Lifestyle changes may reverse aging in cells

Lifestyle changes may turn back the biological clock, and reverse aging on a cellular level.
In a pilot study, researchers found that men who ate a better diet, exercised moderately and led a less stressful lifestyle over a few years, had an increase in the length of their telomeres the caps at the ends of chromosomes that protect them from deterioration.

Telomeres get shorter each time cells divide. When they have shrunk to a certain length, a cell may die or stop dividing.

In the study, 10 men were asked to adopt a plant-based diet, do moderate exercise and stress-reducing activities such as meditation and yoga. They participated in weekly group meetings, as a way to promote social support. Another group of 25 men were not asked to make any changes to their lifestyle, and served as the control group.

The researchers measured the length of the telomeres in the participants' white blood cells at the start of the study, and again after five years.

In the group who made lifestyle changes, telomere length increased significantly, by an average of 10 %, but in the control group, telomere shortened by an average of 3 %. Telomeres are often likened to the plastic tips at the end of shoelaces that keeps them from unraveling. It was recently discovered that telomeres can lengthen too, and delay cells' ageing.

"A number of studies have shown that as telomeres get shorter, the risk of premature death and most chronic disease, from heart disease to cancer, even dementia goes up," said study researcher Dr. Dean Ornish, clinical professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco.

"So as our telomeres get shorter, in a sense, our lives get shorter," Ornish said. "This is the first study showing that lifestyle changes may actually increase the length of telomeres."

The discovery of telomere function in cell aging, along with the enzyme that builds telomeres won the 2009 Nobel Prize in medicine for three scientists, including Elizabeth Blackburn, also of UCSF, who also worked on the new study.

Exactly how lifestyle changes may affect telomere length is not known, the researchers said. Telomere length is controlled by multiple mechanisms, including the activity of its enzyme, telomerase. It is thought that higher telomerase activity increases telomeres length. But the researchers didn't find an increase in the enzyme in this study, and didn't test for other possible mechanisms.

All men in the study were diagnosed with low-risk prostate cancer, and had decided not to undergo conventional treatments with surgery or radiation. However, the study was not designed to detect the effects of lifestyle changes on the participants' prostate cancer, the researchers said. It is likely that the findings about lifestyle changes extend to other groups of people as well, they said.

"The implications of these findings in all likelihood extends to all men, not just those with prostate cancer, as well as to women," Ornish said.

The results also showed a clear trend: the more positive changes the participants made to their lifestyles, the greater the increase in their telomere length.

The number of participants was too small to prove a cause and effect relationship, the researchers said. However, despite the small size of the study, the difference between groups was highly significant, they said.

Larger trials are needed to see whether lifestyle changes could significantly reduce people's risk of dying early, and contracting chronic diseases, Ornish said.

Coconut oil can stop dementia and Alzheimer's disease

You can prevent (and reverse) dementia, Alzheimer's disease, ALS, multiple sclerosis, plus many other neurodegenerative disorders by eating coconut-related foods. This is not just a "health nut" making these claims - it's all backed by scientific research and touted by many natural healthcare professionals like, Dr. Bruce Fife and Dr. Russell Blaylock.

Discover a natural way to keep your brain energized by killing (unwanted) bacteria; balancing hormones; maintaining healthy blood sugar levels and eliminating brain inflammation. The scientific data is crystal clear - coconut foods can dramatically improve brain chemistry; cognitive function plus much more - very quickly! Don't miss our next show about the power of coconut oil.

Memory loss and mental disorders are caused by chronic inflammation and excess oxidative stress

When we experience excessive, free radical damage - it prevents the brain from utilizing glucose. Simply put, when the brain does not get enough glucose - brain cells degenerate and die. This loss of brain matter can destroy memory and motor skills - depending on which area of the brain is damaged.

The key to all of these neurodegenerative diseases is a lack of energy. Obviously, a poor diet filled with processed foods will not supply adequate energy for the brain. But, did you know, that many of the prescription drugs for health problems like, Parkinson's disease actually interfere with the brain's ability to utilize glucose?

Look it up yourself - drugs cause breathing problems (apnea); loss of coordination; drowsiness; headaches; muscle pains; nausea; shaking; confusion; anxiety and, even, memory loss! Clearly, this is not the best protocol for people suffering with brain issues.

Eating coconut oil can improve memory and reverse Alzheimer's disease.

Toward an Early Diagnostic Tool for Alzheimer's Disease

Patients with Alzheimer's disease currently undergo neuropsychological testing to detect signs of the disease. The test results are difficult to interpret and are insufficient for making a definitive diagnosis. But as scientists have already discovered, activity in certain areas of the cerebral cortex is affected even in the early stages of the disease. Professor Falk, who specialises in biological signal acquisition, examined this phenomenon and compared the electroencephalograms (EEGs) of healthy individuals, individuals with mild Alzheimer's, and individuals with moderate cases of the disease. He found statistically significant differences across the three groups.

In collaboration with neurologists and Francisco J. Fraga, an INRS visiting professor specializing in biological signals, Professor Falk used an algorithm that dissects brain waves of varying frequencies. "What makes this algorithm innovative is that it characterizes the changes in temporal dynamics of the patients' brain waves," explains Professor Falk. "The findings show that healthy individuals have different patterns than those with mild Alzheimer's disease. We also found a difference between patients with mild levels of the disease and those with moderate Alzheimer's."

To validate the model in order to eventually develop an early diagnostic tool for Alzheimer's disease, Professor Falk's team is sharing their algorithm on the NeuroAccelerator.org online data analysis portal. It is the first open source algorithm posted on the portal and may be used by researchers around the world to produce additional research findings.

Alzheimer's disease accounts for 60% to 80% of all dementia cases in North America and is skyrocketing. This step toward the development of an early diagnostic tool that is non-invasive, objective, and relatively inexpensive is therefore welcome news for the research community.