps you sleep at night to believe your experience of life, emotional reactions etc. are a result of your conscious mind, despite all evidence pointing to the contrary, then who am I to tell you otherwise.

I'd suggest you read some physics and philosophy, there's not an actual debate here.

No, you don't. The body and brain are an interlinked machine, most thought is automatic, but more importantly most feelings are cause and effect. At an extreme end of this spectrum, if you're hallucinating due to dehydration do you have control over that? No. Consciously speaking we can take stock and redirect emotions, when given the opportunity to do so

Humans give themselves way too much credit for the power of consciousness, we are biological machines running on train tracks

I would prefer this to the alternative (n. have not read this article as walking to work)