(NaturalNews) When the term “anti-aging” is mentioned in a conversation, one of the following thoughts usually comes to mind: “It is all a hoax; there is no such thing as an effective anti-aging therapy”; “Plastic surgery”, or “Beauty treatments via skincare products and high-tech machines.”
However, there is another dimension to this topic which is not often considered and that is the natural approach to anti-aging. The equation is simple: Your lifestyle, environment and dietary habits determine how fast or how slow you age and which of the genes you have inherited will be expressed throughout your life – be it the good genes or the bad ones.
So if for example you have inherited a specific gene that predisposes you to a certain disease, the quality of your food, where you live and which lifestyle you adopt will collectively determine whether this lousy gene inside of you will “switch on” or “switch off”. One of the proponents of this theory is Dr. Peter D’ Adamo who is the author of the book ‘Change Your Genetic Destiny’.
And in recent years, there has been growing evidence concerning the influence of dietary and lifestyle habits on telomere biology – a key player in the aging process.
Their length; your lifespan
The cells that make up your body have limits as to how many times they can divide to make new cells. And with age, the quality of the new cells begins to wane. For example, the cells of a twenty year old individual can divide to create new cells that are healthier and more efficient than those of a 60 year old. Moreover, the number of times that the cells of the younger person can divide is much higher.
The bottom line is your cells are pre-programmed to divide a number of times during a lifetime. And once the limit has been reached, your health deteriorates and then you die. There is a mechanism in the cells – a sort of a ticking clock – that governs the programmed cessation of cell division. This “ticking clock”, which determines the lifespan of your cells and in turn the length of your life, is called telomere.
Telomeres are segments found at the ends of chromosomes (which are part of your cells.) They are often referred to as “caps” and their role includes ensuring the accurate transfer of genetic material as cells divide. To avoid heavy scientific details here, let us just say that telomeres become shorter every time cells divide until one day they become too short to support healthy cell division. And this ultimately leads to tissue and organ failure.
Telomerase to the rescue
In recent years, scientists have been studying how the shortening of telomeres could impact health and lifespan. And they have also been looking into how the shortening of telomeres could be slowed down and even reversed. The main focus so far has been on the enzyme telomerase, which is known to re-lengthen telomeres. The only problem is that although we have the telomerase gene in our cells, its function is repressed or blocked – thus no production of telomerase occurs except for the reproductive cells.
But several compounds that turn on telomerase production have been identified in recent years. And the most known substances are derived from the herb Astragalus. A current supplement containing these substances is called TA-65 and is marketed as a telomerase-activating formula. People using it have been reporting enhanced athletic, visual and cognitive performance. But while the product seems very promising, its price could be an obstacle for those wishing to try it and for an extended period. Additionally, more in-depth studies have to be conducted before conclusively determining its efficacy and safety.
Slowing it down
Though the science behind telomeres/telomerase has come a long way, more studies and research need to be conducted. And it will be a couple of years, and maybe decades, before scientists fully understand the complex mechanisms involved in this intriguing process. For now, our best bet is to slow down the shortening of telomeres by leading a healthy lifestyle, managing stress levels effectively and using certain nutraceuticals that have been shown in studies to exert a positive impact on telomeres. And this will be addressed more elaborately in future articles. So stay tuned.
Sources for this article include:
About the author:
Richard Labaki is a holistic therapist specialized in natural anti-aging therapies. His background in herbal medicine and clinical nutrition has enabled him to create RenYou – a natural health program designed to slow down the aging process and even reverse it.
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