Six Cellular Hacks to Future-Proof Your Health
We tend to associate ageing with changes to our appearance and the way we feel, such as reduced energy levels and cognitive capacity. However, research indicates that ageing begins long before this, at a cellular level. Over time, our cells undergo several changes losing their ability to function optimally and repair themselves. This leads to an accumulation of cellular damage and ageing. A major contributor to cellular ageing is declining levels of NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide), which is a natural molecule found in every cell in our body. We depend on it for cellular energy production, maintenance and repair. For cells to work optimally, they need high levels of NAD+. But as we age, our cellular NAD+ levels drop by approximately 50 per cent every 20 years, which is a key driver to signs of ageing, such as a reduction in physical and mental energy and slower recovery. This is why replenishing NAD+ levels is vital for keeping cells at their optimum and ensuring we can maintain a healthy and active lifestyle.
Six steps to reverse cellular ageing
1. Adopt a Proactive Healthcare Approach
Science now shows ageing isn’t an inevitable decline, but a modifiable process. Just as we maintain our cars with regular check-ups and preventative measures, we can do the same for our bodies, staying ahead of potential diseases before something ‘breaks’.
A key step in this proactive strategy is conducting blood tests twice a year. Monitoring your biomarkers gives you early insight into health issues, allowing you to address them before they escalate.
Check your cholesterol, iron profile, and HbA1C, which reveals blood glucose levels and inflammation.
Also, monitor your thyroid, hormone levels and vitamin D, B12 and folate. The results can guide lifestyle adjustments that support cellular health.
2. Eat Cell Boosting Foods
Supporting NAD+ levels and promoting healthy cells begins with what you put on your plate. Oxidative stress is a major driver of cell ageing and without proper nutrition, our cells lose their ability to regenerate and fight inflammation, leading to faster ageing.
A diet rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals can help preserve NAD+ levels by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation. Around 70 per cent of the immune system is housed in the gut.
By consuming a diverse range of 30 plants weekly, we can enhance the gut microbiome, which helps reduce inflammation and supports overall cellular health. Be sure to cut back on anything that’s damaging in our bodies, like, drinking excessive alcohol, smoking and an inflammatory diet, which can massively deplete our NAD+ levels.
3. Exercise More
Incorporating regular physical activity into your routine can be an effective strategy for promoting longevity and cellular rejuvenation. Exercise delivers essential nutrients and oxygen to the cells, while also flushing out toxins.
Studies have shown that regular exercise can reduce inflammation and enhance the function of the mitochondria (the energy producing powerhouse of the cell). Choose exercise that puts the mitochondria under a bit of stress, like high-intensity interval training or strength training, to activate NAD+.
4. Try Fasting
Intermittent fasting is the practice of eating your daily calories in a specific window of time, rather than continuously eating throughout the day. This allows the body to have an extended period of time without food and can help boost the levels of NAD+ in your body.
When the body experiences a fasting period, cells undergo a mild energy stress called hormesis, which enhances their resilience and longevity. This process activates AMPK, the cell’s master energy sensor, which responds to reduced ATP (energy) levels by stimulating NAD+ production.
NAD+ is essential for energy metabolism and works alongside sirtuins, proteins that promote mitochondrial repair and health. Together, these pathways help cells adapt and thrive during periods without food, which slows the ageing process.
5. Prioritise Sleep
Sleep is a regenerative period where the body’s repair processes occur, including DNA repair and toxin clearance. Insufficient sleep interrupts these critical processes, potentially leading to the accumulation of DNA damage in the cells.
To optimise cellular health, aim for seven to nine hours of restful sleep per night and create a sleep-friendly environment by minimising blue light exposure in the evenings, avoiding heavy meals before bed and maintaining a consistent sleep schedule.
6. Get into the cold
Cold exposure, whether through methods like cryotherapy, ice baths, or cold-water immersion, triggers the release of cold shock proteins that signal the body to adapt to the stress. This activates numerous cellular pathways that help the body cope with the extreme temperature. The process helps reduce inflammation, while also boosting energy production by improving blood flow and increasing the number of mitochondria in the cells.
For optimal benefits, aim for around 11 minutes of cold exposure per week – this can be broken into shorter sessions, such as three-minute intervals.
Written by Dr Nichola Conlon, Founder of Nuchido, which developed the breakthrough NAD+ boosting supplement, Nuchido TIME+
