Mind over matter: the mind can slow ageing.

The body is a control machine. "Homeostasis" from homeo -" same, similar, equal" and stasis - "standing/stillness" is the ability to leverage adaptability and counteraction to maintain a strict and stable state throughout time. In other words, to stand still, stay neat, tidy and ordered in an everychanging/dynamic environment of constant flux and uncertainty that exerts change on that which wishes to be stable and unchanged.

This is the negentropy of life. The retaliation against chaos. The preference for order.

And thus, ageing is the slow and insidious process of unraveling, derangement of the bodies fine tuned and exacting systems. And so naturally, ageing comes with disorder, dysfunction and disease (increasing chaos) reflected by inflammation, autoimmunity, cancer, fever and wasting away. Dying.

This order - the instructions for life, the great textbook of reference for how to organise matter (protein, fat carbs, minerals and vitamins as well as energy (body temperature and metabolism) into something stable begins with our DNA. DNA is like a the book of life. It has learned to write through experience (trial and error). And it is a book that is also the author of itself, at least partially. Editing itself, copying itself, translating itself as it sees "fit" to permit life to continue in multiple environmental conditions.

In a metaphorical sense then, with DNA acting as memory, the text or storage of how to grow, develop, establish health and be youthful and vital, then ageing is like a process of "forgetting" the book. Ageing is a corruption of the text, the clear cohesive narrative that once was. The logic of the book is slowly replaced with delusion and word salad jargon (faulty or uncooperative genes). Ungrammatical. Poor syntax. And this leads to failure of communication between the body systems, accumulation of useless or waste products (like amyloid deposition and senescent cells - dormant useless cells) and general disharmony.

Ageing is associated with loss of DNA, loss in translation, fragmentation and degradation of the instructions by the environment (mutagenic forces) as well as the actions of the self.

So how, assuming this analogy, do we influence our DNA? How does one take control of the quality of their DNA and thus slow down ageing and deterioration?

The mind and body are intractably connected. The mind can destroy the body (self harm, toxic habits, psychological stress and suicide). And the body can destroy the mind (failure to repair, maintain or protect the nervous system for example organic diseases like dementia, alzheimers etc).

Thus logically, it stands to reason that the body can also repair the mind and vice versa: the mind can also repair the body (placebo effect, mental resilience/positive outlook, proactive health behaviours/beliefs, stress relief etc). And this is reflected in behaviours from the mind towards it's body: exercise, quitting toxic habits, eating healthy diets, managing stress, sleep hygiene.

There is a direct link between the mind and DNA. They are not in total isolation from one another. How could they be? They are at the opposite ends of the spectrum of the mind body axis. But there is 2 way communication. And 2 way influence. This is known as epigenetics, how behaviors influence the expression and activity of certain genes.

DNA has 2 genes of fundamental importance to it's longevity, stability and quality. Telomerase genes and DNA polymerase genes.

Telomerase genes promote lengthening of the protective cap at the end of DNA to prevent it from shortening and deleting or corrupting vital genes. Polymerases repair mistakes in DNA, they are corrective. They undo spontaneous mutations by cutting out the defect and re-writing the correct one using the opposite strand as a guide.

If the mind can exert positive epigenetic pressure via behaviour to promote the actvitiy of these genes, then the mind exerts a protective and reparative force on DNA. And thus slows ageing.

But the mind can only do this if it is ordered/organised itself. A disordered nervous system cannot control nor influence it's body. It is impotent. Disordered minds do not confer good harmonious governance over their body.

So in conclusion contemplation and will is the answer. Contemplation of the mind-body axis. Self-reflection. Contemplation of diet, of toxic habits and self harm, of order and disorder, of stress and it's causes (guilt, shame, anxiety, expectations, jealousy, anger etc). And of course the will to change how the mind behaves through what it believes.

The mind cannot indulge in immediate mental pleasures and instant gratification at the expense of the body. At least not always. (binge eating, anorexia etc are such conditions where the mind denies the bodies it's rights in favour of mental gratification based on beliefs). The mind must contemplate it's authority, it's control, and concede to doing what is right by the body even if it isn't immediately satisfying.

This is how the mind protects DNA. And how DNA protects the order that confers a healthy mind.

Ageing is at the very least, partially prevented by the mind. The "fountain of youth" so to speak, has its waters running through the mind.