Have you heard of telomeres? If not, you will soon because telomere (pronounced tel´o-mir) testing is poised to become a game changer for the spa and wellness industry.
What are telomeres?
We have 23 pairs of chromosomes, and telomeres are the buffers, or caps, blocking the ends of them. They protect our chromosomes’ ends from deterioration, from fusing with others or rearranging (causing abnormalities that can lead to cancer). They are replenished by an enzyme, telomerase, and are the only malleable aspect of our DNA.
Dr. Elizabeth Blackburn (middle) and Dr. Elissa Epel (right) are co-founders of Telome Health, and experts in the field of telomerase and telomere research. At the 2012 GSWS in Aspen, Dr. Epel explained to delegates that in early childhood, telomeres are long and healthy and, as we age, they shorten.
We all have a numerical biological age, but we also have a “cellular age.” And, essentially, telomeres are the way to measure “true” aging and cellular health. What’s more, and most important, is that telomere length appears to be negatively impacted by a host of unhealthy behaviors and positively impacted by a host of healthy behaviors.
So, what shortens telomeres?
While it’s still unclear exactly how psychological stress shortens telomeres, telomere length is negatively impacted by unhealthy behaviors such as:
Stress and stress sensitivity
Smoking
Obesity
Depression/perceived lack of control
Early emotional trauma
Lack of exercise
Poor sleep
Poor diet (low in fruits and vegetables, etc.)
What lengthens telomeres?
Based on the cross-sectional studies so far, the following may help maintain or even lengthen our telomeres:
Increasing vigorous exercise to four to five times a week
Improving nutrition: Eating a low-fat diet, eating less red and processed meat like hot dogs and sausages, or taking dietary supplements that activate telomerase (the replenishing enzyme)
Improving metabolism: If overweight, losing some extra weight or reducing waist circumference
Enhancing wellbeing: Reducing psychological stress and depression and increasing feelings of personal control and purpose in life
Can telomeres be protected? Can we reverse cellular aging?
Given studies that show the relationship between poor diet, lack of exercise, smoking and high stress on telomere health, it’s a reasonable assumption that one can indeed protect his/her telomeres. For instance, one study on post-menopausal women showed that mind wandering (which leads to negative thoughts) caused shorter telomeres — while focusing the mind through meditation lengthened them. Another study on a group that meditated intensely for three months saw significant increases in telomere length.
Check out Telome Health FAQ’s to learn more.
