The cold keeps you young

Embrace the cold to live longer.

How old are you really?   Not how many birthdays you’ve had, but deep down, at the cellular level?

As part of a study about super -agers (people in their 70s and over who look and act decades younger) the research from the Clock Foundation in California, where they’re doing cutting-edge research into longevity is very interesting.

They’ve developed a biological age test – based on work by the University of California, Los Angeles – that measures certain chemical changes in DNA that happen over time.   The test is also known as the “Death Clock”, because it’s a far better predictor of how long you have left than the number of candles on your birthday cake.

Being biologically younger than your age can make a difference; new research published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry found that if your biological age is fie years higher than your real age, you have a 40% higher risk of developing dementia or a stroke.

But you can reduce your biological age.   Studies suggest doing more exercise, good quality sleep and a healthy microbiome (a healthy gut, good goods (not takeaways)) all help – as may mild hypothermia (ie being cold).  So that’s one good thing we face in our delayed Spring!