Aging Backwards_10 Years Lighter and 10 Years Younger in 30 Minutes a Day

by Miranda Esmonde-White

  Once we hit adulthood, and our growth process is completed, a new process of repair and replacement begins. Apoptosis steps up the pace and causes between 50 billion and 70 billion of our cells to die every day, just to maintain homeostasis and balance out the new cells being formed.14, 15 This process continues for approximately two decades, until we are about 40, when we enter the next stage of life, and the repair and replacement process becomes a little unwieldy because, by that point, our cells have divided so many times. Each time they divide, in the process of copying their DNA, cells take a snip off our telomeres, the protective caps at the end of our 46 chromosomes. Once they’ve divided about 50 times, the telomeres are almost gone, and they send a stern message to the body to stop cell division. The cell heeds the call, essentially sending out an emergency message similar to what happens when the DNA is damaged by dangerous radiation or chemicals.16 That’s when we exit the repair and replacement stage, and enter what’s known as “cellular senescence” (from the Latin word senex, meaning old age or old man),17 which I refer to as “cell death.”

  Every living thing follows a similar life pattern, consisting of a period of growth and maturity, a period of stabilization, and, finally, a slow period of decomposition and decay. Whether it is a plant, an animal, or a human being, every living thing follows a natural cycle of life to death. But just as the nature of our gardener’s tending can make her flowers either enjoy a long blooming period or wilt prematurely, there are certain things we can do to hasten this process, or slow it down, or potentially even reverse it.

  For decades, scientists have debated various theories about how aging affects the body. Some believe that accumulated oxidation damages our cells and that this oxidation is the primary culprit. Oxidation occurs when free radicals produced by cellular respiration—or taken in via environmental exposure to, for example, secondhand smoke, pesticides, and pollutants—cause our cells to lose electrons. The result is destructive; just think of what happens to iron when it is oxidized—it rusts. The thinking goes that if enough of the molecules in our cells, including our DNA, are damaged, the process of apoptosis may go a little haywire.18 At that point, our body hits a tipping point, our tissues and organs start to deteriorate, and disease takes root.19

  Recently, scientists have begun to home in on this same process taking place within the DNA of mitochondria. Many are now saying that mitochondrial function is the true key to unlock the mystery of aging, and it is the decrease in the number and the health of our mitochondria that determines how aging affects health.20 Another new strain of research has found a link between the two theories on aging, suggesting that our mitochondria actually communicate with our cells’ telomeres, telling them whether they should shorten, and thus hasten aging; or not shorten, helping to slow down or stall the aging process.21

  The research is still evolving and I expect we will gain even more valuable insights into the aging process in the next few years. But in the meantime, it would appear to be in our best interest to befriend and care for these very influential little power plants. So what can we do to make sure we have plenty of healthy mitochondria to give our telomeres the message to stay long indefinitely?

  Our genetics do play a role here—but not the leading role. Perhaps you’re blessed with long-lived parents and grandparents. Even so, don’t bank on living long yourself without some intervention. Experts believe that only 30 percent of our longevity is determined by our genes. If we’ve inherited genes that make us more susceptible to cancer or heart disease, we can’t exchange those for new ones. But what we absolutely can do is take care to protect ourselves from the worst of those genetic messages. The growing field of “epigenetics”—which studies everything that happens to your genes after the moment you’re born—tells us that certain behaviors switch on positive genes and switch off negative genes, or vice versa. The choices we make during our lifetime determine the level of “burden” on our bodies. The more healthy choices we make, the lower our genetic burden, and the lower our chances of genetic harm. (One maxim of epigenetics is “Our genes load the gun, but our environment pulls the trigger.”)

  Even if we live “clean,” we are all living in a modern and sometimes toxic world and, over the course of our lives, we encounter a certain amount of environmental challenge to the health of our DNA. This damage to each person’s genome accumulates with time, and the risk of mutation increases every time a cell divides and its DNA is copied. We can have the greatest impact on how those genes are expressed by controlling the environment in which they are expressed, shielding our cells from environmental assaults: excess radiation from the sun, stress, poor nutrition, chemicals, lack of sleep, and dozens of other factors that cause oxidative stress and that have been proved to damage us genetically.22

  But in addition to playing defense, we also have a very powerful offense on our side: eccentric exercise.

  Eccentric exercise, the type that defines the ESSENTRICS method, has been shown in animal studies to directly communicate with the mitochondria in our cells to reduce oxidative stress on a cellular level—in other words, to directly combat aging.23

  Another specific agent in our bodies helps to protect our telomeres by improving mitochondrial function to stop those messages of destruction: an enzyme known as telomerase.24 And what has been proved to increase telomerase, as well as protect telomeres, prevent mitochondria loss, and stop cell death—all effects that can help lengthen our life span and improve the quality of our lives as we grow older? Exercise.25–29

  Have you started to notice changes in your body—a loss of energy, unexplained weight gain, poor posture, or changes in body shape? These changes reflect the messages that your cells and your DNA have been receiving for years. But the choices you make in your daily life, starting today, can put the brakes on these messages and help stall the triggers for cell death. Act now and you can truly begin Aging Backwards.

  AGING SNEAKS UP ON US

  The progress of our life cycle is barely perceptible to us on a day-to-day basis because changes are happening at the cellular level, one cell at a time. We see it only in retrospect, when we compare what our lives were once like with what they’ve become. Children have this realization more often—they know they’re maturing when they are suddenly able to do activities that they were previously incapable of doing, such as riding a bike, raiding the high cupboards for cookies, or playing certain sports. These milestones are tangible proof that allow a child to become aware of his or her own growth and maturation.

  On the other side, as we hit the window of change after repair and replacement, it’s the things we can no longer do that become the milestones we notice. We might find it more difficult to run to catch a bus, or we may lose the ability to play certain sports. Or we may even find it difficult to do everyday tasks that we had no trouble doing beforehand, such as opening jar lids or carrying heavy groceries in from the car. We notice changes in our energy level when activities we did with ease last summer, such as mowing the lawn or gardening for hours, have become an exhausting chore this summer. Perhaps the starkest realization comes when last year’s clothes don’t fit anymore!

  Because this process is so slow, we barely notice it happening. We see it only when we compare photos of ourselves over the decades and see the changes in our shape and weight, and notice new wrinkles. We are blissfully unaware, on a daily basis, that we are fading slowly, one cell death at a time—and thank goodness for that! Who wants to be reminded of aging every day? But this slow fading does us no favors—sometimes those stark realizations can be just what we need to stay vigilant if we’re to prevent premature aging. Let’s take a closer look at what is going on here, at the cellular level, so we can gain the awareness that can spur us to action.

  THE FIRST RISK: THE TRANSITION FROM CELL REPAIR TO CELL DEATH

  At around age 40, and with every passing decade after 40, the message not to repair or replace dead cells becomes more aggressive. In our early forties, that message is
weak, but it gains momentum quickly. The cellular decline is mirrored by a similar downshifting in other physical systems. Women’s estrogen levels and men’s testosterone levels decline. Especially if we don’t exercise much, our heart and lungs become weaker. Our balance becomes less steady. Our blood vessels collect more calcification, restricting the free flow of blood throughout the body. Each of these negative developments influences others in turn, and the cumulative effect can be dramatic. Most of us have witnessed the aging of parents, friends, and grandparents and are astounded by their rapid deterioration in their seventies or eighties, or even sooner—but experiencing it ourselves is a whole different matter.

  While we have made huge strides in medicine over the past few decades, the fact of the matter is that scientists have not definitively connected all of the dots—they still don’t know exactly how to stay young and prevent cell loss. When I started looking at the cells as the basis of life and growth, I really wanted to know two things: (1) What triggers the maintenance of cells? (2) What causes this maintenance phase to end? Specifically, I wanted to know if we could prolong the repair and replacement phase, and delay or even block the message that allows for cell death.

  We can get a general idea of people’s ages just by observing the posture or energy levels of randomly chosen adults. People in their twenties usually have more energy, are stronger, and stand up straighter than 60- or 70-year-olds. When you compare a young adult with an older one, the physical differences are obvious. Something has changed to cause these outward signs of aging—what is it?

  As we’ve discussed, from the moment we are born there is a continuous turnover of cells in the body as new cells are created to replace damaged and dead cells. From childhood through young adulthood, the message to repair and replace dying and damaged cells is issued automatically, but that message wanes as we age. In order to turn off the maintenance message, something new must happen, something to signal a change. That “something new” must be more than just chronological aging—otherwise it wouldn’t vary so much from person to person. In order to keep the “repair and replace” command in effect instead of allowing the “let die” command to take over, we have to somehow prove to our body the necessity of these cells.

  We know that the message to atrophy gets transmitted to muscle cells only when they are not being used. So it follows that the way to put the brakes on the cell death process is to send the message loud and clear: “I still need these muscles! I’m still using them!” And the only way to do that, to prevent any message of atrophy to reach any part of your body, is to use each and every one of your 620 muscles each and every day.

  If you’re accustomed to regular exercise, you’ve probably intuitively felt this all along: As long as you are using a muscle, its cells will continue to be repaired and replaced. We see this knowledge at work in the medical, surgical, and physiotherapy communities. Hospital patients, for example, are encouraged to get out of bed and begin moving as soon as the doctor tells them it is OK to do so, which is often only hours after an operation. As torturous to the patient as getting up may seem, doctors know the serious consequences of remaining sedentary following surgery. Exercising after surgery is intended to prevent muscles from shrinking and atrophying, which would render full recovery much slower and less successful. This principle applies even more compellingly when you begin in a state of relatively good health, and especially robust health.

  In 2011, the University of Pittsburgh conducted a study of muscle atrophy and chronological aging. The researchers looked at cross sections of muscle tissue of 40 high-level recreational athletes who were 40 to 81 years old and trained four or five times a week. After analyzing their body composition and quadriceps strength, and taking an MRI of their quadriceps, the researchers found something that rocked the medical field: The lean muscle tissue of a 74-year-old triathlete was essentially equal to the lean muscle tissue of a 40-year-old who worked out just as often. The study debunked previously accepted theories, the “common knowledge” that decline in muscle mass and strength was a natural part of aging. Instead, the researchers had definitive proof that muscle cell loss was a consequence of inactivity, and not of age.30

  These findings are applicable to others as well as athletes. Statistics show that the average person who does a minimum amount of daily exercise, and has a somewhat sedentary, somewhat active lifestyle, loses an average of 7 to 8 percent of her body’s cells every decade. On the other hand, an active person who performs regular exercise using the entirety of her musculature loses an average of only 2 to 3 percent of her cells each decade. This is such a vast improvement that by age 60, the more sedentary person will have lost up to 25 percent of her muscle cells, compared with an approximately 8 percent loss in the active person.

  ESSENTRICS can help you achieve these results faster than any other program, because eccentric exercise is the most efficient and effective form of muscle training. A Swiss study of people with heart disease between ages 40 and 66 found that, after 8 weeks on a program to compare the impact of concentric versus eccentric training, those who’d followed the eccentric program could produce four times as much power as those who’d followed the concentric program, despite having a similar feeling of exertion. In other words, for the same effort, the eccentric exercisers got four times the benefit. And, significantly, their blood pressure and various other measures of cardiac stress were not raised at all. For heart patients, this indicates a safer form of exercise while they recover from a dangerous cardiac event. For the rest of us, it simply means we can get stronger, more flexible, and leaner, and look younger—all without spending hours on the treadmill and possibly without even having to break a sweat!31

  MUSCLE MASS REMAINING PER DECADE

  I’ve seen this effect firsthand dozens of times, even in my own family. When my mother was celebrating her eighty-ninth birthday, I brought her to Mexico to join a one-week group fitness holiday. Each day began and ended with a one-hour fitness class. The first day she sat through the classes doing the exercises in her chair. The second day, she did the standing exercises for 15 minutes and then sat down to do the rest of the exercises. By the third day, she was doing 30 minutes of the class standing, and by the end of the week she was doing one complete class a day. After the fitness holiday, she returned home reenergized and feeling like a different person, with enough energy to work in her garden and visit friends as she thoroughly enjoyed a new outlook on life.

  ARE YOU SEDENTARY?

  A lot of people think that if they work out once a day, they’re “active”—even if they sit at a desk all day. Not true. Studies show that sitting too much is literally deadly. A recent National Health and Nutrition Examination survey of about 5,000 people found that between 50 and 70 percent spent 6 or more hours sitting every day.32 When sitting is combined with commuting, eating, sleeping, and other stationary activities, other estimates put our sit/lie down total at closer to 21 hours a day.33 You may be watching TV for hours a day or working hard at your desk, but your body doesn’t know the difference. When you sit for most of the day, you face the same degree of risks from chronic debilitating diseases as a habitual smoker. (Researchers call sedentary behavior “the sitting disease” and even say that “sitting is the new smoking.”)

  Take every opportunity to stand—while reading a memo, talking on the phone, having a meeting. (Better yet, do a walking meeting!) Set a timer on your phone to remind you to stand up every half hour—just getting some blood flow through your legs will help combat some of the risks. Even better would be to get a standing desk, so you can do your work and stand up at the same time.

  Perhaps even more dramatic is the effect ESSENTRICS can have on younger people who have been active but have slipped out of the habit of regular exercise. I have a friend with a demanding desk job who spent hours sitting every day. When I shared some of the research on the health risks of sitting too long, she started doing ESSENTRICS every morning and also bought a standing desk. With her comp
uter and her phone at her desk, she went from sitting for 8 to 9 hours a day to sitting 6 to 7 hours a day and doing 30 minutes of exercise in the morning. Those two little changes helped her to lose more than 20 pounds and lower her blood sugar and cholesterol in a matter of months. She now does her ESSENTRICS every morning, walks at lunchtime, and is looking forward to running her first 5K. And she looks about 10 years younger.

  We are never too old to feel young! Over the years I have seen scenarios similar to my mother’s and my friend’s hundreds of times, as people revitalize their lives with full-body, gentle, and regular exercise. Nothing feels as good as feeling young in your own body.

  THE SECOND RISK: ATROPHY

  Now we know a bit more about cell death, which was previously considered “normal aging.” We now can clearly see that movement and activity are very powerful means of forestalling cell death. But cell death is not the only way that our bodies lose their cells. Another way is atrophy.

  Atrophy is a very slow process through which a healthy cell gradually shrinks until it shrivels into extinction. Any shrinking of the cells impairs the functioning of your powerful furnaces, the mitochondria. Instead of actively working, tens of thousands of mitochondria shrink and disappear along with the cells. The more your cells atrophy, the more mitochondria disappear.