How old do you feel? How old is your body functioning at? Is it all down hill from here? Is it possible to stay young longer and reverse aging? What is your belief about aging? Get ready to revise that belief. Science is providing evidence we can stay young longer and even reverse the aging process. Our life span is getting longer. 1000 years ago it was 30 years, 100 years ago it was 50 years, today its 80 years.
Aging is a process that goes on inside the cells of our body (and also inside our head – I’ll tell you about that another time). Some cells replicate in three days and others in months or years. Some scientists believe, based on their studies, that cells have a finite number of times they can replicate themselves in each of our organs and tissues.
That’s a bit alarming. Does that mean if I enthusiastically exfoliate my face, arms and legs often I am potentially speeding up the use of my quota of replications for skin cells? Am I speeding up creating cells that can’t replicate any more – and therefore just die when they can no longer repair the wear and tear? I think I need to know a bit more about this.
Elizabeth Blackburn, molecular biologist and researcher at University of California San Francisco, grew up in Tasmania. Her fascination as a child about how things work eventually led her, as an adult, to exploring what is at the end of DNA strands inside our cells. That’s been quite a journey. Elizabeth Blackburn, Carol Greider and Jack Szostak were awarded the 2009 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for the discovery of how chromosomes are protected by telomeres and the enzyme telomerase.
Now the impact of this discovery is far reaching, increasing our understanding of how our cells age and how we can influence that aging process, especially in terms of degenerative diseases. And I don’t know about you, but I intend to age as gracefully and slowly and as youthfully as possible, and remain healthy and active till the end. I’m not interested in getting old fast. So if you’re with me on that, let me include you in what this all means.
Each cell has a nucleus with 23 pairs of chromosomes (strands of DNA). At the ends of these strands are caps called telomeres. Each time a cell replicates the telomeres shorten, till eventually over the years they become too short, and as a result the cell cant replicate any more. By now the person is in “old age.”
These cells with telomeres too short will eventually die without any more offspring to continue that tissue or organ. You may be aging your organs at different rates, some at old age while others still a middle age. The shortening of telomeres in various organs and tissues is a predictor of degenerative disease and is one of the known biomarkers of aging.
But guess what? It was discovered that our reproductive cells don’t follow this pattern of shortening telomeres in each successive generation of offspring. An enzyme called telomerase repairs and lengthens the telomere in your reproductive systems chromosomes, so they are always the same length. This means they do not age. They stay perpetually young. The purpose of course is to ensure as a species we survive.
All other cells shorten their telomeres each time they replicate themselves, so they are always getting closer to the day that this replication will no longer be possible. It’s just part of aging we’re told, so there’s nothing you can do about it. But many scientists agree, we can slow the rate of needing to replace cells and increase the rate of repair and replacement. That keeps us younger longer. Now we’re talking anti-aging.
Research measuring telomeres in men and women with degenerative diseases like prostate cancer, heart disease, lung insufficiency, and highly stressed carers of disabled family members, and those with perceived high stresses, had their telomeres measured before and after undertaking a supervised program of lifestyle changes.
The participants took part in guided relaxation sessions, exercised regularly, and ate antioxidant rich diets for three months. The resulting readings showed the telomeres had actually lengthened. This is not just slowing down aging but actual rejuvenation, cells reverting to a more juvenile condition, reversing aging. You can function at a younger level.
One example is a participant, a driven, ambition type male in the research group, who was diagnosed with prostate cancer. His diagnosis caused him to rethink his behaviour and relentless drive. At the end of partaking in the three-month program his telomere reading showed an increase in length of 30%. His prostate cancer had disappeared and he was feeling very fit and healthy.
Another participant, a 65 year old woman, caring for her disabled brother and her mother with dementia, was under constant stress attending to them both without any respite. This kind of stress shows as a faster shortening of telomeres and in her case indicated her cells were about 17years older than her chronological age. After attending the lifestyle-enhancing program with relaxation, exercise and diet changes, plus taking up painting, she also showed great improvement in health and wellbeing and her telomeres lengthened, in spite of still caring for her brother and mother as usual.
Scientists now know that shortening of telomeres in cells is not set in stone. This is what epigenetics is about. Lifestyle changes can and do change expressions of your genes. Your lifestyle can over-ride genetic predispositions, and even reverse the aging process. Tracking the biomarkers of aging provides the proof that cells are working as they did in more youthful times.
So we CAN get younger. How much younger can we get? 10 to 30 years seems possible. So it is entirely up to us how fast we age and decline.
The more we take care of our body with:
– life supporting diet, including high antioxidants, proteins, essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals, plus water
– exercise for cardiovascular and muscle fitness
– reduce stress and learn to relax or meditate,
the younger we can become in terms of telomere length and cell relication.
How old would you like your body to be by this time next year? Twelve months to reverse existing signs and biomarkers of aging by living a healthy lifestyle – sounds worthwhile and do-able to me. How about to you? Do you think it is something you can do? Do you believe it is something you can do? Can you run your own experimental program on yourself? Why not? Let me get you started.
To Reverse Markers Of Aging:
Take a note of:
– your current weight, current body measurements, current fitness level
– your present diet, breakfast, lunch, dinner, morning and afternoon tea/coffee
– how much water you drink
– aches and pains, range of movement and flexibility
– any health issues
– your current beliefs, expectations, self-image
These are your pre-checks, your starting point from which to compare monthly, and finally at the end of 12 months.
Other pre-checks:
– have a personal trainer do the fitness tests for you and advise on a program
– have your doctor do general blood and medical tests
– have someone check your diet and give some healthy suggestions
Now plan it out:
– daily walking, swimming, aerobics, weights, start slow and gradually increase
– consider adding supplements and herbs
– take up meditation, yoga, or relaxation practice
– start singing or painting or something creative and fun
– arrange monthly massage or kinesiology energy balances
– keep track of your actions and changes
– celebrate the improvements
This is your personal research on reversing the aging process.
If it all seems too much or you want further ideas or support, encouragement, motivation, guidance, then make an appointment and I will help you create your personal program – for reversing aging and regaining youthful health and vital energy.
Cheers
Anna
anna@annamcrobert.com.au
PS: There are other biomarkers of aging that I can tell you about another time. The good thing is that those markers also respond to the same lifestyle and attitude changes that your telomeres do.