Protecting Your DNA Keeps You Younger Longer
Having healthy DNA is a prerequisite for having a healthy body because it is the “blueprint” for life. Therefore, damage to DNA is a completely fundamental cause of aging and age-related health issues.
Every second, your genes are attacked by a number of bodily and environmental factors that can result in mutations of your DNA. Free radicals, toxins, and sunlight can all injure the delicate gene-strands in various ways. And each and every one of us experiences millions of such damages every day.
Protecting your genes is therefore important because DNA damage is associated with many underlying causes of age-related issues. Some research even suggests that DNA damage might even be a primary cause of aging.
Packed inside every cell is your DNA and its strands of chromosomes. Chromosomes are protected, top and bottom, by sections called telomeres. The health of these “end caps” is crucial to your health and longevity. If they become damaged, meaning shortened, because of poor lifestyle choices such as a bad diet or lack of sleep, your health can suffer.
Shortened telomeres may, for instance, be the link between not getting enough quality sleep and developing chronic health conditions. Stress is another risk factor for telomere damage. Small studies have found that people who experience sustained stress have shorter telomeres and a greater risk of disease. This seems to be particularly true for those with an anxiety disorder. Obesity may also play a role in telomere damage.
A research review published in The Journals of Gerontology reports that telomeres can react positively to healthy lifestyle choices, so you can influence their health. Aim for a healthy diet and a healthy weight, get lots of exercise and proper rest and find ways to manage stress.
Your body will accumulate quadrillions of new DNA injuries. The constant onslaught of many forms of damage, some of which permanently mutate your genes. Yet all is not doomed: The lives we lead determine how well our cells can handle this daily molecular erosion.
