In a small but unprecedented study, scientists on Tuesday said they had proof that a healthy lifestyle helps the body's cells fight ageing.
The strategy is structured around a whole-food, plant-based diet, moderate daily exercise, yoga-based relaxation and stress management, they said.
Researchers recruited 35 men, 10 of whom were asked to follow this lifestyle, while the other 25 were not asked to make any lifestyle changes at all.
In addition to the diet and daily physical and mental routines, the 10 also attended weekly sessions for three months where their new skills were reinforced by specialists, including a one-hour weekly "support" session.
After five years, the scientists assessed the participants for a hallmark of biological ageing called telomeres.
Telomeres are nubby pieces of protein that are attached to the end of chromosomes. They help to protect the precious strings of DNA code when a cell replicates.
They are often likened to the tips of shoelaces. As the telomere wears down, its protection erodes too, and so does the risk that the DNA is not faithfully replicated in the daughter cell, which boosts the risk of cellular malfunction and then disease, including cancer.
Looking at the length of telomeres thus gives a telltale of cellular lifespan.
Among the 10-man group, telomere length increased significantly by an average of 10 percent over the five years -- and it was higher among those who had adhered most faithfully to the new lifestyle.
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Avoid Sun Exposure
Try to wear white or light colors, and wear a hat when you’re outdoors. Also, don’t use tanning booths, which can be worse than the sun.
Wear Sunscreen
For the best anti-aging protection, Dr. Gerrish strongly recommends, “<a href="http://www.quakeroats.com/products/latest-products.aspx?utm_campaign=Chocolate_Chip_2013&utm_medium=Display&utm_source=EverydayHealth&utm_content=Chocolate_Chip_Custom" target="_blank">Apply sunscreen with at least an SPF 15</a> (sun protection factor) thirty minutes before sun exposure to protect your skin from harmful UVA and UVB rays. Look for one with zinc or titanium oxide in the ingredient list.”
Avoid Environmental Pollutants
Ozone, smoke, and gasoline fumes are just a few of the pollutants that can age skin and cause premature wrinkles.
Start Early
Start an anti-aging skin care program. June Breiner, MD, an internist in Maryland suggests, “Consult with a non-surgical skin care doctor. There are many products available that thicken your skin and reduce wrinkles.”
Avoid Smoking
Smoking takes away oxygen and nutrients, and it also increases the number of free radicals in your body’s cells, a main cause of skin aging. “The amount of cigarette consumption and the number of years you have smoked are correlated with an increase in premature wrinkles,” states Dr. Breiner.
Wear Sunglasses
Other than staying indoors and away from windows, sunglasses are the best way to protect the thin, sensitive skin around your eyes from UV radiation
Sleep On Your Back
Sleeping with your face pressed against the pillow can cause sleep lines, which can turn into wrinkles. Satin pillow cases can also help in the anti-wrinkle fight.
Use Moisturizer
A good moisturizer will keep skin hydrated and soften wrinkles.
Exercise Regularly
“It gets your cardiovascular system going, which is great for getting needed nutrients and oxygen to your skin,” Breiner explains. “You should get cardiovascular exercise for your heart and skin health, and weight strengthening exercises for muscle underlying your skin.”
Eat Well
Eat a nutritious, anti-aging diet. Drink plenty of water and teas, and get eight to ten servings daily of fruits and vegetables. Eat fresh caught Atlantic salmon three times a week or another fish high in omega 3 fatty acids, such as herring, mackerel, trout, or tuna. Foods have a tremendous ability to fight the aging process as they are chock full of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that your body needs to combat wrinkles, says Breiner.
Watch Out For That Sugar
Avoid processed and refined foods and sugars. They contain chemicals that can cause your skin to age prematurely.
Try Retin-A Or Renova
Gerrish recommends, “See your doctor for a prescription of <a href="http://www.everydayhealth.com/skin-and-beauty/retin-a-for-anti-aging.aspx" target="_blank">Retin-A,</a> a cream that has been proven to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, and thicken thinning skin, which is part of the aging process.” If your skin is very dry, ask about <a href="http://www.everydayhealth.com/drugs/renova" target="_blank">Renova, a gentler formulation of the anti wrinkle cream.</a>
Avoid Stress
When you’re stressed out, your body releases a powerful aging hormone, cortisol, into your blood stream. “If you have chronic stress, take yoga, write in a journal daily, sing, take a walk, meditate. Do whatever works for you to reduce stress,” suggests Gerrish.
Among the "control" group, though, telomeres had shrunk by three percent on average.
The study has limitations as the number of recruits was small, and it was conducted as part of an investigation into prostate cancer.
In addition, the research was not empowered to test whether lifestyle changes affected the risk of cancer.
But, say its authors, its focus on the vital telomeres was carried out scientifically and over the long term.
This is what makes it new compared with evidence that is anecdotal or only short-term.
"The implications of this relatively small pilot study may go beyond men with prostate cancer," said Dean Ornish, a professor at the University of California in San Francisco, who led the study.
"If validated by large-scale randomised controlled trials, these comprehensive lifestyle changes may significantly reduce the risk of a wide variety of diseases and premature mortality.
"Our genes, and our telomeres, are a predisposition, but they are not necessarily our fate."
Ornish is the founder of the not-for-profit Preventive Medicine Research Institute at the university. He has vigorously promoted in medical presentations and books the argument that lifestyle changes, especially a shift in diet, can protect against disease.
The study appears in the journal The Lancet Oncology.
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