How eating less can slow the aging process
Who doesn’t want to know the secret to long life? What we wouldn’t do to prevent those wrinkles and fine lines, which make the process of ageing so obvious.
Ageing is inevitable, and it does dampen one’s spirit. It has been found that what you eat and how you lead your life play a significant role on your health.
Doctors would tell you that if you maintain a balanced diet and lead an active life, it can take you a long way towards good health, and in the process keep you looking youthful and make your skin glow. So yes, cutting down on junk food, processed products and fried items is absolutely necessary.
Reducing one’s calorie intake impacts the aging that takes place within a cell. The scientists discovered that when ribosomes; which are responsible for generating protein in a cell, slow down, the process of aging is automatically influenced in a positive manner. Slowing down of ribosomes leads to aging decelerating as the ribosomes are able to repair themselves.
“The ribosome is a very complex machine, sort of like your car, and it periodically needs maintenance to replace the parts that wear out the fastest. When tires wear out, you don’t throw the whole car away and buy new ones. It’s cheaper to replace the tires,” says John Price, the senior author and biochemistry professor at the Brigham Young University.
For the study, the authors gave one group of mice unlimited access to food yet restricted the caloric intake of the other group by 35 percent. Both groups received the necessary nutrients for survival.
They discovered that the calorie-restricted mice were more energetic and suffered fewer diseases. But it is not just that theses mice are living longer, it is due to the fact that they are better when it comes to maintaining their bodies. They are also younger for a longer period of time as well, Price explains.
While the research hasn’t been replicated in humans, researchers said their findings are still relevant as they underscore the importance of taking care of your body.
“Food isn’t just material to be burned; it’s a signal that tells our body and cells how to respond,” Price said. “We’re getting down to the mechanisms of aging, which may help us make more educated decisions about what we eat.”
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