Forty years ago, when I was studying at USC’s Andrus School of Gerontology, chronology was the only measure of age. But ageing occurs at an individual rate in each person.

Recently, and this is a game-changer, we have begun to look at age in terms of cell biology.

Differentiating between chronological and biological age is important due to the varying rates of aging. Chronological age merely indicates the time passed since birth, while biological age encompasses a broad spectrum of physical, physiological, and cognitive functions, influenced by molecular and cellular processes.

In the broader context of anti-aging research, healthy ageing is characterized by the attainment of an extended period of robust physiological and mental well-being. This entails an ongoing effort to seize opportunities for enhancing physical and mental health, preserving independence, and elevating overall quality of life across the lifespan.

Biological age can explain why individuals of the same age have profound differences in capabilities ‐ why some run marathons and scale mountains, while others are riddled with adverse health conditions and require around-the-clock care.

Biological age is how old your body behaves physiologically.

Normal environmental damage, undesirable dietary habits, lack of proper exercise, untreated physical or mental health issues, and even social stimulation can all affect the “age” of your cells.

Your biological age can be altered by how much “damage” your body accumulates over time.

Although your body might not “feel old” in your thirties or forties, simple everyday behaviors can affect you internally in ways that will alter your health span as you age.

As you age, your risk increases for almost every prevalent disease.

Research indicates that biological age is a better predictor of disease risk than chronological age.

Biological age is also highly associated with all-cause mortality and risk for numerous adverse health conditions like diabetes, cancer, dementia, and organ-specific damage.

Therefore, reversing or slowing your biological age clock can have a hugely beneficial impact on both health and longevity.

This discovery has led us to the long-sought “fountain of youth”.

And this is where it gets interesting, there are natural processes within the human body that when activated can make a person ten, twenty, or even more than thirty years younger at the cellular level where it counts.

Here is the good news, your body wants to operate at maximum efficiency. The human body possesses inherent resilience, meaning it has a natural capacity to adapt, recover, and bounce back from challenges and adversity. But it needs your help.

I mention this because once you understand how the human body actually works, you will understand how easy it is to get healthy again.

There are five mechanisms within us that allow us to remain healthier for far longer than imagined…if we choose to activate them.

Homeostasis, Bone Remodeling, Cell Replacement, the Reticular Activating System, and Myokines, which we discuss more fully in The Amazing Human Body.