Unrecognized Signs of Aging Creeping Up on You Unnoticed
With scientific advancements, we can now track aging beyond just the passing of years. One innovative method is measuring biologic age, or cellular age, through so-called epigenetic clocks. These clocks monitor chemical adjustments in your DNA as it naturally ages.
Epigenetic clocks can predict health and lifespan better than just your chronological age. Some conditions can impact your epigenetic clock. For instance, obesity may cause tissue aging, making the liver age faster, and stress can speed up the process, too.
Recently, researchers discovered another factor that could hasten your epigenetic clock – atherosclerosis.
Since 2010, the PESA-CNIC-SANTANDER study has tracked the progression of subclinical atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, in over 4,000 Santander Bank employees. After a 3-year follow-up, researchers noticed a connection between a high burden of atherosclerotic plaques and spikes in low-grade systemic inflammation. This inflammation accelerated epigenetic aging in otherwise healthy adults.
So, even before cardiovascular disease symptoms appear, atherosclerosis is taking a toll on our health. To combat this, adopting a healthy lifestyle and medications like cholesterol-lowering statins can help reduce low-grade chronic inflammation and slow the progression of atherosclerosis.
Fortunately, slowing down your epigenetic aging is possible. Lara Pezzi suggests focusing on decreasing inflammation in the body, which aligns with steps for protecting against atherosclerosis.
Given the longstanding research into the inflammation theory of disease, many studies have explored ways to calm inflammation down. One proven method is the Mediterranean diet, which relies heavily on plant-based foods, healthy fats, and fish. This diet contains numerous inflammation-fighting antioxidants called carotenes, found in yellow, orange, and green fruits and vegetables, which may help check atherosclerosis.
Regular exercise is another effective measure. Endurance sports like cycling, swimming, running, and high-intensity interval training have been shown to slow cellular aging signs. Even 20 minutes of moderate exercise each day can help lower inflammation levels.
Atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, can hasten your epigenetic clock and potentially lead to health issues before any symptoms of cardiovascular disease appear. Adopting a healthy lifestyle and medications like cholesterol-lowering statins can help reduce low-grade chronic inflammation and slow the progression of atherosclerosis. One proven method to combat inflammation is the Mediterranean diet, which is rich in inflammation-fighting antioxidants, such as carotenes, found in yellow, orange, and green fruits and vegetables, and can help check the progression of atherosclerosis.
