Did you know that? Did you know that we know positive stress in terms of longevity and stress that is a "killer" for the body and harms the organism?
In this article, we write about the theory of hormesis. Leading functional medicine physician Dr Frank Lipman, the author of The New Rules of Aging Well, says that "hormesis is the process by which the body responds positively to small [physical] stressors".
How exactly does this work? Dr Lipman says that small bursts of intense stress stimulate the body's mitochondria, which convert food and oxygen into energy. It confirms the adage: "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger".
There are many ways to create hormesis or positive stress, but Dr Frank Lipman highlights three that he believes are the easiest and, above all, the safest to use.
These include (very) cold showers, sauna sessions, exercise (high-intensity interval training) and intermittent fasting. All three methods stimulate the body's mitochondria, preventing damage from accumulating so quickly in the cells.
Regular cold showers awaken the skin receptors, increase serotonin levels, which are essential for DNA repair, improve mood, invigorate the body, detoxify, improve blood circulation, provide greater work efficiency, eliminate negative energy and activate the metabolism. Read more here.
HIIT training promotes the same genetic longevity pathways as a cold shower. Read more in this article.
Dr Lipman says many studies have established a link between intermittent fasting and longevity. Low-calorie intake and low blood sugar levels trigger enzymes called sirtuins. Sirtuins are essentially responsible for repairing our DNA and keeping our genes fully functional and play a key role in extending our lifespan. Read more.
As we age, cellular function and repair capacity decrease. So it's essential to help cells reduce risk and rebuild themselves. And it is these small, acute stresses that scientists working in the field of ageing believe are one of the solutions.
