Telomeres, The Secret to Healthy Ageing

Telomeres are a hot right now.  Ok, maybe not with everyone, but  telomere talk is big within  groups interested in longevity and healthy ageing. What are telomeres? Telomeres are caps on the strands of our DNA and sort of look like the plastic tips on the end of your shoelaces.  Shorter telomeres are associated with a shorter life span and chronic disease.

Elizabeth Blackburn, PhD won the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2009 for her work on telomeres and is the author of the book “The Telomere Effect.” In her book she describes what the best ways to lengthen your telomeres are.  The good news is that the answer isn’t some expensive supplement or treatment, the best way to lengthen your telomeres is to eat a diet rich in plant based foods like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, sea vegetables and coffee. Moderate exercise, such as walking for 30 minutes per day is also important along with keeping stress under control with practices like yoga or meditation. 

 According to Dr. Blackburn, foods that shorten telomere length are red meat, white bread, sweetened drinks, saturated fat, soda, and excessive alcohol consumption, she recommends limiting animal based foods and increasing plant based foods. 

So, lace up your walking shoes and head to the prodcue department of your local grocery store and load up on lots of fruits and vegetables and then meditate on the fact that your teleomers are getting a little longer by the day and your ageing process is slowing down.