Eternal youth: myth or reality?

By: Dr. Cristian Solís

The formation of an ambitious new anti-aging company called Altos Labs in Silicon Valley has sparked the curiosity of the scientific community. This company, financed by the great fortunes of the world, is investigating the process of cell rejuvenation in order to extend human life. If the results are positive, it would mean a great advance in the race towards greater longevity and, more importantly, towards achieving a better quality of life in old age.

The search for eternal youth has haunted humanity for millennia. We invest time, effort, and money in an attempt to slow down the passage of time in our bodies. Creams, lotions, treatments, beauty rituals… In addition, now we can also safely use the benefits of aesthetic medicine (as long as it is in the hands of a qualified professional). But what if the secret was inside us, at the cellular level?

The basic principle of antiaging is to look at our body holistically, achieving a good hormonal, endocrine and immune balance. It must be borne in mind that a previous study by a qualified professional is essential for personalized control and diagnosis, since it is necessary to know the initial baseline status in order to recommend more specific and complete guidelines.

Here are some of the basics to slow down the passage of time at the cellular level:

– An anti-inflammatory diet based on antiaging principles.
– Moderate exercise and quality rest.
– Eliminate chronic stress from our day to day

Hippocrates already said: «Let your medicine be your food, and food your medicine.» When we talk about antiaging nutrition, we refer to that focused solely and exclusively on taking care of the biological age of our cells. Broadly speaking, it is fundamentally based on eliminating refined flours, sugars, red meats, cheeses, and foods rich in lectins, among others, from our diet.

The role of sleep is key. Sleep disturbances affect brain function and premature aging. Neurons need sleep to maintain their cell nucleus, increase chromosome dynamics, and especially to correct DNA damage caused during waking hours. Quality is more important than the number of hours we sleep.

We all know the benefits of regular moderate exercise. But if we talk about rest, not everything goes. Sport activates the hormones contrary to rest, puts us on alert and the levels of cortisol and adrenaline shoot up, so we should not perform muscular or aerobic exercise 4-5 hours before going to bed. This does not mean that we should not exercise, since exercising at the precise moment of the day helps us to restore these cycles of sleep and wakefulness, in addition to all the physical and mental benefits of physical activity.

Moderate exercise strengthens the heart and improves cardiovascular health, regulates blood pressure, strengthens muscles, tendons, ligaments and joints, regulates intestinal rhythm, strengthens the immune system and helps control anxiety and stress, among others.

The state of emotional distress or chronic stress that we live in today’s society produces a negative impact on the nervous system, activating biochemical changes and a hormonal imbalance that affects the endocrine and immune systems. There is no greater harm to our body at the cellular level than living under the guidelines of chronic stress. Practicing yoga or meditation can help us control anxiety and stress from day to day.

Complying with these recommendations every day of our lives with the habits of Western society may seem like an arduous task. Unfortunately, if we want a miracle solution that restores our youth, we will have to wait to see what news our colleagues in Silicon Valley bring us.

Meanwhile, improving our quality of life depends solely and exclusively on us. There are no magic potions or secret formulas. It requires organization, quality time and consistency in our habits. Our health and well-being have a much higher value than eternal life, even if it means a sacrifice. As William Shakespeare wrote: “Our bodies are our gardens; our decisions, our gardeners.”

Original article: https://okdiario.com/salud/eterna-juventud-mito-o-realidad-9352897