We are all dealt genes at birth.
The genetic code and foundation of our life. It determines our eye color and hair type down to the cellular level.
As I like to say, we can't run from our genes, but we can affect how they are expressed - also known as epigenetics.
You have a say, a vote, and the ability to affect how/which genes fire.
This empowering fact means we are not entirely defined by our genetics.
As of writing this newsletter, aging is inevitable.
How we age is a choice.
In today's newsletter, we are going to take a closer look at 5 habits that can silently speed aging and what to do about them.
Chronological vs. Biological Age
Before we dive in, I want to make a clear distinction between chronological age and biological age.
Chronological age is the total time someone has lived.
It's the number of candles on your birthday cake, and the year on your birth certificate.
With each passing second, month, and year, your chronological age increases.
Biological age is how “old” your body actually functions.
It's a reflection on how well your DNA, cells, organs, and overall system function.
Biological age is a better predictor of health and lifespan than chronological age.
There are a handful of identical twin studies that show this. Two people with the same genetic foundation (hence identical) who live drastically different lifestyles can have markedly different healthspan and lifespans.
A study of 52,418 participants found that for every 1-year increase in biological age, there was an 11% increased risk of death, independent of chronological age and genetic factors.
These and many other studies have identified multiple habits and lifestyle factors that impact how you age.
5 Habits to Avoid that are Silently Aging You
What specifically speeds up your biological clock?
Aging is losing the ability to regulate your genes precisely.
DNA methylation is a chemical “tag” (methyl group) added to DNA that turns genes on or off.
As you age:
- Some genes become over-methylated (silenced when they shouldn’t be)
- Others become under-methylated (active when they shouldn’t be)
This loss of precision is known as epigenetic drift.
These 5 habits can silently accelerate your ability to regulate genes accurately:
- Smoking & Vaping - Both smoking and vaping are among the fastest ways to age your body. The toxic metabolites increase oxidative stress and damage your DNA.
- Sedentary LifestyleIf - you don't use it, you lose it. Our bodies were designed for movement. When we sit all day, our bodies start to break down. Our ability to deliver oxygen and nutrients slowly declines, and our mitochondrial function begins to slip. Both properties accelerate aging.
- Chronic Stress - Persistent unmanaged stress, such as emotional stress and financial worry, where it feels like you can't get your head above water, can take a toll on your aging process. This relentless stress increases inflammation, alters DNA regulation, and shortens telomeres.
- Poor Sleep - Rest and recovery are absolutely imperative for multiple systems to repair. Poor sleep impairs DNA repair and hormone regulation and disrupts circadian control of gene expression.
- Poor Diet - The combination of a high caloric intake and an average daily exercise time of less than 20 minutes is a primary driver of the epidemic we have in the United States. Visceral fat, the fat around the organs, has been shown to increase inflammation, insulin resistance, and metabolic dysfunction.
All 5 of these habits increase inflammation and oxidative stress, and reduce repair (NAD⁺, DNA repair, mitochondria).
Each leads to epigenetic dysregulation and faster biological aging.
The Silver Lining: Change Your Future
After exposing the habits that have been shown to accelerate your biological aging, the silver lining in this all is that you can do something about each habit.
Do the opposite of the above:
- Smoking is a choice (though extremely addictive); you have the option to quit.
- Find time to move every day, even if it's for less than 30 minutes.
- Adopt coping mechanisms to manage stress.
- I'm a terrible sleeper myself, but there are methods to improve sleep quality.
- Be conscious of the food you eat.
You have the ability to slow the hands of time.
Take care of your body, so it can take care of you.
What is Your Biological Age?
My family and I used Function to determine our biological age compared to our chronological age.
Your lab markers are your instruction manual. Knowing what’s in range—and especially what’s out of range—lets you personalize your health instead of guessing.
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Scheduling is simple, with 2,000+ lab locations across the U.S., and most visits take around 15 minutes.
With real data and personalized insights, you can take action, retest over time, and actually track whether what you’re doing is working.
This is the exact blood test my family and I get every six months.
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Only the best,
Jeremy London, MD
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