Stress and Stress Reduction
We all know that stress can wreak
havoc on our health, but research
now shows that individuals under
higher stress have shorter telomeres
than those at the same age who do not
report stress. Meditation and mindful-
ness not only help mitigate stress, they
also appear to improve the action of
telomerase, the enzyme responsible for
lengthening telomeres. In a 2016 study
comparing the effects of Zen medita-
tion among different groups, research-
ers from the University of California
found an increase in telomerase activity
and telomere lengthening in the group
practicing meditation as compared to
the placebo group using more conven-
tional stress management systems. Just
another good reason to find your Zen.
Intermittent Fasting
While dietary restriction and timed fast-
ing have received attention for effects
on weight management, recent research
suggests these practices slow the aging
process by improving telomerase
activity and increasing telomere length.
Fasting appears to improve autophagy
(Greek term for self-eating), the body’s
built-in cleanup and recycling process.
As autophagy increases, so do telo-
meres. Intermittent fasting, or periodic
restriction of food, has been shown to
burn more fat while sparing muscle,
provide more energy and reduce the
risk for developing chronic diseases
like diabetes and heart disease. Inter-
mittent fasting can benefit telomere
length when practiced 18 hours at least
one day a week. Many plans suggest
three 16-hour fasts every week.
Research on telomeres is still in its
infancy, but the data is intriguing and
certainly warrants personal change
to optimize health. The good news
is with such interventions, positive
telomere change can occur in just a
few months. The greatest benefits, of
course, were seen with maintaining
the changes long-term. So, it appears
that the search for the fountain of
youth may be as simple as what we
eat, how we move and how we live. n
You can’t afford to get sick, and you cannot depend on the current health care
system to keep you well. It is up to you to protect the body’s innate capacity
for health and healing by making the right choices in how you live.
—Andrew Weil, MD
114
PEACHYTHEMAGAZINE.COM