Relying on the fact that your grandfather lived to be a hundred, so you will too, makes no sense at all. “Only about 25 percent is genetically determined,” longevity expert Jiří Pantůček says in the iReceptář podcast. The rest is in your own hands.
You can listen to the audio version of the podcast here:
So what occupies the remaining three quarters. You probably already know the answer, it’s a healthy lifestyle. Eat well, exercise enough, of course sleep. And then also one thing that is often forgotten today. “One of the factors that can be proven to shorten telomeres is stress,” says Karolína Pantůčková, biochemist and expert from Green Idea, in the podcast.
Aging too fast
Now you might be confused because you have never come across this term before. “Telomeres are parts of chromosomes that we can imagine a bit like the ends of shoelaces. They protect genetic information so that during cell division the chromosomes intertwine correctly and mutations do not occur,” explains the expert. “We are born with a certain telomere length, and it gets shorter every time the cell divides.”
When the telomere becomes too short, the cell dies. And the fewer cells we have capable of renewal, the more we age. But today, experts already know how to slow down their shortening, or even lengthen them again. And although suitable supplements, such as adaptogens, can help with this, they are far from omnipotent.
De-stress
The problem is not so much in . This is because it only works for a short time and is a natural part of the body’s reactions. We are faster, stronger, we will run away from a mammoth and a difficult task at work. What it really does in the body is chronic stress. And of course, this applies not only to telomeres, and therefore also to cells. “Today, we are exposed to it basically all the time, and not only when it comes to longevity, it really does not serve us,” adds Karolína Pantůčková.
It is therefore time to really slow down and start working with stress. Teach the body again that it can rest. Don’t be afraid to use all means of defense – from psychological ones, including meditation or even psychotherapy or coaching, to physical ones, which are relaxation exercises, breathing and well-adjusted movement. In short, a comprehensive way to make your body feel good for a long time to come.
