#Epel… we’re getting a divorce

[eternalnemesi]

Family meeting type shit

[strawberry-soil]

Erin Waters

Template is made by Epel and edited a tad to add a few things by Me. Also, art credit is listed farther down in the wiki.

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"Well that's just great." 

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Basic Information 

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Name: Erin Nicole Waters 

Gender: Female 

Sexuality: Lesbian 

Date Of Birth: April 7th 

Profession: Potion Collector/Maker

Age: 15-27 (Depends on roleplay/series)

Species: Werewolf 

Hobbies: Collecting potions, cross-stitching 

Zodiac: Aries 

Personality: Mischievous, determined, sarcastic 

Flaws: Would do about anything for her sisters and friends

Phobias: None 

Love Interest: Hazel 

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"Then, if you sit with us everyday, she might consider you as a friend! Or more as time goes on." 

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Looks 

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Hair Length: To the start of her back

Hair Color: Midnight Black 

Eye Color: Light Brown 

Height: 5′5 ft

Weight: 125 lbs 

Tattoos: None 

Bandages: None 

Scars: None 

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"That's dumb." 

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Techniques/Info

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Stamina: 

7/10 

Jumping: 

4/10 

Strength: 

4/10 

Wisdom:

2/10 

Charisma:

4/10 

Wealth: 

5/10 

Intelligence: 

5/10 

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"Libby here, doesn't speak to strangers." 

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Clothing 

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Normal Clothing: Gray hoodie, black shorts, sneakers with some dark gray socks

Formal Clothing: Black polo shirt with some more black pants and shoes

Pajamas: Oversized light gray shirt 

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"Quote”

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Health 

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Sickness: None

Disorder: None

Cancer: None

Diseases: None

Weakness: Her allergies,

Allergies: Chocolate, eggs 

Asthma: None

Disability: None

Fears: Clowns, her dad getting mad at her for not getting the right potions

Addiction: None 

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"You got the potions, right?" 

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Personality aspects 

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Normal Moods: Calm

Patient/Impatient:

Anger Management?: No 

Three good things about personality: 

° Her determination

° Wouldn't abandon her friends 

° Would do anything for her friends 

Three bad things of personality: 

° When doing anything for her friends or sisters she could get hurt when doing something 

° A bit reckless 

° Doesn't think of consequences 

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"We're so dead.." 

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Relationships 

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Mother: Slyvanna Shalashaska

Father: Zack Waters 

Sister: ???, ??? (Half-Sister) 

Brother: None 

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"How kind of you." 

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Extra 

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Backstory: Her parents divorced after her mom found out after 3 years (Which Erin was 3 yrs old when she found out) Zack cheated on Slyvanna and Zack remarried to a certain someone's mother you might know of and when they cheated, they had a kid then too so hm... As stated earlier, she wants someone to stay with her forever but doesn't know when is the right time. She'd rather be a human than a Werewolf. 

Home: Ru’aun 

Dislikes: Potions, Forever Potions, being a Werewolf, 

Likes: Libby's cooking, Animals, Love, cross-stitching, children 

Voice Claim: 

Theme Song:

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"I really thought you two would end up together.. sorry Jon."

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Art Credits

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Rinmaru

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"Quote”

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[crazyyanderefangirlfan]

The Rabbit of Night Raven Chapter 1: Demons in high places Pt 2

Part 1 is here

For the next few days, Amane was running her dry with all his demands, as well as her money. They ranged from annoying to atrocious. But she bared through it all.

Jack, Epel, and Sebek found not long after, been informed by Ace and Deuce. They offered to take care of Amane so she could rest but declined. Amane might blackmail her that she wasn't doing her job as a hostess, not to mention he might make them uncomfortable as well. She just had to soldier on.

"I forgot to ask, how did you end up with those wounds?"

It was a Sunday morning, and Valerie just brought his breakfast. A plate of raspberry and chocolate waffles, and Darjeeling tea. He demanded it to be made since he said he wanted his favorite breakfast. He nearly emptied her wallet, because of how expensive the raspberries are.

She also decided to eat with him this time, to hopefully build a better level of trust. Grim was downstairs, saying he didn't want to be in the same room as him. He paused mid-bite and narrowed his eyes.

"Why the fuck should I tell ya? We don't exactly see eye-to-eye ya know."

"I know, but I thought I could understand you better. Despite, the sexist nicknames, and overall rudeness. I can tell you're not a bad person."

Amane studied her face to find any hint of mockery, or deception. However, to his surprise there was none. Her face was earnest, as she patiently waited for him to speak. He sighed.

"My shitty dad did this to me."

This shocked her, but he paid no mind and continued.

"I did something he didn't like and got punished."

"Wha-What did you do?"

"I gave some information to our rival company, safe to say my old man was not pleased. My friend is the CEO's kid, my dad was planning an assassination attempt on him, but I eavesdrop on one of his meetings and managed to phone her just on time. He saw this as an act of betrayal and punished me for it."

"Didn't you're mother do anything! What about the rest of you're family?"

"My mother had no power, and the rest of them agreed with my dad."

She went silent and contemplated. She had one question in her mind.

"But...How did you manage to end up in that crater? Night Raven is miles away from any other piece of land."

It was his turn to be silent. Amane looked away as he pondered for an appropriate response. Finally, he faced her.

“You see Sugar tits, my family and I are demons, sex demons to be exact. He probably used teleportation magic to get rid of me, and erase any evidence."

A demon, an incubus no less, well, that did explain why he didn't die so easily when she found him. Though she should have guessed he was a supernatural being, his ears were a dead giveaway. Speaking of which, she remembered what she first thought he was and let out a giggle.

Amane furrowed his brows. "What's so funny?"

She turned to him still giggling.

"I thought you were some kind of fae, with you're ears and all."

He knit his brows at her answer, before giving out a hearty chuckle.

"Haha, you actually thought I was one of those guys. Fairies are overrated  Hun, demons are what's hot."

"Oh really? they've been so overused in the media, I thought they were the overrated beings." She smirked. He gave out another chuckle.

"Oh, honey. That just means we're more lovable."

They let out another good-hearted laugh before the girl asked another question.

"So...Is there anything else I should know about you or demons?" He let out a thoughtful hum before answering.

"You know about demon pacts, yeah?" She nodded.

"Well, back in the old days my family would perform blood pacts with people who they are eternally grateful for and give them gifts as a sign of their loyalty."

He gave her a close-lipped smile.

"But of course, you won't see me that Sugar tits, I ain't exactly grateful to be in your care but it will do.'"

"Keep that attitude up, and you'll be relying on Grim."

"He's cute but unreliable and a bit whiny for my tastes."

She laughed. She was about to reply when she heard the said monster calling for her. Valerie muttered under breath on how he's such a whiny baby, but there was a smile on her face.

"I'll see you later. Call when me you need something." She got up and left. Leaving Amane in his thoughts.

No one, but his mother and his best friend were that kind to him.

Maybe she ain't so bad.

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Night came quickly. Valerie decided she and Grim will have dinner with Amane. Technically, she had to bribe him with her tuna casserole to get him to cooperate, and just like that he's happily eating his third serving with them.

"Mmmmm~ The cheese complements the tuna so well! You really outdid yourself Henchwoman!"

"Is he always like this?" Amane whispered as he watched Grim loudly eating his food with a blank look on his face.

"Yeah, but it's his charming point, I guess."

Unexpectedly, after their conversation this morning. Amane didn't bother her as much, just an occasional glass of water or a trip to the bathroom. She didn't know what changed his attitude, but it was welcomed regardless.

"So. After you get better, wanna hang out sometime?" He glanced at her mildly surprised, but a cheeky smirk made it's to his face.

"Asking me on a date are you Sugar tits? So bold~ But alas, girls aren't my thing, but if you're setting me up with one of your boy toys I'll happily oblige."

She giggled and lightly punched his shoulder. "No, I mean for us hang out as friends, and I don't think I should introduce you to guys just yet. Unless you want to traumatize their minds with all your flirting."

"Their loss if they can't handle this firecracker."

Valerie smiled. She liked this side of Amane better, he was easy to talk to and made great jokes, even if his humor is a little...Vulgar. After dinner, she helped Amane get ready for bed, then her and Grim's turn to retire.

"Kid, hey kid." She groaned and turned over. But she felt the covers being forcefully removed.  Groggily she sat up, she asked what's wrong.

"It's Amane, he's been crying for thirty minutes. We tried to comfort him but it got worse." Wilbur answered, concern evident in his voice.

Blinking the sleep out of her eyes, finally registering the loud screaming and crying, and the ghosts concerned expressions. She rapidly got out of bed, waking Grim up in the process, and sprinted to Amane's room.

He was a mess when she got to him. Amane was thrashing around, covered in sweat and tears leaked out of his eyes. He was mumbling in his sleep.

"N-No! Stop it!... Please I-I'm sorry, no more." He choked out a sob. Her heart clenched at the sight. She climbed on the bed and managed to wrapped her arms around him.

"Amane! Amane it's alright, no one's here to hurt you. It's not real!"

He jolted up and she caught the sight of his face. His eyes were red and his breathe were ragged. He started to chew on his bottom lip, and his eyes welled up with tears again. He buried his face on her chest, his body wracked with an onslaught of sobs and tears.

She rubbed circles on his back in an attempt to comfort him and whispered more words of reassurance. It took a while, but he managed to calm down. They sat in silence, save for Amane's occasional sniffles.

"Hey, Valerie." This was the first time he said her name properly. "Ratting my dad out wasn't the only reason he beat me."

He confessed that the other reason he was actually a bastard child. His mother had an affair with one of his father's employees once she found out he had a mistress. She was going to announce the divorce during their anniversary when his father blackmailed her to stay with him. Amane didn't know what it was, but it worked.

He told her that since he was the only child, his father expected him to take over his place one day, and produce an heir. Unfortunately for him, he was interested in boys and didn't like the idea of taking over his father's company.

His mother was the only person who accepted him, while his father was outraged. He argued he could just adopt a child, but it only made it worse. The rest of his family expressed their disappointment in him, in everything he did, and voted him to be banned from the family.

Valerie, just sat there as he continued to cry. She soothed him, telling him that it's okay, that it's not his obligation to live up to his family standards, whatever he does his choice only not theirs. That he should be free from their hateful opinions.

She spied the ghosts and Grim at the doorway but didn't say anything, opted to just comfort the man in her arms.

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After that night, their relationship changed drastically. He was more open to her, more friendly, and used her name often. He told her stories about his childhood and his best friend Lorelei, who was also a demon descendant, notably a spider demon. A famous idol who's known for incorporating spiders into her aesthetic. He promised her to introduce them sometime.

In return, she confessed to him she was from another world and he didn't look a leased bit surprised.

"Honey, after all the shit I've been through, nothing surprises me at this point."

She told about her life in Night Raven, how she constantly solved the school's overblot problem, and how she's basically Crowley's errand girl.

"The school is lucky that I don't have any magic. With all the stressful situations I've been through, I would have overblotted and destroy the entire school.'"

She shared stories about her and her friends' shenanigans, and the rest of the boys. He questioned if any of the boys were her boyfriend, cause he noticed how affectionate she was to all of them. She told him no, she was just like that normally.

"I don't understand why they turn red whenever I hug them or kiss their cheeks. I mean, showing affection to friends is normal."

Ahh. The oblivious type.

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It was finally the day Amane recuperate, and to go home. They were in the mirror chamber and Crowley was there to wish him the best of health, (and maybe exploit some money from him.) He wore the clothes when she found him, all clean and fixed.

"Mr. Mania I hope your stay was pleasant, and I wish for you the best of health, A reward is not needed, a simple thanks will do for I am gracious. But if you like, then I am in no room to argue."

Valerie mentally rolled her eyes at that but gave Amane a soft but sad smile. She was slowly getting used to his company and almost asked if he could stay longer, but she refused to be selfish. Instead, she just hugged the man, which he reciprocated.

"I hope you come back soon."

"Of course I will Val, ain't nothing gonna stop this firecracker." He turned his attention to Grim and gave him a noogie.

"Of course I'll come back for you too, ya little shit."

"Fguaa! Just get out of here!"

He gave them a crooked grin and walked away. Valerie watched as he walked away, hoping she could meet him again. However, after a few steps, he stopped and ran back to her. This perplexed them, especially when he got into one knee and took her hands.

"Valerie Kemonihito, I wished to have a blood pact with you, I am forever in your debt."

They stared at him as if he grew three heads. None of them couldn't believe his words. A blood pact? What was he doing? Valerie was the first to recover.

"Amane you don't have to do this, you don't have a debt towards me." She tried to reason, but he furiously shook his head.

"No, I do. You have saved my life and brought me peace and comfort when I am at my most vulnerable, you have accepted me as I am, and have not judged me for my past, and for those reasons. So please, accept it."

They all stared, waiting for her answer. After a few agonizing seconds, she responded.

"It won't hurt that much right?" Amane smiled.

"Not much, just a tiny prick will do."

"Alright let's do it."

"Are you sure Ms. Kemonohito?" Crowley cut in. "Blood pacts are a serious oath that should not be taken likely if ever one of the party's' will break it, death is the only punishment."

Valerie gazed at Amane, there was no hint of mischief, the determination is clear on his face.

"I'm sure." Amane smiled and got up.

"Okay." He brought his hand up, claws grew and took his index finger and slowly cut a small line in both their hands. Valerie winced but bared with it.

"Now we hold hands and recite our own oath, I'll go first." He cleared his throat.

"I, Amane Mania will dedicate my life to serve you. Wherever you are and whenever you are, I shall protect you with my life, and bring you justice if ever I failed to protect you."

"I, Valerie Kemonohito will do my best to be kind and just to you. So you may never suffer or feel lonely, you are welcome to be with me as much as you want so you may never feel ostracize again."

As they said these words, a dark reddish light enveloped them. The blood on their hands swirled and mixed together before engraving it in their skins like tattoos, going up to their arms all the way to their faces.

Grim and Crowley watch the spectacle, astounded but frighten as the light died down, and their marks disappearing.

Valerie blinked, she stared at their hands. All healed as if he didn't cut them. She cut off from her musings when Amane spoke.

"With this blood pact, you can summon me anytime time you want, no matter the place I will be with you. All you have to do is either call my name three times or use your blood and call my name." He informed.

"And now for my tribute. Give me a moment."

He raised his hands, chanting words under his breath a pinkish glow covered his hands, when the light died down a silver necklace inlaid with pink quartz appeared.

“Alright, c’mere.” He turned her around and clasp it on her.

“This was an heirloom, but only those who we think are worthy may have this and I want you to take it.” Valerie admired the the craftsmanship of it and beamed up to him.

“Thank you.” He ruffled her hair.

“No problem, now time to to get my ride. Y’all better step back.”

They did just that. Amane closed his eyes before muttering incomprehensible words, a star pentagon appeared before their eyes, it glowed a red malevolent aura, then a screech.

It was horrendous. The sound shook the ground and cracked the windows but weirdly not the mirrors, finally, a giant figure swooped up and landed next to Amane. It was a monster, it was twenty-foot tall, it had a humanoid body but its hands and feet had dangerously sharp talons, its wings were big as its body, and it’s head reminded her of an owl but the sharp teeth made her reconsider.

"Mr. Mania! Do you realize what you have summoned!?" The fear and shock were clear in Crowley's voice as he stared at the creature.

'"What is that!? It's so ugly!" Grime cried. He hid in Valerie's clothes as it's glowing amber eyes glared at him for his comment.

"This is a Strix. A demonic vampire owl that feasts on human flesh and blood. Lucky for you, this girl likes what normal owls eat so your good." The strix's feathers were the colors of pecan and it had small tufts of white.

"Her name is Lisha, I saved her when she was being bullied from her own kind. Lisha that's Valerie." Valerie shrunk when the strix's gaze shifted from Grim to her.

Lisha tilted her head curiously before leaning towards the girl, sniffing her hair and clothes. Valerie stood still as it goes on. Finally, she let out a happy chirped and nuzzled her. Valerie let out a surprised gasp but laughed and wrapped her arms around her head.

“How about that? Lisha doesn’t usually like strangers, but it seems your an exception.” He grinned

Valerie ran her fingers in Lisha feathers, they were soft and smooth. The monster purred in content.

"I'll be off, for real this time." He got onto Lisha’s back, but Valerie spoke up.

"Wait where are you staying?"

"I'll go to Lorelei. Her dad and I are cool cause I saved his life." The star pentagon glowed. He looked back, he gave one final smirk and disappeared.

Valerie smiled fondly, she scratched Grim’s ears as an attempt to comfort him.

"Well." Crowley coughed. "Now that's over, Ms. Kemonohito I hope you learned something from this experience.”

"Yes, sir."

"Good now I must be off. Crewel will have my hind if I keep him waiting." He muttered as he walked off.

Just as he walked out, her first-year friends ran in. All with worried expressions on their faces.

"Valerie! We heard a screech and it came h-"

"Oh, it came from Amane’s familiar.” She answered.

“Damn, nice ice Val.” Ace commented looking at her necklace.

“Thanks. Amane gave her to me as a gift." The mentioned of his name sent shivers to the ADeuce duo as they recalled his...Advances towards them.

"Its beautiful." Epel was sure Vil would approve of it.

"He didn't do anything obscene, Valerie?" Sebek eyed at the peice of jewelry, feeling something different about it.

"No, but we did a blood pact though." That made them froze.

"You did what?" The fae's voice was low for once as he and the rest of the boys stared her, wide-eyed and slacked jawed.

"A blood pact."

All hell broke loose.

The boys were screaming at her, asking why would she do that, and promising to beat the life out of Amane, thinking he forced it on her.

Valerie pursed her lips, she set Grim down before hitting their head. They grunted in pain.

"Okay before you guys go off. Amane did this as a sign of his gratitude and gave me this necklace as a sign of loyalty. He was actually a great guy once you get to know him, and he's just misunderstood. He even promised to come back and hang out, you should join us."

Ace and Deuce paled at the mention that he was coming back to Night Raven, but jealousy grew in their stomachs like the rest of the boys. Hearing her talked so fondly of him irritated them, but she didn't notice.

"Fine, we'll consider your offer Princess. But we won't hesitate to gut that guy if he makes you upset." Ace huffed. She grinned.

"Thank you so much. Now if you excuse me, I'll have to buy groceries." She kissed their cheeks.

She happily walked out leaving five red-faced boys and made her way to Sam's shop. 

"Hey while we're at it, can we buy some premium tuna. I need it after all I've been through."

"Fine, you've deserved it." He cheered.

She giggled. Admiring her necklace, it glinted brightly under the sun. Her thoughts drifted to Amane, hoping he was alright. She knows she'll see him again after this is Twisted Wonderland

[gethealthy18-blog]

Telomeres: Can They Reduce Aging and Improve Longevity?

New Post has been published on http://healingawerness.com/news/telomeres-can-they-reduce-aging-and-improve-longevity/

Telomeres: Can They Reduce Aging and Improve Longevity?

Table of Contents[Hide][Show]

I’ve talked about aging on the podcast and how we have some control over how it ultimately goes down. But today I want to talk about telomeres and how they affect aging. Telomeres are an interesting piece of the aging puzzle that shows we have more control over our age (biologically at least!) than we thought.

What Are Telomeres?

If you think back to high school biology class you may remember that our genetic material is arranged on a twisted “ladder” of DNA called chromosomes (or a DNA strand). At the end of each chromosome is a little bit of DNA that protects the genetic data and makes it possible for cell division. These telomeres act like caps on the end of the chromosome. The caps are often compared to the tips of the shoelaces. These tips protect the shoelace from fraying much like telomeres protect DNA from “fraying” or becoming mixed up.

But as human cells divide the telomeres get shorter and shorter. When the DNA is replicated, RNA (DNA messengers) attach at slightly different spot, shortening the telomeres. Eventually this makes the cell unable to divide. When this happens it causes cell death or inactivity.

In 1933, Barbara McClintock (the first woman to receive an unshared Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine) noticed something interesting about DNA. She hypothesized that there were some kind of chromosome ends but kept it stable.

In the 1970s other researchers, including Elizabeth Blackburn (who later won a Nobel prize for her work) discovered telomeres.

How Telomeres Affect the Aging Process

Telomeres have an interesting connection to aging. More specifically, how long they are reflects how old the body is biologically. What research found was that short telomeres are linked to aging, cancer, and other diseases.

In fact, the largest study to date found that shorter than average telomere length was associated with a higher risk of mortality (even after controlling for lifestyle factors that are known to shorten telomere length). Those with the shortest telomeres were 23 percent more likely to die within 3 years. Telomeres shortening is also associated with lowered immune system, heart disease, diabetes, and other diseases.

But researchers don’t know for sure if telomere length actually causes aging or if it’s only a sign of aging. In either case though, telomere length is an interesting and telling sign of health.

But it’s not just that telomere shortening occurs as we age or that shortened telomeres show that we’re aging faster than other people. What’s really amazing is that telomere length can change. Telomeres can become longer, essentially stopping or reversing premature aging.

Therefore, aging, and how we age isn’t just a matter of luck or genetics. We have the ability to choose how we age by the way we treat our telomeres. In essence, what the study of telomeres shows us is that what we eat and how we live affect the way our cells renew, for better or worse.

Telomere Length in Children

Interestingly, children have been known to have short telomeres due to some life events that cause stress.

In fact, research shows that the higher a mom’s prenatal stress, the shorter the baby’s telomeres length is.

Other early stressors (such as neglect) at home are one of the strongest indicators of shorter telomeres length. This is because these early stressors follow children into adulthood, potentially causing chronic stress.

There’s a lot of other research on this topic:

Research from the American Academy of Pediatrics shows that father loss (through death, divorce, or incarceration) is significantly associated with shorter telomeres, especially in boys.

A 2017 study published in the Journal of Pediatrics found that shorter sleep durations were associated with shorter telomeres in children.

A 2017 review published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research found that early stress may cause early aging and age-related disease in children.

Whether telomere length causes aging or the other way around, this evidence in children shows that in any case, telomere length is an important sign of health. While some of this evidence is bleak, it’s encouraging to know that even children with early stressors that shorten their telomeres can improve their health and even lengthen their telomeres with healthy lifestyle choices later.

Are My Telomeres Long Enough?

Obviously, we can’t tell how long our telomeres are just by looking in the mirror. But there is a way to find out. A service called TeloYears will measure your telomere length and give you your results so you can see how much work you need to do. They’ll also include some tips for lengthening your telomeres.

Telomerase: Lengthening Telomeres

Researchers who discovered telomeres also discovered telomerase, an enzyme that helps lengthen telomeres. Telomerase is active in germ cells, embryonic stem cells, and certain white blood cells.

Newer research shows that telomerase activity in the body has a direct effect on telomere length. A 2010 study found that mice engineered to have low telomerase aged faster. When telomerase was replaced, mice become more healthy.

However, other research also shows that telomerase has a downside too. This research shows that cancer cells may require telomerase for growth. In other words, the lack of telomerase as we age may actually be protective against cancer.

That being said, there are no studies showing that the kinds of activities (healthy lifestyle choices) that help natural production of telomerase cause cancer. And in many cases, these activities have been shown to be protective against cancer risk. So, it seems that gene therapy with telomerase is potentially a bad idea. But improving our natural ability to produce it is probably a good thing.

Elizabeth Blackburn, along with health psychologist Elissa Epel, in their book The Telomere Effect: A Revolutionary Approach to Living Younger, Healthier, Longer, agree. They recommend healthy lifestyle choices to support longer telomeres and a longer “health-span.”

According to Blackburn and Epel, a health-span is the part of a lifespan that a person is disease-free. This is a term I hear more and more from the experts I interview like Valter Longo and others.

How to Improve Longevity (With Telomeres)

Artificially boosting telomerase levels in the body may not be the answer, but we can optimize the body so it produces the right amount of telomerase naturally. Here are some tips based on the best research:

Reduce Stress

We already know how important relaxation and de-stressing is for our health, but here’s another reason to make it a priority. According to the APA, stress is one of the most consistent predictors of shorter telomere length.

A 2004 study found that women caring for ill children (compared to women caring for healthy children) had significantly shorter telomeres.

African American boys from stressful home environments had telomeres 40 percent shorter than peers in non-stressful situations, according to a 2016 paper.

A 2016 review found a small but significant decrease in telomeres length due to stress but warn it could be because of publication bias. It also notes that long-term “chronic” stress may have a larger impact and should be studied.

Finding a daily activity for reducing stress can go a long way to improving overall health, and maybe telomere length too! Here are some ideas:

Take a daily walk – Gentle exercise is a great way to reduce stress and has the added benefit of building a stronger body. Just aim to break a light sweat if you’re just starting out.

Eat a healthy diet of antioxidant-rich foods – Antioxidants help fight inflammation and oxidative stress. Whole 30 or the Wahls Protocol might be a great place to start, or just double the serving of veggies on every plate!

Get enough sleep – Sleep is important for both adults and children. Here are 6 ways to get better sleep.

Avoid toxins – The indoor air at home is sometimes the worst culprit!

Choose whatever activity that makes you feel relaxed (and you’ll actually do!).

As moms, we tend to put ourselves last, but research is piling up that shows it’s just as important for us to have stress-reducing activities in our days as it is to eat healthy food!

Exercise

Exercise is important for a healthy life, but it turns out, it may have an effect on telomere length too. In one 2015 study published in Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise, the more a person exercised the longer their telomeres were. However, even just 10-15 minutes of exercise has an effect on telomere length.

Exercise is hard to do when it’s not fun though. Check out these fun ways to exercise as a family.

Diet

Diet is one of the biggest factors in a healthy life, so it’s not surprising that it can also affect telomere length.

One 2014 study published in the American Journal of Public Health found a connection between sugar-sweetened soda and short telomeres. Artificially sweetened sodas didn’t have the same connection. (To clarify, soda of either kind isn’t a great choice for anyone trying to be healthy!)

There are also many studies showing that adequate levels of vitamins and minerals help keep telomeres long. Some vitamins and mineral that are important for longer telomeres include:

Vitamin D – In a 2007 study, women who had higher vitamin D levels had longer telomeres. Vitamin D is also an anti-inflammatory, reducing oxidative stress.

Magnesium – A 2012 study found that magnesium stabilizes DNA and promotes DNA replication and transcription. It also increased telomere length.

Vitamin K2 – A 2008 study found that intake of vitamin K2 increased longevity.

Folate – A 2009 study found that folate was important for maintenance of DNA integrity and DNA methylation (which affect telomeres length).

B12 – Adequate B12 levels were associated with telomeres’ length in a 2016 study.

Additionally, a study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that antioxidants are important for reducing oxidative stress (and chronic inflammation) which can lead to telomere shortening.

A final note: Supplements were helpful in improving telomere length, but antioxidant-rich foods were better as sources of vitamin C and E. Proof you can’t out supplement a poor diet!

Telomeres: Bottom Line

Telomere length is an important indicator of overall health and biological age. Luckily there are some lifestyle choices we can make to optimize telomere length and avoid premature aging. Ultimately, genetics are not set in stone and can be manipulated with a healthy lifestyle (for the better!)

Do you think your telomeres are shorter than they should be? Why?

This article was medically reviewed by Dr. Ann Shippy, who is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and a certified Functional Medicine physician with a thriving practice in Austin, Texas. As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor.

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Source: https://wellnessmama.com/424385/telomeres/