The Telomere Effect - a revolutionary approach to living younger, healthier, longer
by Blackburn, Elizabeth and Epel, Elissa
pub. by Grand Central pub (Hatchette Book group), NY 2017       isbn 978-1455587971     398 p. total - -- - Acknowledgements p.329-332 - - Info about Commercial Telomere Tests p. 333-335 - - Notes p. 337-379 - - Permissions p. 381-383 - - Index p. 385-396 - - About authors p.397-398
Elizabeth Blackburn along with collegues Carol W. Greider and Jack W. Szostak received the Nobel Prize for -Physiology-or-Medicine- for their work in Telomeres in 2009.
This book has 2 parts, First a - strictly how telomeres work - part which lays out what telomeres are and how they work with telomerase, the enzyme which allows telomeres to grow. Originally it was thought that the telomeres at the ends of DNA wore down as cells divided until the Hayflick limit was reached and the cells could not divide any more, causing aging, as tissue could not be renewed. More recent research discovered that certain cells expressed telomerase and as long as they did so the cells could regenerate.
The Second part of the book deals with how one can cause ones cells to regenerate and/or protect their telomeres length with practical methods one can do. It includes several practical ways to do this and there are several tests, mostly psychological, to diagnose ones self and attempt to correct problems. Dr. Elissa Epel is a health psychologist whose specialty is in the effects and ameloriation of stress and the effects of stress. It has been demonstrated that undue stress negatively effects the ability to re-grown telomeres.
This is an excellent book to read to understand the workings of living things. It might also guide you to live a longer and healthier life.
Do not bog down in some of the testing areas. It is a worthwhile read. In fact, I bought a copy for our family MD.
~ 2017-05-12 ~

You might enjoy reading Elizabeth Blackburn and the story of telomeres - deciphering the ends of DNA - by - Brady, Catherine - MIT press
- It was published in 2007 before Blackburn won the Nobel, and before almost all of the modern research was done.
It also sets up backgrond for this book.

Videos of Elizabeth Blackburn lectures

to Books index page.

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