Park - The Telomere Miracle: Scientific Secrets to Fight Disease, Feel Great, and Turn Back the Clock on Aging

Praise for

THE TELOMERE MIRACLE

I have known Dr. Park since 2010. I met him while working on my book Bombshell. Reading The Telomere Miracle deepened my understanding of physiology and inspired me. Dr. Park has an open mind and a big heart and thats what makes his book not only easy, but really fun to read.

Suzanne Somers, actress, singer, entrepreneur, and New York Times best-selling author

This vividly written book is very interesting not only by its the popular scientific consideration of how we can personally influence our health for the better, but also by its analysis of many facts concerning aging. Highly recommended reading.

Alexey Olovnikov, Ph.D., scientist and Nobel Prize nominee

Dr. Parks insights and collaboration have been invaluable to our company. His ability to explain complex systems in a clear way is a unique gift. Telomere erosion is a central driver of illness and aging. This book explains how the process works and also delves deeply into the aspects of lifestyle that can mitigate this damage.

Stephen J. Matlin, CEO of Life Length

Over the years that Ive known Ed Park, his anti-aging prescriptions have proven to be understandable, wise, and life-transforming. His new book explains some very important and complicated systems that can benefit all of us.

Lily Tomlin, actress, comedian, writer, singer, and producer

Ed Park has written a wide-ranging, scholarly book explaining in detail the many facets of human aging and the role of telomeres and telomerase in health and wellness.

Calvin Harley, Ph.D., co-founder and CSO of Telomere Diagnostics, Inc.

ALSO BY ED PARK, M.D.

Telomere Timebombs

Maximum Lifespan

Copyright 2018 by Ed Park, M.D.

Published and distributed in the United States by: Hay House, Inc.: www.hayhouse.com Published and distributed in Australia by: Hay House Australia Pty. Ltd.: www.hayhouse.com.au Published and distributed in the United Kingdom by: Hay House UK, Ltd.: www.hayhouse.co.uk Distributed in Canada by: Raincoast Books: www.raincoast.com Published in India by: Hay House Publishers India: www.hayhouse.co.in

Cover design: Christopher Tobias Interior design: Pamela Homan

Interior illustrations: Cecelia Snaith

Indexer: Joan Shapiro

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced by any mechanical, photographic, or electronic process, or in the form of a phonographic recording; nor may it be stored in a retrieval system, transmitted, or otherwise be copied for public or private useother than for fair use as brief quotations embodied in articles and reviewswithout prior written permission of the publisher.

The author of this book does not dispense medical advice or prescribe the use of any technique as a form of treatment for physical, emotional, or medical problems without the advice of a physician, either directly or indirectly. The intent of the author is only to offer information of a general nature to help you in your quest for emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being. In the event you use any of the information in this book for yourself, the author and the publisher assume no responsibility for your actions.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Park, Edward, (Dr.) author.

Title: The telomere miracle : scientific secrets to fight disease, feel great, and turn back the clock on aging / Ed Park, M.D.

Description: Carlsbad, California : Hay House, Inc., [2018]

Identifiers: LCCN 2017034165 | ISBN 9781401952570 (hardback)

Subjects: LCSH: Telomerase. | Aging--Molecular aspects. |

Telomerase--Pathophysiology. | BISAC: HEALTH & FITNESS / Alternative

Therapies. | HEALTH & FITNESS / Healthy Living. | MEDICAL / Genetics.

Classification: LCC QP606.T44 P36 2018 | DDC 612.6/7--dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017034165

Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-4019-5257-0

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

1st edition, January 2018

Printed in the United States of America

To my patients: you are my greatest teachers
and the inspiration for all I do.

CONTENTS

If youre like me, you may not always read the introductory stuff before the actual book. I urge you to make an exception here; this book might prove to be a challenge without some contextual remarks.

I was once giving a talk at UCLA about my Telomere and Stem Cell Theory of Aging when a man interrupted to lob a question at me: Since telomerase is active in cancer cells, wont taking telomerase activators increase cancer growth? I began my reply, but the man simply stood up and walked out, so while the rest of the audience benefited from his question, he did not. I dont want this to happen to you.

I have found that my ideas sometimes make people angry. Most people resist questioning the status quo, groupthink, or dogma. Unfortunately, history has shown us that whether deductive, as in How many angels can fit on the head of a pin? or inductive, such as As above, so below, our search for wisdom is hindered by mental laziness. It is just easier to accept whatever doctrine already exists than to question it. For example, if I cast doubt on the value of antioxidants, the superiority of certain diets or exercise regimens over others, or the inevitability of aging, you may feel upset because I am asking you to rearrange beliefs that are already set in your mind.

Why does this happen? Beliefs are how you make sense of the world, so they are not easily given up. Rare is the person who wants to hear what he doesnt want to hear. Lets imagine that you were adopted, but your parents never told you the truth. If I knocked on your door and told you of your adoption, you would probably think I was either crazy or a horrible person and would most likely dismiss the new information outright. The new idea is seen as a threat because it asks you to rearrange some pretty serious beliefs about how you understand your world. Granted, the example Ive just used is extreme, but a similar response often occurs even when relatively mild shifts are proposed from our existing ideas and current understanding of how to stay healthy and disease free.

As a result of their own strong beliefs, people who read my website or blogs or hear my talks sometimes misconstrue my more controversial ideas as unjustified, frivolous, or exaggerated. I assure you, I dont consider anything in this book to be controversial, although my explanations are not yet widely accepted.

So why did I write this book, if I can already anticipate it may annoy you or make you uncomfortable?

1. To impart a deep and practical knowledge of the key systems that mediate aging, balance, and health in our bodies. This is your quick-start guide to how your body works.
2. To interpret the scientific literature regarding telomeres in many areas of health and wellness using my simple and unified Telomere and Stem Cell Theory of Aging.
3. To increase your mastery of what well call the TeloMirror Tools so that you can live a better life.

I am a medical doctor, blogger, video producer, and theorist who treats patients with strategies that enhance the bodys own internal fountain of youth on a cellular level: TELOMERASE. This is the enzyme in our stem cells that reverses normal telomere shortening, which you will see is at the heart of all aging and disease. Within this book you will discover a new way to understand aging and disease that I believe will soon be regarded as common sense. After you read this book, you might be forlorn to realize that what seems obvious to you and me will still be considered speculative to the uninitiated for some time to come.