Molecular biologist Elizabeth Blackburn shared a Nobel Prize for her research on telomere structures. They exist at the tips of chromosomes that play a key role in cellular aging.
The main message of “The Telomere Effect,” is that you might have more control over your own aging than you may have previously imagined. You can actually lengthen your telomeres and perhaps even your lifespan by practicing sound health habits, the authors say, based on a review of thousands of studies. Eating right and sleeping on time, getting the right amount of sunlight, meditation, and regular exercise are all signals to your body to keep the cellular turnover rate high. One of the biggest detriments of a comfortable lifestyle is the softening of our bodies which instills a lack of urgency in our biologies.
“Telomeres sit at the tips of DNA strands, like aglets on shoelaces. Too much stress from a frantic lifestyle will shorten those tips, making it more likely that your cells’ reproductive rate drops, essentially speeding up your aging.” [1]
This shortening effect speeds up the timeline for whatever lies waiting in your genes so if you’re vulnerable to heart disease, it is more likely to manifest at a younger age if your telomeres are shortened,
Cells can age in a variety of different ways, so it is definitely possible for someone to have lots of aging cells and normal-looking telomeres. These findings have not yet reached the actionable phase of knowledge. What we do know currently is that too much stress can and will speed up aging, regardless of diet, exercise, or fad beauty products.
Eating healthy: Means different things as you age, a more appropriate way to term this is, to eat a balanced diet. As we age our bodies start slacking on their duties, so we must eat to compensate for those lackings. This means having a diet that addresses your body’s changing needs and keeps you looking and feeling as you always have.
Sleeping on Time: As people get older they need less sleep and are better at recharging. This is not just some myth from TV, but a verifiable scientific fact. Young people counter wise grow during their sleep. Our bodies have a natural rhythm of sleeping and waking that is encoded in our DNA called the
Circadian Rhythm. Modern-day life has completely thrown it out of wack. Avoid sources of blue light after dusk, definitely avoid your phone (Unless it has a grayscale mode activated) from 1 hour before you fall asleep. Pay attention to when you feel sleepy at night, listen to your body and get a head start on the next day.
Avoid Stress/Meditate: This is perhaps the hardest thing to do. It is the way of life for responsibilities to grow as we do. It is very important to not let stress ruin our mental health. No amount of money can buy anyone a second of time. Mindfulness meditation is one of the easiest and most effective ways of distressing and feeling zen. Try it out!
Getting regular exercise: Let’s get one thing straight, being fit and being healthy are very different things. Being healthy means hitting muscle groups regularly enough to keep them on a short leash and not deactivate over time. It is not about looking good, it is about feeling good. Do some light weightlifting, squats, and cardio, it doesn’t matter how much, it matters that you do it consistently to let your body know that it has a demanding mistress.
References:
[1] EPEL, DIRECTOR OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO’S AGING, METABOLISM AND EMOTIONS CENTER.
