Aging is a privilege — but aging slower is a science.
In 2023, researchers identified 12 key “hallmarks of aging,” arguing that understanding them better is the key to improving health as we get older.
In his new book, The Ageless Revolution, Dr. Michael Aziz explores all of these hallmarks — and how to fight them, one by one. Speaking to The Post, he broke down five of the 12 and offered up quick, inexpensive tips for slowing them down, including eating more chocolate, sleeping more, and having a better sex life.
Aging hallmark #1: Your proteins decline in quality
Proteins do a lot of the work in our cells. But as we get older, the quality of those proteins declines — and that can lead to plenty of problems.
Dr. Aziz suggests thinking of the proteins like employees who call in sick a lot, leaving the other employees to have to pick up the slack. Those remaining employees get overworked and then no one is feeling well.
When this happens in your body, it leaves you vulnerable to getting sick and different functions not working as they should. To combat that, the doc recommends trying intermittent fasting.
“The body goes into an alert mode and starts to eat the malfunctioning part of the cells, which include the bad proteins,” he said. “So one way to get rid of the bad quality protein in the cell is to skip breakfast.”
Your intermittent fasting schedule doesn’t even have to last all week, he added: Even just doing it on the weekends — say, have an early afternoon brunch and dinner instead of three meals — can help.
Studies have linked intermittent fasting to several health benefits, including one by the University of Southern California and Yale School of Medicine which found that fasting led to a reduced risk of diabetes and an enhanced immune system.
Aging hallmark #2: You’re running out of stem cells
Stem cells are able to develop into lots of other types of cells in the body, making them very useful.
“Every time there is damage in the body, they come out of the bone marrow to become those new cells,” Dr. Aziz explained. “So let’s say you drink too much, those stem cells come from the bone marrow and they repair the liver.”
But as we get older, we run out of stem cells and our body is less able to repair.
So how do we keep them alive longer? The doc recommends getting antioxidants from black tea and dark chocolate.
Chocolate, in particular, has been linked to lower mortality from cardiovascular disease, heart disease and cancer.
Aging hallmark #3: You lose telomeres
Telomeres are the ends caps of our chromosomes — and they’re yet another thing we have less of as we age.
“Every time the cells divide, the telomeres get shorter. Eventually the telomeres get so short there’s no more cell division, and before you know it, there is no more cell regeneration — then there’s cell death,” Dr. Aziz explained.
There are several things you can do to minimize this, he notes, including getting more vitamin D and fish oil.
But probably the most fun fix is having a good sex life.
“Anytime we’re stressed, the body secretes cortisol,” he said. “And that is making our telomeres burn down faster. And that’s why we find that people who are stressed in general have shorter life.”
When you have a good sex life, Dr. Aziz argues, you’re likely more relaxed and your cortisol levels are down — hence less telomere damage and possibly a longer life.
Aging hallmark #4: Your cell batteries are malfunctioning
Mitochondria are the batteries of cells, generating energy in the body. So when we age and those batteries don’t charge as well, and we have less energy overall.
According to Dr. Aziz, good sleep hygiene is essential for combatting this problem.
“Sleep is so important for longevity — you’ve got to aim to get seven and eight hours of sleep,” he said. “We find that people who don’t get enough sleep are getting more stroke, more heart attacks.”
And it’s not just getting enough sleep but getting it at the right time. Studies have linked night shift work to higher mortality, with one showing that women working rotating night shifts for more than five years were 38% more likely to die from a heart attack. They were also 33% more likely to die of colon cancer, 25% more likely to die of lung cancer, and 11% more likely to have died early from any cause.
“People who do night shifts, who sleep during the day — nurses, truck drivers — they have more deaths from strokes, heart attack, and that has to do with the mitochondria networking,” said Dr. Aziz.
Aging hallmark #5: Your gut health is bad
The doc says gut health is “crucial” to longevity because it plays a role in weight, emotions and brain health, among other things.
“We’re not eating enough fermented food, we’re not eating food rich in probiotics, we’re not eating enough vegetables — and our gut bacteria is unhealthy,” he warned.
The gut microbiome — that is, the collection of bacteria, viruses and fungi in our guts — can play a role in our health and has even been linked to colon cancer risk.
For this, Dr. Aziz urges people to eat more fermented foods like kimchi, cheese, yogurt and kombucha. Several studies have shown that they can have a positive effect on the gut and overall health, including lowering inflammation.
