Are we on the cusp of cracking the secret of living to 130? That was the speculation last week, following reports that Jeff Bezos, the Amazon founder, and billionaire, is behind a new anti-aging company, Altos Labs, that’s going to ‘reprogramme’ cells to extend life. The company has a host of illustrious scientists on its board and one of the first things it’s said to be looking at is to turn adult cells into embryonic stem cells.
These have the potential to be used to regenerate or repair diseased tissue. For this isn’t just about helping us live longer, but ensuring that those extra years are healthier. But few of us reading this have time to wait for Jeff Bezos to come up with a solution. The good news is scientists already understand a lot about why and how we age, including the role of telomeres.
The ‘caps’ at the ends of our strings of chromosomes that protect the genes when our cells replicate — can shorten faster as a result of factors such as pollution, poor diet, and lack of exercise. And there are things we can all do now that have been shown to improve our ‘healthspan’ — the number of years of good health we enjoy.
We spoke to some of the UK’s leading anti-aging experts as well as specialists in fields ranging from cardiology to dermatology, for the latest thinking on how to live longer, look younger and stay healthy.
From your brain to your bones, gut, this unique Good Health series, starting today and running for the next few weeks, will show you the simple steps that could transform your future years — starting with how to rejuvenate your heart to help you to live a long, healthy life.
Prioritize exercise over dieting:
To age healthily it’s better to be a little overweight and physically fit, rather than thin and unfit, says Stephen Harridge, a professor of human and applied physiology at King’s College London.
