Exercise, Diet & Meditation
The fabled fountain of youth. That’s what we’re all seeking right? Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco have found evidence that maintaining a strict regime of exercise, diet, and meditation can attribute to this.
The study analyzed 35 men with prostate cancer. Those who changed their lifestyle to include a vegetarian diet and stuck to a rigid schedule of meditation and yoga saw visible cellular changes. These cellular changes are defined by the ends of our chromosomes, which are referred to as telomeres. Telomeres act to protect the end from deterioration or fusion with neighboring chromosomes. As humans age, these telomeres get shorter and shorter which makes them weaker. Eventually they can no longer protect the chromosome and the cells cease to divide and die. Activities that are known to shorten telomeres are: smoking, emotional stress, lack of exercises. As a result of these shorter telomeres many chronic diseases can arise.
Those who followed the regiment of strict diet and exercise saw an increase in length of about 10%. Those who did not saw a 3% shortening in the length of their telomeres. However, it is important to note that the sample size for this group was very small. Only 35 individuals. But it is a known fact that healthier individuals tend to live longer.
Here are a couple ways you can stay healthier:
Eat Properly – U.S dietary guidelines recommend a balance of nutrients that is measured by caloric intake. In general, eat more: fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins. Eat less of: fats and sugars, refined grains, dietary cholesterol, alcohol.
Exercise – adhering to a strict regimen can greatly improve your health as well as control your weight. Simply walking for about 30 minutes to an hour per day can suffice for some individuals. Just don’t be sedentary and you’ll be on your way in no time. If you’re looking for something a little more popular, the latest crazy in exercise is Yoga and it’s been sweeping the nation.
Sleep – many individuals underestimate the importance of sleep. We all know that the average adult needs an average of eight hours of sleep but most of us rarely get that amount.