Will 'Body Age' Change the Future? A Casual Look at Biological Rejuvenation

Hello, this is Yarapon.
When you hear, "There is a way to rejuvenate," it might make you think of some shady advertisement... but that's not what this is about.😅

Actually, research results were recently published suggesting that it might not be "apparent age" but "internal body age" that is deeply related to both health and disease.

In other words, it's what we call "biological age."

Does it sound difficult? No, no, I will explain it gently in a casual style, so please rest assured.😊

The trigger was a topic I saw in some medical news about "accelerated aging in the younger generation?"

Huh, the generation that should still be young is already aging? Along with that shock, there was a keyword that caught my attention: "biological age"...

Is "getting older" not just about appearance and numbers?

In fact, it is said that in addition to "chronological age," humans have a "biological age" as the age of their "internal body."

This biological age is an age estimated based on the body's condition, such as blood state and cell function, and sometimes "you look young, but your insides are...😅"

Recent research has produced data suggesting that this "biological age" may also be related to the risk of serious diseases such as cancer.

For example—there was this research result.

According to research presented at the American Association for Cancer Research in 2024, people born after 1965 may have a roughly 17% higher chance of accelerated biological aging compared to those born in the early 1950s.😳

Furthermore, it was shown that this "accelerated aging" may be strongly related to the risk of "early-onset cancer (under 55 years old)."

Specifically...

• As the speed of aging increases, lung cancer risk increases by 42%

• gastrointestinal cancer by 22%, and uterine cancer by 36% were estimated to rise.

In other words, it was a somewhat shocking story that regardless of age, if your "internal body age (biological age)" advances, your risk of disease might also go up. (Reference: Research by Washington University presented at the American Association for Cancer Research AACR 2024)

Is the "generation where aging advances" getting younger?

You might be surprised, thinking, "What, the younger generation today is aging faster than people in the past!?" but data suggesting that is appearing here and there.

The reason has not been clearly elucidated, but to list some possibilities

• Westernization of diet

• Lack of sleep and stress

• Increase in processed foods and additives

• Physical stagnation due to lack of exercise and digital lifestyle

These modern lifestyle changes might be having some kind of impact.

I imagine quite a few of you are thinking, 'Wait, doesn't that apply to all of us?' and feeling a bit nervous inside 😅

But don't worry! This is where we get to the main point 💡

Aging cannot be 'stopped,' but it can be 'slowed down'!

While it's problematic for biological age to advance too quickly,
making itgentler—or 'approaching rejuvenation'—might be becoming possible little by little.

In fact, researchers have clearly stated that 'slowing down biological aging could potentially lead to the prevention of cancer and other diseases.'

So, what should we do?

The answer might actually be very simple.

Three tips you can start today!

1. 'Adjust' your eating habits

Your body is made of what you eat. This has been said for a long time, and it is truly the case.

Focusing on a Japanese-style diet with seasonal vegetables, fish, and fermented foods is gentle on both your body and your gut, so adding just one Japanese-style side dish to today's meal might make a difference.

(Research findings also suggest that the Westernization of the modern diet may be related to the speed of aging... 🤔)

2. Move without overdoing it and sleep well

Continue walking, stretching, or light strength training without pushing yourself too hard.

And, get a good night's sleep. It is said that even just doing this can significantly change your hormonal balance and cell repair.

(Let's give your smartphone a little break before you go to sleep 📵)

3. Reduce mental stress

In fact, there is research suggesting that stress has a major impact on cellular aging.

Shift from a stance of "I have to do my best" to one that values "It's okay to let things be."
Even just saying "thank you" to yourself for working hard today might be effective.
For your biological age, even just this might be surprisingly good. 😊

🌈 Finally—Rejuvenation isn't about "trying hard"

When you hear the word "rejuvenation," the image of beauty salons, supplements, and anti-aging treatments often comes to mind first, but...

This story is actually about wisdom for letting both your mind and body "age slowly." as well.

I want to be conscious of maintaining essential youthfulness in both mind and body, not to look young, but to continue living energetically and being myself.

From here on out, I hope to continue delivering content from a laid-back perspective, not as "rejuvenation = beauty," but as "rejuvenation = wisdom for aging healthily."

If you resonated with this theme, or if you have requests for other topics you'd like to read about, please let me know in the comments section! ☺️

So, this time it was
" "Body age" is more important than "actual age"! A casual look at biological rejuvenation" - a story about how maintaining biological youth can also reduce the risk of illness. 😄 *The illustration for the header image was borrowed from Maple Kaede-san."

See you!

Rather than chasing youth, nurture it, and live with ease

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