At 85, she took up fencing. In her hundreds, she was still pedaling her bicycle through the sun-drenched streets of Arles, thanking well-wishers for her birthday greetings. 22 years later, the same woman, Jeanne Calment, is still alive, having outlived everyone born in the 19th century. 

So, what was different about her, you ask? The answer might just lie in tiny caps at the ends of your chromosomes called telomeres.

For years, we've accepted aging as an unstoppable force, like taxes. But the latest science is turning that idea on its head, where scientists are uncovering the hidden switches that control how we age. Their research, and this book, could change how you live your life, from the food on your plate to the thoughts in your head.

We'll explore how these microscopic telomeres act like the plastic tips on your shoelaces, protecting your vital genetic information. As they wear down, so do we. And lucky for you, we might be able to slow that wear and tear, or even reverse it. Let’s make you a healthy oldie!

How old are you? And how old is your body? Yes, those are two different questions. You see, your cells might be aging faster than you are! Say you see two women, both 50 years old, but one looks vibrant while the other appears haggard and moves as if in pain. What's the difference? Simple, one’s cells have aged faster than the other. More specifically, the difference is in their telomeres. These tiny caps at the ends of our chromosomes play a massive role in how we age, and most people have no idea they exist.

Telomeres are like aglets, the plastic tips on shoelaces, protecting our genetic material during cell division. Cell division is how our bodies grow, repair damage, and replace old or worn-out cells. And as nature would have it, every time your cells divide, these caps get a little shorter. When they get too short, your cells can't divide properly anymore. This is called cellular senescence, and it's not good news for your body. Because, they become the troublemakers for your body. Your wounds won’t heal, for one. And they just hang around, taking up space and resources. Worst of all, they secrete inflammatory substances that can damage nearby healthy cells. It's like having a grumpy, retired neighbor who keeps messing up everyone else's lawns! More senescent cells means a faster aging process and age-related diseases. People with the shortest telomeres are 40% more likely to develop cardiovascular disease. 40%! And it doesn't stop there. Short telomeres are linked to lung diseases, cognitive decline, and even Alzheimer's. Remember that time you forgot where you put your keys? It might not just be a "senior moment" – it could be your telomeres talking. And yes, those gray hairs and age spots are linked to telomere length too. 

But, it is not all doom and gloom! While some aspects of telomere length are genetic, many lifestyle factors can help maintain them. Exercise, stress management, diet, and even your social environment all play a role. But before we get to that, let’s understand telomerase!

Stress is… stressful. It’s irritating.  It makes you want to do anything just to avoid feeling it. And this ‘anything’ isn’t always healthy. Most of the times, our minds fall into destructive thinking patterns to deal with stress. Would you be surprised if we told you that these thinking patterns negatively affect Telomeres? We’re hoping you saw that coming. 

So, which thinking pattern do you fall into? Is it cynical hostility? Do you often feel high anger and frequent thoughts that others can't be trusted? Or maybe you’re pessimistic where you expect negative outcomes, even in neutral situations. There’s also mind wandering. You know, when you’re totally zoned out thinking about that embarrassing conversation from 1878. Another version of this is rumination. Rehashing problems over and over without reaching solutions. Others take it up a notch with thought suppression. Just completely trying to push away unwanted thoughts and feelings. This often backfires, leading to more intrusive thoughts. Sometimes, even depression and anxiety. These thinking patterns can create chronic stress and needless to say, they’re a machine gun to your telomeres.

We know that you can't simply order yourself to stop these thoughts. Many have genetic components or are deeply ingrained habits. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t even try, right? We have just the solution. Resilient thinking! Change your relationship to negative thoughts! Accept them. Say it’s okay to have such a thought. Thoughts don’t define you! Try some mindfulness-based approaches, too. By learning not to believe, act on, or judge yourself harshly for having negative thoughts, you can reduce their impact on your stress levels and potentially protect your telomeres.

The key is recognizing which patterns you tend towards and then working on more resilient responses, rather than trying to forcefully suppress or change the thoughts themselves. This is just the first step to protecting your telomerase. Let’s revolutionize your whole lifestyle, shall we?