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What is Your Cellular Age?

Dr. Jonas Frisen was working in his lab, when he found something that almost caused him to fall off of his lab stool.

Dr. Frisen is a stem cell biologist in Stockholm. He was working on developing a new way to estimate the ages of human cells.

Now, most of you are probably thinking, so what. I am 20 or 30 or whatever age you are, so my cells are the same age.

That is what Dr. Friesen and many other scientists thought also.

However, the startling fact is that, the age of your cells ranges from 7 to 10 years old throughout your life.

Cells replace themselves all the time. Some cells replace themselves every day, some over several years and some not at all.

But, most cells in your own body are less than 10 years old.

So even if you are 50 or 60 years old, your body is under ten years old.

Except for a couple of places. These cells are formed at birth and grow older with you. The main area is in the brain, specifically the cerebral cortex.

Another area is in the lens of the eye. And possibly in the cells of the muscles of the heart.

So if most of you is only 10 years old, then why do you feel 50, especially when you get up in the morning * or is that just me?

Well, there are a lot of theories about this, ranging from oxidation and its negative effects on your body to stem cells wearing out, to DNA degradation.

In other words no one knows for sure.

What we do know if that all of these things are affected, at least in part, by your diet and lifestyle.

Which means that you can put a brake on the aging process.

How do you do this? Simple.

You have to watch what you eat, eat less and exercise.

I know, that is so boring, yet it is so easy to do.

The key is to do a little every day.

The quickest way to not accomplish these goals is to make big changes in your life.

In other words, go ahead and stop eating your junk food, eat way less and start exercising every day.

Why do I say that this is the quickest way to not accomplish your goals?

Because you won't keep it up. About 99.9% of the world can not make drastic changes and keep them as part of their new life style.

Your body, mind and spirit will rebel. Even if it is good for you.

Remember the expression *same old, same old*. Used when someone asks how are things.

Well you body wants to keep things the *same old, same old* way. Of course there is a scientific term for this and it is called homeostasis.

It means the same. Your body will resist changes, especially drastic changes. The same is true for your mind and spirit.

So, if you want to introduce these good changes (eat less, cut out junk food and exercise more) so that your body cells stay 7 to 10 years old into your 80's and 90*s, then start slowly.

Build up gradually. This is not a race, it is a lifestyle change.