Change is inevitable. We are constantly changing; with every breath, thought and emotion. Food is the only catalyst of physical change. All other factors-breathing, thinking patterns and emotional behaviour- bring changes in our gross body.
Changes in our physical being are called “aging.” Medical research has given us a better understanding of aging process, joiny erosion, weight gain, fatigue and high blood pressure being the usual signs. Medicine has accepted it as an inevitable and irreversible condition.
Aging involves chemical reactions that affect the metabolism. These are technically anabolic and catabolic reactions in the body. Anabolic activity allows the body to grow new cells that help maintain homeostasis. Anabolism is the fountain of youth and includes hormones such as growth hormone and insulin.
As we age, the body undergoes rapid break down of the cells and muscle tissue which is called the catabolic activity. The body will show signs of inflammation and fatigue. Both anabolic and catabolic reactions are essential for the proper functioning of the body. From the age of 30 onwards, the metabolism decreases about five per cent every seven years.
There are different theories as to what causes the body to change especially changes in the endocrine system. Thyroid function is one major factor. One study shows that low thyroid level causes the body to rely on emergency system such as adrenaline and cortisone. These two hormones cause further strain and damage to the body. A quasi-experimental study in 2017, conducted in India, concluded that a yogic training for a period of twelve weeks modulates thyrotrophin-thyroid hormones-release; promoting healthy aging.
Another culprit that causes damage to cells is free-radicals due to which many degenerative signs emerge including skin wrinkles. Rizwan Ahmad describes free radicals in his paper “Basics of Free Radicals and Antioxidants” as uncharged, highly reactive and short-lived molecules. Human beings contain 10,000-20,000 free radicals, which attack individual cells of our body.
Aging also leads to a decline in melatonin levels, which are associated to an increased incidence of sleep disturbances. It is medically substantiated that melatonin decreases almost 80 per cent by the age of 60. Decrease in melatonin is mostly due to the process of calcification of the pineal gland. This entire endocrine imbalance further exacerbates the cognitive functionin humans, making self-regulation an uphill task.
From the age of 30 onwards, the metabolism decreases about five per cent every seven years
Famous author and scientist, Deepak Chopra, prescribes five fundamental activities for better aging in his landmark talk, “Reinventing the Body” in TED talk. On top of his list is sleep as it is the time when the body regenerates and repairs the body. Matt Walker, the sleep scientist at Berkley University, said, “We have stigmatised sleep with the label of laziness. We want to seem busy, and one way we express that is by proclaiming how little sleep we’re getting. It’s a badge of honour. When I give lectures, people will wait behind until there is no one around and then tell me quietly: ‘I seem to be one of those people who need eight or nine hours’ sleep.’ It’s embarrassing to say it in public.”
Sleep is critical for wellbeing and healthy aging.
Secondly, Mr Chopra recommends meditation, which can increase the enzymes and genes in the body that control biological age by 40 percent within the span of four days of practice. A 2009 NeuroImage study looked at the MRI data for 44 subjects who meditate regularly and found substantially larger amounts of grey matter in the right-orbitofrontal cortex of meditators’ brains. Increased size of grey matter is associated with positive outlook. This adds to the third fundamental aspect of Mr Chopra, which is positive emotions. The grey matter is also part of the limbic brain that controls our emotions, feeling and laughter. Increase in grey matter seems to bring happier emotions.
Fourthly, Mr Chopra stresses on exercise, not a particular form but any type of physical movement. A growing body of evidence supports the belief that yoga benefits physical and mental health more than other forms of exercises, especially due to the fact it has the ability to down-regulate stress mode and contributes to the limbic resonance.
Lastly, a diet that is more “plant based” -colorful vegetables and fruits-are high in antioxidants, which bind the free radicals and thus preventing them to attack cells.
Nature probably never intended ageing to be looked down upon. It wanted to reinforce good habits.
The writer is a wellness and yoga expert and can be reached at [email protected]