Publisher's Synopsis
Aging is an obvious and essential aspect of living but for many different reasons, the science of how our cells age has remained disconnected and confused. In this book, I will address the important gaps in the story and although there is always more to know and the literature expands relentlessly, I will show how the key elements fit together into a cohesive picture. I hope that by understanding this process, you can take appropriate actions to minimize some of the negative aspects of aging.Aging starts at conception and the development and growth of a baby is the first stage in aging. We all start as one cell but that one cell has a huge but still limited capacity to divide. Each cell division limits our lifespan but most people these days will reach about 80 years or more before they die. At the end, we will still have cells with the ability to divide so this story of aging is a 'numbers game'. When each cell reaches the limit of its division (called its telomere limit) it will either cell destruct (undergo apoptosis) or become senescent. Unfortunately senescent cells cause inflammation and since the physical changes we see with aging are just a reflection of the numbers of cells and the proportion of cells that are senescent, it is critical that we learn about senescence and what we can do to minimize its side effects.In 2008 I was lucky enough to be sent a considerable amount of data on fatty acids that was collected by the 'Scottish Heart Study'. From my analysis it became obvious that cellular senescence was caused by suppression of fat metabolism in cells as they reached their telomere limits. No-one had previously made this connection despite it being well known that a major gene p53 is switched on at senescence and that this gene is the ultimate controller of fat metabolism. I published the findings in an eminent journal in 2010 but the concept that senescence and inflammation are primarily caused by p53 induced changes in fats is still not well known.So, in the first part of this book I describe cellular structure and function and the mechanism of senescence. In the latter part I talk about the systems we have to deal with inflammation and the nutrients (vitamins and minerals) we need to consume to optimize the function of our support systems and minimize the secondary effects of inflammation.You will have heard some of this information before but most of it - at least the way it fits together - will be new to most people, professionals and non-professionals alike. I have done my best to cover the scientific-medical literature, but it is so vast that the task is impossible. Nevertheless, in my searches I have uncovered some very important findings that have been overlooked and referenced some of them. I hope this will help you understand what you need to do to optimize your life and live healthily and happily.
