Can we reverse ageing and lifestyle diseases? You can certainly slow it down and feel younger. Here’s how

Some studies have shown that healthy lifestyle habits, such as regular physical activity, a 
nutritious diet, daily exposure to sunlight for 10-20 minutes and stress management can help
slow the ageing process, says functional medicine expert and celebrity health coach Vijay
Thakkar
 
Longevity expert Dr Mark Hyman advocates a functional approach to healthy living and
reversing lifestyle diseases through lifestyle modification, such as consuming a nutrition-rich
diet and other interventions for robust vitality. As per recent reports, he claims his biological
age is 20 years younger than his chronological age. So though he is 63, his body is as healthy
as a 43-year-old’s. He attributes this to several factors, including diet, exercise, stress
reduction and sleep.
 
Given the current research findings in the health and anti-ageing field, Dr Hyman may have
made lifestyle choices associated with robust health and lifespan. For example, he has
advocated his early morning routine of coffee drinking and meditation, regular strength
training, a protein-rich plant-based diet, creatine supplementation, regular steam, ice bath and
adequate sleep as secrets to his robust health. These lifestyle factors have been shown to
positively impact various health markers and ageing, such as inflammation, bone mass loss,
joint pain, blood pressure, and insulin sensitivity.
 
While reversing the biological clock is impossible, adopting a healthy lifestyle can help slow
ageing and make you feel younger. Some studies have shown that healthy lifestyle habits,
such as regular physical activity, a nutritious diet, daily exposure to sunlight for 10-20
minutes, and stress management, can help slow the ageing process.
 
There are various methods of measuring biological age, including DNA methylation analysis,
telomere length measurement, and several other biomarkers of ageing. These methods can
estimate the age of a person’s cells and indicate their overall biological age. However, the
specific tests or measures Dr Hyman has used to determine his biological age need to be
clarified.
 
While no longitudinal controlled clinical trials have been conducted to confirm that a healthy
lifestyle can reverse biological age by two decades, short-term studies and the current body of
evidence has documented that adopting healthy lifestyle habits can help improve various
health markers, such as insulin resistance, and even potentially slow ageing.
 
For instance, a research review published in the journal, Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition
and Metabolic Care found that individuals who engaged in regular exercise and had healthy
lifestyle behaviours possessed longer telomeres. These are protective caps on the ends of our
genetic material, the chromosomes, that shorten as we age. Longer telomeres have been
associated with a lower risk of age-related diseases and increased lifespan.
 
Another study published in the journal Circulation revealed that healthy lifestyle habits, such
as not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, regular exercise, and a healthy diet, were
correlated with a lower risk of heart disease and other chronic diseases, which can contribute
to a slowing down of biological age.
 
In the Indian context, we can decelerate the rate at which our cells age by using a
combination of healthy lifestyle measures, and thus we can improve our overall health and
reduce the risk of age-related degeneration and diseases such as excessive weight gain,
osteoporosis, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, hypertension, cancer and dementia. Following
are some of the ways a healthy lifestyle can help reduce biological age:
 
1. Avoiding harmful habits: Smoking, consuming tobacco, excessive alcohol consumption
and substance abuse can increase the risk of chronic diseases and accelerate ageing. Avoiding
these habits would be your first and the most crucial step that can help improve overall health
and reduce the risk of age-related diseases.
 
2. A Gutsy Diet: A diet rich in home-made fermented foods, chutneys and pickles made from
fruits and vegetables, improves the gut microbiome, absorption of nutrients from the food we
eat and thus our mental health. Additionally, consuming slow digesting carbohydrates foods
such as millets, fermented whole grains, foods rich in protein such as sprouted beans, pulses,
legumes, eggs, seafood and meat, and healthy fats from nuts, seeds, ghee, and coconut oil can
provide the body with the nutrients to support good health and slow the ageing process. These
nutrients are essential for the body’s healthy functioning as they support bone and muscle
health, allowing hormones necessary for optimal functioning to be well balanced.
Hormonal balance in the body is vital to reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes,
heart disease, and cancer—in addition, consuming traditional Indian spices like turmeric,
ginger and garlic, which have anti-inflammatory properties, supports health. My meals are
only complete with consuming some fermented foods such as curd, apple cider vinegar or
some form of homemade “achaar” or pickles made of vegetables.
 
3. Regular Exercise: Regular body movement improves blood circulation and removes
harmful toxins through sweat, which helps reduce inflammation in the body and, therefore,
can help maintain a healthy weight, improve cardiovascular health and reduce the risk of
chronic diseases. In the Indian context, traditional practices of an art form like yoga can also
be beneficial. My early morning running routine, followed by meditation, helps me start the
day positively with a well-balanced autonomous brain function throughout the day that
controls and keeps breathing, heart rate, blood pressure and digestive function healthy.
 
4. Stress Management: Chronic stress can increase inflammation and blood pressure and
accelerate ageing. Stress-reducing techniques like meditation, mindfulness, or breathing
exercises can help reduce stress and improve overall well-being.
5. Regular 7-8 Hours sleep: Getting sufficient rest and recovery is essential for maintaining
good physical and mental health, and poor sleep quality has been associated with accelerated
ageing. In the Indian context, practices like pranayama and Ayurvedic remedies with herbs
such as Ashwagandha can also promote better sleep.
 
It is important to note that biological age is a complex concept influenced by several factors,
including genetics, environment and lifestyle choices. While making healthy lifestyle choices
can improve health and potentially slow the ageing process, there is no guarantee that
everyone following these recommendations will experience the same benefits Dr Hyman
claims to have experienced.
Therefore, while it’s unclear whether a healthy lifestyle can reverse biological age by 20
years, adopting healthy habits can help slow down ageing and help you feel younger and
healthier.

https://indianexpress.com/article/health-wellness/can-we-reverse-ageing-and-lifestylediseases-
you-can-certainly-slow-it-down-and-feel-younger-heres-how-8463733/