Lengthening Telomeres to Slow Aging
I became fascinated with longevity in my early twenties by accident when I kept coming across information about incredible men and women in their “golden years” who had the strength and vitality of people half their age. Women like Annette Larkins, Mimi Kirk, Karyn Calbrese, and more became my Anti-aging SHE-roes and the seed for my inspiration which blossomed into implementing rituals in my own diet and lifestyle and creating my online course Staying Ageless 30+.
There are so many components of lifestyle and nutrition that need to come together to achieve long term incredible vitality and youthfulness, and in my last Insta post I started the conversation about telomeres which have been a point of research for me lately. I know, your probably like…”What the heck is a telomere?”
Telomeres are protective caps on our DNA which shorten as we age. Research has proven that our chronological age really doesn’t matter, is our biological age that is the true marker of our health status and that can be determined by the length of our telomeres. In short, if we are able to lengthen our telomeres we can slow or reverse aging. The telomerase enzyme was found in research to be the key enzyme that increases telomere length. When telomerase ezyme activity is not present, our telomeres begin to shorten. Cancer cells actually have a high expression of telomerase activity which is what makes it spread so quickly.
What are a few things you can do TODAY to begin lengthening your telomeres? Below is a short list of some basic but effective things you can incorporate in your diet or lifestyle. Keep in mind that finding interventions that are tailor to your needs, chronic conditions, body type, medications, and sensitivities is always key. -XO
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Reduce oxidative stress by through eating whole nutrient dense foods high in antioxidants that are anti-inflammatory, and avoiding very strenuous physical activities like ultra marathons, triathalons etc. which put a great deal of stress on the body that can actually accelerate aging.
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Take astragulus root which is an adaptogen that helps mitigate the stress response and also activates telomerase enzyme expression in the body because of two compounds found in it: cycloastragenols and astragalosides. Scientists have created a compound from extracts that has the same effects called TA-65 which is expensive to say the least, and not as natural as just taking plain old astragalus. With all herbs caution should be taken if you are taking medication, and it is best to find the dose that works for you under the supervision of a practitioner.
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Supplement with a good multivitamin to ensure you have adequate levels of B vitamins and vitamin D which all support telomerase expression.
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Incorporate reishi mushroom as an elixir or supplement as it deactivates telomerase activity in cancer cells, while promoting expression in healthy cells. Another bonus of reishi, is that it has been shown to improve sleep quality.
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Turmeric is a very potent anti-inflammatory and useful in the quest to lengthen telomeres because inflammatory markers are related to shortened telomeres or low telomerase activity.
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Meditating has a strong correlation with the lengthening of telomeres in scientific studies. This may be because it combats stress and promotes a balanced cognitive expression.
- Exercising regularly is something we know can slow the aging process and research backs up the fact that exercisers are frequently even as much as 10-20 years younger than their non-exercising counterparts! More on this in my past post 10 Fundamentals of Self-Care.
Enrollment ended yesterday, but there are two spots now available in my program Staying Ageless 30+ which starts next Sunday, June 30th, so if you are a women 30+ looking to determine the right diet and exercise for your body, interested in creating lasting healthy rituals, and ready to begin your transformation with group and one-on-one support, schedule a call with me HERE. Limited times available!
References:
Ludlow AT, Gratidão L, Ludlow LW, Spangenburg EE, Roth SM. Acute exercise activates p38 MAPK and increases the expression of telomere-protective genes in cardiac muscle. Exp Physiol. 2017 Apr 1;102(4):397-410. doi: 10.1113/EP086189. Epub 2017 Mar 14. PubMed PMID: 28166612; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5378631.
Rathore M, Abraham J. Implication of Asana, Pranayama and Meditation on Telomere Stability. Int J Yoga. 2018 Sep-Dec;11(3):186-193. doi: 10.4103/ijoy.IJOY_51_17. Review. PubMed PMID: 30233111; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6134740.
Salvador L, Singaravelu G, Harley CB, Flom P, Suram A, Raffaele JM. A Natural Product Telomerase Activator Lengthens Telomeres in Humans: A Randomized, Double Blind, and Placebo Controlled Study. Rejuvenation Res. 2016 Dec;19(6):478-484. Epub 2016 Mar 30. PubMed PMID: 26950204; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5178008.
Tolahunase M, Sagar R, Dada R. Impact of Yoga and Meditation on Cellular Aging in Apparently Healthy Individuals: A Prospective, Open-Label Single-Arm Exploratory Study. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2017;2017:7928981. doi: 10.1155/2017/7928981. Epub 2017 Jan 16. Erratum in: Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2017;2017:2784153. PubMed PMID: 28191278; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5278216.