

Is Stress Speeding Up Your Aging? What You Can Do About It Today with Elissa Epel
11 snips Jul 11, 2025
Elissa Epel, an expert in stress and aging from UCSF, discusses how stress accelerates the aging process by shortening telomeres, the protective caps on our DNA. She highlights the significant impact of lifestyle choices and nutrition on telomere health, advocating for a whole food diet to combat inflammation. Epel also explores the relationship between depression and cellular aging, providing strategies for reframing stress as a challenge. Mindfulness and social support are emphasized as vital tools for managing stress and promoting well-being.
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Telomeres Protect DNA Integrity
- Telomeres are DNA caps at chromosome ends that protect genetic material.
- They shorten with cell division and stress, causing aging and inflammation.
Telomeres Reflect Life Stress
- Telomere length reflects cumulative life stress and environment impact.
- Childhood adversity significantly shortens telomeres, affecting adult health.
Telomere Length Links to Disease
- Short telomeres statistically predict earlier aging diseases except some cancers.
- Genetic evidence shows longer telomeres causally reduce risks for heart disease and dementia.