Can we reverse ageing and lifestyle diseases? You can certainly slow it down and feel younger. Here’s how

Given the current research findings in the health and anti-ageing field, Dr Hyman may have made lifestyle choices associated with robust health and lifespan. For example, he has advocated his early morning routine of coffee drinking and meditation, regular strength training, a protein-rich plant-based diet, creatine supplementation, regular steam, ice bath and adequate sleep as secrets to his robust health. These lifestyle factors have been shown to positively impact various health markers and ageing, such as inflammation, bone mass loss, joint pain, blood pressure, and insulin sensitivity.

While reversing the biological clock is impossible, adopting a healthy lifestyle can help slow ageing and make you feel younger. Some studies have shown that healthy lifestyle habits, such as regular physical activity, a nutritious diet, daily exposure to sunlight for 10-20 minutes, and stress management, can help slow the ageing process.

There are various methods of measuring biological age, including DNA methylation analysis, telomere length measurement, and several other biomarkers of ageing. These methods can estimate the age of a person’s cells and indicate their overall biological age. However, the specific tests or measures Dr Hyman has used to determine his biological age need to be clarified.

While no longitudinal controlled clinical trials have been conducted to confirm that a healthy lifestyle can reverse biological age by two decades, short-term studies and the current body of evidence has documented that adopting healthy lifestyle habits can help improve various health markers, such as insulin resistance, and even potentially slow ageing.

For instance, a research review published in the journal, Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care found that individuals who engaged in regular exercise and had healthy lifestyle behaviours possessed longer telomeres. These are protective caps on the ends of our genetic material, the chromosomes, that shorten as we age. Longer telomeres have been associated with a lower risk of age-related diseases and increased lifespan.

Another study published in the journal Circulation revealed that healthy lifestyle habits, such as not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, regular exercise, and a healthy diet, were correlated with a lower risk of heart disease and other chronic diseases, which can contribute to a slowing down of biological age.

In the Indian context, we can decelerate the rate at which our cells age by using a combination of healthy lifestyle measures, and thus we can improve our overall health and reduce the risk of age-related degeneration and diseases such as excessive weight gain, osteoporosis, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, hypertension, cancer and dementia. Following are some of the ways a healthy lifestyle can help reduce biological age:

1. Avoiding harmful habits: Smoking, consuming tobacco, excessive alcohol consumption and substance abuse can increase the risk of chronic diseases and accelerate ageing. Avoiding these habits would be your first and the most crucial step that can help improve overall health and reduce the risk of age-related diseases.

2. A Gutsy Diet: A diet rich in home-made fermented foods, chutneys and pickles made from fruits and vegetables, improves the gut microbiome, absorption of nutrients from the food we eat and thus our mental health. Additionally, consuming slow digesting carbohydrates foods such as millets, fermented whole grains, foods rich in protein such as sprouted beans, pulses, legumes, eggs, seafood and meat, and healthy fats from nuts, seeds, ghee, and coconut oil can provide the body with the nutrients to support good health and slow the ageing process. These nutrients are essential for the body’s healthy functioning as they support bone and muscle health, allowing hormones necessary for optimal functioning to be well balanced.

Hormonal balance in the body is vital to reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer—in addition, consuming traditional Indian spices like turmeric, ginger and garlic, which have anti-inflammatory properties, supports health. My meals are only complete with consuming some fermented foods such as curd, apple cider vinegar or some form of homemade “achaar” or pickles made of vegetables.

3. Regular Exercise: Regular body movement improves blood circulation and removes harmful toxins through sweat, which helps reduce inflammation in the body and, therefore, can help maintain a healthy weight, improve cardiovascular health and reduce the risk of chronic diseases. In the Indian context, traditional practices of an art form like yoga can also be beneficial. My early morning running routine, followed by meditation, helps me start the day positively with a well-balanced autonomous brain function throughout the day that controls and keeps breathing, heart rate, blood pressure and digestive function healthy.

4. Stress Management: Chronic stress can increase inflammation and blood pressure and accelerate ageing. Stress-reducing techniques like meditation, mindfulness, or breathing exercises can help reduce stress and improve overall well-being.

5. Regular 7-8 Hours sleep: Getting sufficient rest and recovery is essential for maintaining good physical and mental health, and poor sleep quality has been associated with accelerated ageing. In the Indian context, practices like pranayama and Ayurvedic remedies with herbs such as Ashwagandha can also promote better sleep.

It is important to note that biological age is a complex concept influenced by several factors, including genetics, environment and lifestyle choices. While making healthy lifestyle choices can improve health and potentially slow the ageing process, there is no guarantee that everyone following these recommendations will experience the same benefits Dr Hyman claims to have experienced.

Therefore, while it’s unclear whether a healthy lifestyle can reverse biological age by 20 years, adopting healthy habits can help slow down ageing and help you feel younger and healthier.