LifeCare Chiropractic

The Best Chiropractic Care in Mesa, Arizona

telomeres

Does oxidative damage to DNA increase with age? – (09-02-01)

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Does oxidative damage to DNA increase with age?

This is such an insightful article that opens up both questions and answers. Although this is also a rodent study, once again evidence is strong in support of similar effect in humans. First, do we have increased DNA damage with aging, or does the DNA damage lead to aging? Probably a mixture of both. Current theories of aging include oxidative damage, glycosylation of proteins and shortening of telomeres. Most likely, aging is a combination of all these factors and more. The increased oxidative stress to DNA may be more of a reduction in the protective factors present with younger patients.

PNAS — Abstracts: Hamilton et al. 98 (18): 10469

Read entire article here

STRESS EFFECTS THE LENGTH OF TELOMERES OF DNA – (12-15-04)

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ACCELERATED TELOMERE SHORTENING IN RESPONSE TO LIFE STRESS

This one definately falls into the category of “wow.” Telomeres are portions at the end of our DNA that get shorter with each cell division. As these telomeres get shorter, the life span of the organism gets shorter and shorter as well.

So, in this study, stress was shown to shorten telomere length. So, if it wasn’t bad enough that stress indirectly increases your risk of many (if not most) chronic diseases, we now find that it directly shortens lifespan as well!!

Read entire article here

 

Anger Makes Your Cells Age Faster

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Anger is clearly one of the most misused emotions.  Certainly it plays a role in good emotional health when properly directed and channeled.  But how many of us are successful at managing our anger this way?  I see some many patients who lives are ruled by anger–most often directed at people who could care less and are probably not even aware of anger being directed at them.  Certainly this application of anger is pathological in our relationships, but what about our health?  You bet!

I have discussed telomeres at length in prior posts.  Suffice it to say that they are the wicks of our lives…the shorter they are, the less time you have to live.  Protect them at all costs.

So what does this have to do with anger?  You guessed it–anger shortens telomeres.

In this particular article, researchers looked at cynically hostile people.  Cynical hostility is defined as a personality trait characterised by general cynicism and mistrust in interpersonal relationships.  Those expressing cynical hostility had shorted telomeres and higher levels of the enzyme telomerase that shortens telomere length.

For those of you who would brush off the results of this study (mainly because you know it describes you perfectly), understand that this is far from the only study linking anger and hostility to health problems.  The connection is clear and real.

With this in mind, the question you HAVE to ask yourself….Is this reason I’m angry worth dying over????

HOW DETRIMENTAL IS INSULIN RESISTANCE TO OUR HEALTH? – (05-23-05)

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Rise in Insulin Resistance is Associated With Escalated Telomere Attrition

Sometimes I get sick of hearing myself rant and rave about insulin resistance and how detrimental it is to our health, so I can imagine how my patients feel!  But this study says it all.  Recall that telomeres shortened as our cells age.  They are essentially our cells’ hourglass on life; shorter=less life.  Insulin resistance shortens telomeres.  Period.

Can anyone explain to me why I have to keep explaining insulin resistance to seemingly everyone in my office and in the community that I have contact with?  Why is this condition so incredibly ignored?  It is the single most devastating physiological imbalance occurring in Westernized countries and it is virtually ignored!!  (Oops…I’m ranting again…)

Read entire article here

CHILDHOOD MALTREATMENT MAY SHORTEN LIFESPAN

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CHILDHOOD MALTREATMENT MAY SHORTEN LIFESPAN.  I’ve mentioned telomeres in previous posts.  These are almost like the fuses on the ends of our cell’s DNA.  The longer they are the longer that cell can divide.  Many lifestyle aspects can protect (fish oils) or shorten (stress) the telomeres and essentially accelerate aging.

This article looks at the length of the telomeres in adult who had experience childhood maltreatment (physical, emotional, nutritional) and found that they had shortened telomeres.  As the father of a 4 yr old, it breaks my heart to think of any child who has more to worry about than not getting that item in the checkout line of Target.

TELOMERIC AGING IN PATIENTS WITH HEART DISEASE

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Healthy fats the fountain of youth?  Telomeres are the little tags of DNA at the end of our chromosomes.  The longer the telomere, the longer that cell can live.  Shorten the telomere and the cell will die faster.

Recent study found that the higher the blood levels of EPA/DHA (the essential fatty acids found in fish) the longer the telomere and the slower it got shortened.  Essentially the fountain of youth.  Increase your intake through supplementation, wild game, omega-3 eggs, flax, fatty vegetarian fish (the carnivores like mahi, ahi and halibut have higher levels of mercury), nuts, seeds, avacodos.  Oh..and remember the USDA food pyramid that brainwashed all of us to avoid fat for several decades?  Scrap it…

OMINOUS FINDING IN OVERWEIGHT CHILDREN

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I don’t think anyone thinks that a child being overweight is a good thing.  I also don’t think anyone would disagree that the numbers of overweight children seems to be growing faster than their waistlines.  Some parents, however, may not agree that it is their fault.  Sure, daycare and school food are, in general, horrendously bad for our children’s health.  But patterns of healthy living are formed long before children are influenced by their peers. 

As a society, however, I do not think we understand just how serious the problem is.  You may have heard me talk about telomeres before.  Telomeres are like the wick on the ends of our chromosomes.  The shorter they are, the less live that cell has left.  Overall, shorter telomeres are a bad thing and are influenced heavily by our lifestyles. 

This is why this article shocked me to the core.  Overweight children’s telomere lengths were 24% shorter than non-obese kids.  I cannot begin to adequately express the fear that these numbers generate.  A marker of overall health and longevity that is not limited to a single organ or cell type (meaning that the risk for developing ANY chronic disease will be elevated) was much worse in obese children.  I can only hope that society begins to understand the critical nature of obesity in children and begins to act accordingly.  If not, we will likely not have our children outlive us.