I’ve written a lot about the links between kindness and ageing, and part of my focus has been that kindness is the opposite of stress, at least in terms of how it makes us feel and the physiological consequences of those feelings. Just as feelings of stress produce stress hormones (like cortisol and adrenalin), so […]
ageing
The opposite of stress
Everybody knows what stress feels like. We also know what it feels like when we’re kind, when someone is kind to us, or even when we witness kindness. The feelings are opposite. Most of the effects inside the body are the opposite too. Feelings of stress generate ‘stress hormones’ in the brain and body, like […]
How kindness can reduce wrinkles
Yes, you read correctly! Have you ever cut an apple in half and left it on the table? If so, you’ll have noticed it quickly goes brown. This is oxidation, or oxidative stress, as scientists prefer to call it. Oxidation occurs in skin too, and it can be a side-effect of lifestyle, diet, stress, even […]
How to slow ageing
My friend Skip told me recently that he met a 98-year-old man in Bali who challenged him to a race to climb a tree. Skip is a very physically healthy and fit person – an ex-British champion gymnast – yet the 98-year-old nearly matched him. I spent 6 months of last year nearly full-time renovating […]
How meditation affects the cells of breast cancer survivors
I have written about the benefits of meditation on several occasions, from how it slows ageing, can make us happier, helps us develop and maintain and calm state, and even how it impacts our genes. So I just couldn’t wait to tell you about an amazing new study that can give hope to people who […]
Can loving-kindness slow down ageing?
You might have heard of telomeres! They’re the little end-caps on DNA that stops it unraveling, a bit like the little plastic caps on shoelaces that stop them from unraveling. Telomeres have become popular because they’re closely linked with the age of the body. Short telomeres tend to mean faster ageing. Lots of research has […]
Did you know you’re a chemist?
Yes, you are a chemist! As you think, you shape the chemistry of your brain and blood, you shape the chemistry of your relationships, and you also shape the chemistry of your life. I have a PhD in chemistry and was once a professional chemist. I trained in how to build molecules and found myself […]
Can compassion beat botox in the anti ageing stakes?
‘Compassion is not religious business, it is human business. It is not luxury, it is essential for our own peace and mental stability. It is essential for human survival.’ HH The Dalai Lama For centuries, learned people have searched for the mystical philosopher’s stone, believed to be the elixir of life and give immortality […]
5 Ways that Positivity and Happiness can Protect you from Illness and even help you Live Longer
Stress can have many causes but one that applies to many of us is in how we look at and deal with life situations. Positive coping strategies help keep stress low but having a negative outlook or expectation about things can cause us no end of stress. Given that stress is linked with illness, it […]
A Few Healthy Thoughts
I wanted to start the year by offering a few healthy thoughts and pieces of advice that might help to get the year off to a fresher, healthier start. They’re all things that I think/do personally. Slow Aging Scientists around the world agree that free radicals accelerate the aging process. They are small molecules that […]