Now Look After Your Telomeres

How plants battle for survival could provide the boost we all need to turn back our body clocks and feel healthier.

It’s not that we want to come over all scientific, so our Healthy New Year quiz has just two questions. First up, do you know where your telomeres are, and what they do? And for what do plants use the phytochemicals they produce, and how can we reap the benefits?

Shiny skin and an energy boost are probably the prizes already enjoyed by those who know the answers. We’ve all got millions of telomeres, so no need to go shopping. They are the caps at the end of DNA strands that protect our chromosomes. When they become frayed (think old shoelaces) the DNA becomes damaged and cells struggle to do their jobs, also known as...ageing.

As for phytochemicals, these are the compounds plants make, usually to help them thrive or battle their own competitors, predators, or pathogens. A good vegan lifestyle usually includes high levels of the phytochemicals found in fresh fruit and raw vegetables, but not everyone finds it easy to follow this strict dietary route.

A study by the University of Vienna into the health benefits of a daily consumption of large amount of phytochemicals, using vegan supplement Timeblock, found participants experienced on average a 23% reversal in biological age, as well as a variety of health benefits.