Recently, a group of friends who studied together shared a book "Mastering Energy", a book written by a Japanese author, which can be understood as a book that presents some scientific research through storytelling, which is relatively easy to read, the book is not thick, and it can be read in almost 2 hours if it is fast.
This book subverts one of our core notions that "the brain of the best cannot grow", and with the appropriate method, we can make the brain grow again, so as to make ourselves full of vitality every day. Let's talk about the book.
From ancient times to the present, human beings have been pursuing immortality, such as Qin Shi Huang sent people to the sea to seek immortals, and as recently as Larry Page, co-founder of Google, invested heavily in 2013 to form a company called 'calico' to study basic research on anti-aging and related diseases.
With the development of technology over the years, our understanding of the brain and body has gradually deepened, and our genes are encased in a container called a 'chromosome'. At the end of the chromosome there is a hat-like structureThe length of this part determines the longevity of the cell and the rate of aging。At present, the scientific community refers to this part of the structure of the end as 'telomere'. Each time a cell performs**, the telomeres of the chromosomes become a little shorter. Telomeres are also known as 'longevity genes'.
If you compare the somatic cells of a child with the somatic cells of an elderly person, you will find that the telomere length of the elderly is shorter. Therefore, preventing the aging of cells and achieving a truly sustainable state of youth is almost the same as ensuring the length of telomeres. ”
So, why do some people age slowly and some people age faster?
The reason for this difference is that there is a biological enzyme in our body called 'telomerase'. Telomerase is able to repair telomeres that are lost during the cell** process. In simple terms,The more telomerase is secreted, the more it helps preserve the length of telomeres。Telomerase can not only prevent and delay the shortening process of telomeres, but also reverse the hour hand, which can be called "biological enzyme that can rejuvenate".
Our brains are also made up of cells, and brain functions reach their peak in their 20s. Between the ages of 25 and 35, memory and the speed at which complex information can be processed will gradually decline. In terms of attention, emotional control, problem-solving skills, flexibility, etc., the deterioration of brain function can actually be observed at a very early stage.
There are many people around me who show signs of forgetfulness in their 40s or even earlier, and I am often forgetting things before I am 40 years old.
According to the scientific community's now large-scale follow-up surveys, the brain's ability to comprehend patterns or principles gradually declines from the age of 40.
The reason for this problem is that as we continue to use the brain, various waste products accumulate at the junctions (synapses) where nerve cells connect with each other. One of the most representative is amyloid, which is born as a protein on the surface of nerve cells. It is said that the substance accumulates in the brain long before the age of 50.
When we are younger, these -amyloid proteins can be broken down and removed from the brain. Sleep has the effect of washing away these wastes. So, a good night's sleep is really important. However, for some reason, the accumulation of amyloid will gradually exceed a certain 'red line'. In fact, if you look at the brains of older people under a microscope, you can see brown spots called 'senile spots', most of which are made up of amyloid.
Healthy older adults have 25 to 30 percent of amyloid in their brains, compared to about 60 percent in people with mild dementia (who have less amnesia than Alzheimer's disease but have low memory levels that don't match their age) and 90 percent of the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease.
There is another brain waste that is also eye-catching, and that is the tau protein. In general, tau protein has the function of forming the shape of nerve cells, but after the death of nerve cells, tau protein remains as 'remains' (neurofibrillary changes). Since the accumulation of tau protein appears about 15 years later than the accumulation of -amyloid, it is also believed that the root cause of brain aging is amyloid. Either way, these waste products can lead to brain dysfunction, which can lead to brain aging.
Is the aging of the brain also related to longevity genes, telomeres, etc.?
Of course, it has a lot to do with it. In fact, there are also people who start to have cognitive decline at a young age, which is basically related to the shortening of telomeres. We can stop the shortening of telomeres and even have a way to restore their length. The idea that brain aging is irreversible is absolutely unnecessary.
What does that need to be done? As ordinary people, although we do not need to pursue immortality like celebrities such as Qin Shi Huang and Google founders, in the face of the postponement of the retirement age, the increase of work pressure, and the decline of personal body and energy, it is also necessary to figure out how to maintain the health of the body and the vitality of the brain, so as to make ourselves healthier and more energetic to solve problems in a longer life.
The key to the process of cell aging lies in the problem of 'telomere shortening' at the genetic level. This part of the impact accounts for 25% of the overall aging, and the remaining 75% is due to environmental factors. In other words, it's about what the individual does!
In order to prevent aging, there is a multi-pronged approach, according to a research project titled Finger (The Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability) published in the authoritative scientific journal The Lancet in June 2015. This large-scale ageing study was conducted in Finland and looked at the combined effects of exercise, diet and brain training over a two-year period in 1,260 people aged 60 to 77 who were at risk of dementia.
According to the results of the study, a group of older adults who adopted comprehensive anti-aging measures were able to maintain brain function. Moreover, compared to the other group, which did nothing at all, the results were very good - cognitive function was 25% higher, memory levels were 83% higher, and reaction speed was even 150% higher.
Many studies have confirmed that consistent exercise has the effect of extending telomere length. In fact, according to statistics,Activity levelThe larger the Americans, the lower the rate of telomere shortening in their bodies.
Study the surface, "slow walking 3 times a week" can double the length of telomeres! Walking slowly is an exercise that is relatively easy to stick to and can be done in daily life. Each 45-minute aerobic slow walking exercise can double the length of telomeres in the body after half a year.
If you're jogging, you can do a quick 3-minute run, then take a 3-minute break (or walk). Just do this and repeat the 4 sets of loops. This kind of intermittent training also has the effect of extending the length of telomeres.
The second is dietFoods that extend telomere length include: fiber-rich foods (cereals, etc.), fresh vegetables, fruits, legumes, seaweed, green tea, coffee. Ingredients and foods that can inhibit the three major factors of aging include: inhibiting inflammation - flavonoids, carotene (berries, grapes, apples, green leafy vegetables, broccoli, onions, tomatoes, green onions, etc.), having antioxidant effects - berries, apples, carrots, green leafy vegetables, tomatoes, beans, grains, green tea, etc., reducing insulin resistance - eating less sweet carbonated drinks, foods with too high sugar content.
In addition, there is another category that is also very compelling, and that is foods rich in -3 fatty acids. Fish like tuna, as well as leafy greens, they all contain a lot of this substance. It also has an antioxidant effect, protecting cells from oxidative stress.
Like red meat (pork, beef, mutton, etc., which are coarse and hard in fiber, high in fat, and low in unsaturated fatty acids), white bread, sweet juices, etc., these foods that accelerate cell aging, we need to stay away.
Third, sleep well。To ensure the length of telomeres, it is best to get more than 7 hours of sleep a day. Also, the quality of sleep is important. Data have shown that people over the age of 70 with chronic insomnia have shorter telomere lengths. People who slept more than 7 hours a day had telomeres about 6% more than those who slept less than 5 hours.
Lack of sleep plays a very important role in the aging of the brain. If you look at the image of your brain when you wake up in the morning, you can see that the amyloid has been removed. People who sleep for more than 7 hours will also have very little amyloid in their brain images. It can even be said that more than 7 hours of sleep has a more anti-aging effect than a reasonable diet.
Fourth, learn to deal with stress。Telomeres are most afraid of stress. A survey of interns who have just completed their first year of life (often under a lot of stress) has shown that in just one year, the number of telomeres in their bodies has been shortened to the same extent as six years. Regarding the association between stress and telomere shortening, a comprehensive analysis of the results of several previous studies can conclude that pressure does cause the first class of telomeres to gradually shorten.
The best way to deal with stress is:Mindfulness meditation, meditation can have a positive effect on telomeres in the body. Some research reports have pointed out that insisting on meditation for three weeks can make the telomeres in the body longer. In the short term, it can help us reduce stress and remove waste from our brains. If you stick to it for a long time, you can strengthen your immunity and extend the length of telomeres.
You can choose to sit or lie down, relax your abdomen, and cast your consciousness into the sensations of your body, such as the floor where the soles of your feet touch, the chairs where your buttocks touch, etc., and consciously perceive the sensations associated with breathing (the air flowing in the nose, the ups and downs of the chest and abdomen caused by the air coming in and out, the gap between breathing, the depth of each breath, the difference in temperature between inhalation and exhalation, etc.), without deliberately controlling or taking deep breaths (it is recommended to breathe through the nose). Waiting for each natural breath), noticing the distracting thoughts, and returning our attention to the breath (the breath is the "anchor of consciousness"), each of us has distracting thoughts in our brains without having to blame ourselves.
Practice for 10 minutes a day and stick to it as a habit. In addition, getting yourself more than 7 hours a day, maintaining a 45-minute slow walk more than three times a week, and eating healthy foods every day can help your brain grow and be energized to face various challenges every day.