It’s true! There’s a way to slow down the aging process by doing a 7-minute workout routine.

Researchers found that this routine keeps your cells younger. And best of all, it doesn’t require a gym or any sort of equipment.

Before I explain what this routine is, let me explain why it works. It has to do with certain pieces of DNA in the nucleus of your cells.  These pieces of DNA are called telomeres.

The purpose of telomeres is to protect your chromosomes.  Think of telomeres as being like the little plastic caps at the end of your shoelaces.  If these caps wear out, your shoelaces unravel. 

Well, the same thing happens with your telomeres.  Every time a cell divides and copies, a little bit of the telomere “cap’’ is lost. Eventually, the telomere becomes too short to hold the chromosome together. At this point, the cell can no longer divide and it dies. And it is this acceleration of dying cells that cause aging.  

Well, researchers have discovered that certain types of exercise can keep your telomeres from shortening, thus keeping you younger longer.

The telomere-friendly workout

In a landmark study, researchers took a group of people and measured their levels of telomerase, the enzyme that makes telomeres longer. Then, they gave them different exercise routines.

The participants were split into four groups:

1. the aerobic group, who did continuous cardio exercises,

2. the High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) group, who did bursts of cardio with rest periods,

3. the weight training group, who lifted weights or used machines,

4. and the control group, who did no exercise at all

After 6 months, the researchers measured everyone’s telomerase levels again. The people in the control and weight-training group had no change. However, people in the aerobic and HIIT groups had doubled their levels of telomerase.  Yes, doubled!

Your anti-aging routine

If you don’t do cardio or HIIT right now, I suggest trying HIIT. Why? Because it’s short (only 7-10 minutes) and beginner-friendly.

Here are some examples of HIIT workouts:

• Dancing: Do 4 rounds of 4 different dance moves. Start with a minute of dance, and 30 seconds of recovery. Then you can increase the dance time and/or decrease the recovery time when it gets too easy.

• Elliptical: Go fast for 30 seconds, then slow for 2 minutes. Repeat 3 times.

• Swimming: Swim fast for 200 meters and rest for 1 minute. Do this for 7-10 minutes.

• Low-impact cardio: Go fast for 30 seconds, rest for 1 minute. Do this for 7-10 minutes.

The key is to choose something you enjoy, so that you’ll stick with it. (Always check with your doctor before beginning any new routine, and adjust it for your body’s needs and capabilities.)

Give this a try, and let me know what you think!