As we become older, sometimes it can be difficult to determine a person’s true age based on physical appearance. People with the same chronological age (such as two people both aged 65) can often be extremely different from one another in both appearance and health based on the lifestyle choices each has made. For example, those who have smoked their entire lives may suffer from health conditions that cause their bodies to degenerate at a faster pace than those who have chosen to avoid smoking and stay away from secondhand smoke.
In some cases, the true biological age of a person can be far older than their chronological age based on numerous health and lifestyle choices. By determining your true biological age through telomeres blood testing, you can make lifestyle changes now that can slow down the aging process, and enhance your overall quality of life.
The definition of telomeres
Telomeres are caps on the ends of chromosomes partly responsible for maintaining their overall quality and integrity. As you grow older, telomeres will naturally begin to fray, but poor health and lifestyle choices can often accelerate the degradation and shortening of your telomeres — causing your body to age at a faster rate.
Lifestyle factors that affect the length of your telomeres
Common types of lifestyle factors that will shorten your telomeres include smoking, obesity, and psychological stress. All of these factors can contribute to inflammation and oxidative stress — both of which will deplete your telomeres and increase your risk for life-threatening diseases, such as cancer and heart disease. Lack of sleep, lack of exercise, and poor nutrition are additional factors that will put unneeded stress on your body and cause you to age faster.
Why knowing your biological age is important
Having the length of your telomeres tested to determine your true biological age can provide you and your doctors with a better understanding of your overall general health. If your biological age is much higher than your chronological age, you can make healthy lifestyle changes immediately to maintain or lengthen your telomeres; such as eating a diet higher in nutrition, improving your sleep patterns, exercising more regularly, and quitting smoking.
Rock Creek Wellness now offers telomeres blood testing so you can measure the length of your telomeres and receive specialized treatment. Contact us today at 913-727-7700 to learn more about telomere testing and about our anti-aging therapies.
