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INTRODUCTION

From the time we are born our bodies are determined by our genetic blueprint and controlled by various hormones and growth factors, which determine our growth, maturation and development. Most people reach their peak functioning by the age of about thirty years. The growth hormones and factors change and start to diminish from our mid-twenties, and from our mid-thirties we start to age. During our younger, vital years our hormones and growth factors offer protection against environmental hazards and our defences and ability to repair are strong. Our gut bacteria are healthy and work with our bodies to develop a strong and stable immune system that protects our health and wellbeing.

After the age of thirty-five years, our master control hormones change and our bodies start to age, and environmental factors start to have more of an influence on the body. The gut bacteria have probably been damaged by thirty-five years of poor diet and antibiotic exposure, either from prescribed antibiotics, or the antibiotics present in the food chain, so our immune system is compromised, damaged, or, worse still, attacking the host. This is one of the reasons why cancers in younger people are more aggressive and grow and spread more quickly. It is also why cancers accelerate during pregnancy as the growth factors and hormones surge.

The change in the hormones and growth factors can be seen partially as a protective change, as high levels of growth hormone and growth factors in later life would further accelerate any cancers or speed up the ageing process in damaged cells. This would include supercharging any abnormal activity by a damaged immune system. In simple terms, our internal environment influences our health, vitality and wellbeing up to the age of thirty-five and our external environment influences them thereafter. This is assuming we lead a healthy lifestyle and do not poison or damage our internal system. There are a number of factors that affect health outcomes:

Genetics

There is a lot of misconception about the importance of genetics versus environment in the ageing process. Overall, genetics accounts for 20 per cent towards ageing, and non-genetic factors 80 per cent. This does not take into consideration specific genetic or congenital conditions that can lead to shortened life expectancy.

We have genetic tests available that can predict risk factors, which we can then address through very specific lifestyle and environmental changes. Genetic studies in certain groups of people with genetic peculiarities have shown that the presence or absence of certain genes are associated with the slowing or stopping of the ageing process. This is associated with the absence of degenerative, or age-related disease processes like dementia, diabetes, heart disease and even cancer.

Diet and nutrition

Diet provides us with nutrition, energy and external growth factors that work with and complement our internal systems that affect our metabolism, repair and vitality. Food also introduces new organisms, genetic material and antibiotics (these are not listed on the list of ingredients on the packaging) that affect our internal gut bacterial balance, metabolism and can even increase the risk of cancer. As we age we need to consider that the foods that were good for us up to the age of thirty-five may actually accelerate the ageing process so we need to change how and what we eat as we get older.

Exercise

We all know that exercise is important. However, the type and intensity of exercise has to be tailored to our age and, to a lesser degree, genetic/metabolic makeup. Intense, heavy and prolonged exercise that is tolerated by a younger body can be detrimental as we get older and can indeed speed up ageing, degeneration, fat retention and accelerate disease processes, including cancer.

Gut bacterial balance

There is overwhelming evidence to show that the gut microbiome has a very important part to play in regulating the immune system and protecting us from diseases. The microbiome communicates with our central nervous system and can affect our mood, causing feelings of depression and cravings.

There are over 1,000 species of micro-organisms in the gut, consisting of over 3 million genes, which are important to our wellbeing. They perform many functions other than regulating our immune system. These include aiding in digestion and presentation of vitamins and minerals for absorption, regulation of metabolism and the prevention of obesity. Once upset, these regulatory functions can be affected, resulting in autoimmune diseases, metabolic diseases, obesity and gut problems, and even cancer (lymphoma). Other conditions linked to upset gut bacteria include mental and psychological conditions, like anxiety disorder and depression.

It is not just the gut where such useful micro-organisms are found, but also in the mouth, in the vagina and on the skin, where they play a crucial role in the health of that area, and the defence from harmful elements in the external environment. These ‘friendly’ organisms are so generous that they have donated DNA that forms the mitochondria that act as energy generators for each and every cell in the human body. We now have means of testing for every bacterial gene in the gut from a simple stool test and this will, in the near future, be able to help us to treat and prevent illness, and reverse the ageing process.

Lifestyle, learning and habits

Long-term studies looking at twins and people’s habits, lifestyles and even education (including the way they learn), have given insights into how these affect the way we age internally, how our brains regress and how we can reverse these changes. Some of these studies started over seventy years ago. We also have access to blood and DNA tests that can tell us what our physiological, or biological age is, and how we can reverse it.