Health
Anti-aging benefits linked to one surprising health habit
Engaging in a long-term meditation practice could significantly alleviate stress and slow down aging, suggests a new study published in the journal Biomolecules.
Researchers from Maharishi International University (MIU), the University of Siegen, and the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences studied the effectiveness of transcendental meditation, which is a program where people silently repeat a mantra in their head to achieve deep relaxation.
“These results support other studies indicating that the transcendental meditation technique can reverse or remove long-lasting effects of stress,” co-author Kenneth Walton, a senior researcher at MIU, told Fox News Digital.
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“Lasting effects of stress are now recognized as causing or contributing to all diseases and disorders,” he added.
Engaging in a long-term meditation practice could significantly alleviate stress and slow down aging, suggests a new study. (iStock)
The study included two groups of participants — one ranging from 20 to 30 years old and another ranging from 55 to 72. Half of the participants followed transcendental meditation and a control group did not.
For each participant, the researchers analyzed the expression of genes linked to inflammation and aging, according to a press release from MIU.
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They found that people who practiced transcendental meditation had lower expression of the genes associated with inflammation and aging.
“The lower expression of age-related genes … extend the findings of short-term studies indicating that these practices lead to healthy aging and more resilient adaptation to stress,” Walton said in the release.
“Lasting effects of stress are now recognized as causing or contributing to all diseases and disorders.”
The researchers also analyzed cognitive function via EEG tests. Older practitioners of transcendental meditation were found to have faster processing speeds.
That group also received higher scores on the Brain Integration Scale (BIS), which is a comprehensive measure of cognitive performance.
People who practiced transcendental meditation had lower expression of the genes associated with inflammation and aging. (iStock)
“The findings around cognitive function are particularly exciting,” said co-author Frederick Travis, PhD, head of faculty at Maharishi International University, in the release.
“Both younger and older TM practitioners showed higher scores on the BIS compared to non-meditators, while the older meditators performed on par with young controls,” he stated.
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The third area of focus was hair cortisol and cortisone, which are steroid hormones that serve as biomarkers for long-term stress exposure and other health conditions.
The amount of active cortisol was higher for those who practiced transcendental meditation, the study found.
The researchers analyzed cognitive function via EEG tests, finding that older practitioners of transcendental meditation had faster processing speeds. (iStock)
“Cortisol plays a critical role in the body’s response to stress, and chronically high cortisol levels are associated with a host of age-related health issues, in addition to cognitive decline,” Walton said.
“The reduced cortisol-to-cortisone ratio in meditators suggests they have more adaptive reserve, more resilience, contributing to overall health and longevity.”
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The main limitation in the years-long, cohort study was the lack of a placebo control group, according to Walton.
“These meditators practiced their techniques twice daily for many years, and the control subjects had no similar activity,” he told Fox News Digital. “Also, most subjects spent their years in the same geographical location (Southeast Iowa in the U.S.).”
‘Weightlifting for the brain’
Biohacker Dave Asprey, author of the upcoming book “Heavily Meditated: The Fast Path to Remove Your Triggers, Dissolve Stress, and Activate Inner Peace,” has spent 25 years studying meditation with shamans and gurus, and researching neuroscience.
He agrees that meditation helps to slow the aging process.
“It reduces stress — and the more stress you have that’s not useful stress, like going to the gym or working hard, that shrinks your brain and makes you old,” Asprey said during an on-camera interview with Fox News Digital. “Meditation has been shown in multiple studies to undo those problems.”
“Long-term meditators have brains that can make more electricity than someone who doesn’t meditate — and their brains are more orderly,” the expert said. (iStock)
The biohacker also refers to meditation as “weightlifting for the brain.”
“Long-term meditators have brains that can make more electricity than someone who doesn’t meditate — and their brains are more orderly.”
Meditation could potentially slow and perhaps prevent some types of dementia, according to Asprey.
“There are studies showing that people who meditate are better at excreting toxins,” he added.
Asprey emphasized that meditation starts not in the mind, but in the body.
“There are profound results showing that meditation can do much better than antidepressants.”
For those who are just getting started, he recommends trying a body scan to calm the nervous system.
“For this, you breathe in deeply for four seconds and breathe out for eight seconds,” he said. “Focus on your toes, then your ankles, then your calves, then your knees — and you slowly put all of your awareness in each part of your body.”
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“Learning that meditation is an embodied practice versus a mental practice can shift it for everyone when they’re just getting going.”
Some studies have shown that the right form of meditation or breath work can have effects that exceed pharmaceuticals, according to Asprey.
One of the biggest myths is that all meditation is the same or that all meditation is good for everyone, the expert noted. (iStock)
“There are profound results that meditation can do much better than antidepressants,” he said. “That said, if you’re on a medication and you start meditating, you should tell your doctor and probably not go off the drugs without some support.”
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One of the biggest myths is that all meditation is the same or that all meditation is good for everyone, Asprey noted.
“The normal meditation that was designed for farmers isn’t going to work if you’re a warrior — and it’s okay if it doesn’t work. It doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with you.”
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An often-overlooked part of the body may reveal important clues about overall health.
Researchers from the University of Westminster in the U.K. discovered that the shape of the gluteus maximus muscle in the buttocks changes with age, gender, lifestyle and frailty, as well as certain conditions like osteoporosis and type 2 diabetes.
Using advanced MRI scans that create 3D images, researchers revealed “distinct” patterns in the gluteus maximus associated with type 2 diabetes.
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This suggested that the shape of the muscle, rather than the size, may “reflect underlying metabolic differences,” a press release stated.
The findings were presented in December at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) in Chicago.
Butt shape may indicate underlying health conditions, according to new research. (iStock)
Unlike previous studies looking at muscle size or fat, the 3D imaging identified exactly where the muscle changes occur, according to the researchers.
As one of the largest muscles in the human body, the gluteus maximus “plays a key role” in metabolic health, according to lead study author E. Louise Thomas, Ph.D., professor of metabolic imaging at the University of Westminster’s School of Life Sciences.
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The researchers analyzed more than 61,000 MRI scans from a large UK health database to better understand the muscle’s structure.
The data also included the participants’ physical measurements, demographics, disease biomarkers, medical history and lifestyle habits. The researchers studied how these variables were linked to muscle shape over time.
An infographic from the Radiological Society of North America presentation displays research findings on the shape of the gluteus maximus. (RSNA)
“People with higher fitness, as measured by vigorous physical activity and hand grip strength, had a greater gluteus maximus shape, while aging, frailty and long sitting times were linked to muscle thinning,” study co-author Marjola Thanaj, Ph.D., a senior research fellow at the University of Westminster’s Research Centre for Optimal Health, said in the release.
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The researchers concluded that butt shape changes may indicate an “early functional decline” and “metabolic compromise” in type 2 diabetes patients.
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Men with type 2 diabetes showed muscle shrinkage, while women displayed enlarged muscle, likely due to “infiltration of fat” within it, according to the researchers.
These results suggest that men and women have “very different biological responses to the same disease,” Thanaj suggested.
Butt shape changes may indicate an “early functional decline” and “metabolic compromise” in type 2 diabetes patients. (iStock)
Men who were categorized as “frail” were recognized as having more “general shrinkage” across the gluteus maximus, but women experienced a “limited” frailty effect.
Building strong glutes for better health
Strengthening the glutes is an “investment in long-term health,” according to Tanya Becker, co-founder of Physique 57 in New York City.
“While full-body strength training is essential, focusing on your glutes — the largest muscle group in your body — deserves special attention,” she told Fox News Digital.
“While full-body strength training is essential, focusing on your glutes — the largest muscle group in your body — deserves special attention.” (iStock)
Becker refers to the glutes as the body’s “shock absorbers,” because they protect the lower back, knees and hips from taking on stress they weren’t designed to handle.
Larger muscle groups also burn more calories and help regulate blood sugar, the expert added, noting that muscles are often referred to as the “organ of longevity.”
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Strengthening the glutes also helps to protect the lower back, hips and knees, and also improves posture and balance, reducing the risk of falls and improving mobility.
“People with higher fitness, as measured by vigorous physical activity and hand grip strength, had a greater gluteus maximus shape.”
Becker recommends traditional weighted exercises like squats, lunges and bridges, although they are not suited for everyone, especially older adults with injuries and joint pain.
“Pilates and barre classes offer bodyweight exercises that are ideal for beginners or individuals with physical limitations,” she suggested. “They can be done anytime, anywhere, making them accessible for beginners before progressing to weighted versions.”
Glute bridges (demonstrated above) are a recommended exercise for strengthening those muscles. (iStock)
Becker shared the following three glute exercises that improve hip mobility, stability and overall strength.
No. 1: Quadruped leg lifts (strengthens entire core and glutes)
Start on the hands and knees, engage your core, and lift one leg off the floor (bent or straight). Pulse up and down a few inches for 30 to 60 seconds, then repeat on the other leg.
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No. 2: Clamshells (strengthens gluteus medius)
Lie on your side with knees bent at 90 degrees in front of you. Lift your top knee away from your bottom knee, then lower slowly.
For an increased challenge, lift both feet off the ground while keeping the heels together. Repeat for 30 to 60 seconds per side.
Strong muscles are responsible for maintaining metabolic health, according to Becker. (iStock)
No. 3: Glute bridges (strengthens lower back and glutes)
Lie on your back with knees bent and feet parallel, a few inches from your hips. Engage your abs, and squeeze your glutes to lift your hips toward knee height, then lower.
If you feel pressure in your neck, you’ve lifted too high. Perform for 30 to 60 seconds. Complete three sets with 30-second rests between them.
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Those looking to start a new fitness routine should first consult with a doctor.
Fox News Digital reached out to the study authors for comment.
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What if your New Year’s resolution could fit inside a tote bag? Social media users are trying the “analog bag” trend, replacing phones with offline activities.
The trend is widely credited to TikTok creator Sierra Campbell, who posted about her own analog bag — containing a crossword book, portable watercolor set, Polaroid camera, planner and knitting supplies — and encouraged followers to make their own.
Her video prompted many others to share their own versions, with items like magazines, decks of cards, paints, needlepoint and puzzle books.
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“I made a bag of non-digital activities to occupy my hands instead of the phone,” said Campbell, adding that the practice has significantly cut her screen time and filled her life with “creative and communal pursuits that don’t include doom-scrolling.”
“I created the analog bag after learning the only way to change a habit is to replace it with another,” she told Fox News Digital.
Social media users are trying the “analog bag” trend, replacing phones with offline activities like cameras, notebooks and magazines. (Fox News Digital)
The science of healthier habits
Research on habit formation supports the idea of the analog bag, according to Dr. Daniel Amen, a California-based psychiatrist and founder of Amen Clinics.
“Your brain is a creature of habit,” Amen said during an interview with Fox News Digital. “Neurons that fire together wire together, meaning that every time you repeat a behavior, whether it’s good or bad, you strengthen the neural pathways that make it easier to do it again.”
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Studies show that habits are automatic responses to specific cues — such as boredom, stress or idle time — that typically deliver some kind of reward, according to the doctor. When no alternative behavior is available, people tend to fall back on the same routine, often without realizing it.
Research suggests that replacing an old habit with a new one tied to the same cue is more effective than trying to suppress the behavior altogether.
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“[When] cutting out coffee — you need to have another drink to grab for, not just quit cold turkey. It’s how the pathways in our brains work,” Campbell said.
By substituting a different routine that still provides stimulation and engagement, people can gradually weaken the original habit and build a new automatic response.
Substituting another activity instead of scrolling on your phone can help quell the impulse to reach for it. (iStock)
“Simply stopping a behavior is very challenging,” Amen said. “Replacing one habit with something that is better for your brain is much easier. That’s how lasting change happens, one step at a time.”
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If alternatives are within arm’s reach, people will be more likely to use them, the doctor said. “Your brain does much better with small, simple actions than big, vague intentions.”
Instead of saying, “I’ll stop scrolling today,” the doctor recommends choosing a small habit you can do in a few moments in specific situations, like knitting 10 rows of a scarf on your commute or reading a few pages of a book while waiting at the doctor’s office.
“If alternatives are within arm’s reach, you’re more likely to use them,” a brain doctor said. “Your brain does much better with small, simple actions than big, vague intentions.” (iStock)
Campbell shared her own examples of how to use an analog bag. At a coffee shop with friends, she said, she might pull out a crossword puzzle and ask others to help with answers when the conversation lulls.
Instead of taking dozens of photos on her phone, she uses an instant camera, which limits shots and encourages more intentional moments.
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In casual outdoor settings, such as a park or winery, she brings a small watercolor set for a quick creative outlet.
“It’s brought so much joy,” Campbell said of the analog bag trend, “seeing how it resonates with so many.”
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