How to slow ageing in your 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s, according to an immunologist
Most of us rarely think about our immune systems (unless it is cold and flu season). At best, you might think of it as the part of our body that tries or fails to protect us from infection; something that you can reinforce by eating a lot of citrus or taking vitamin C tablets. Dr Jenna Macciochi is on a mission to change the way we think about immunity. The leading immunologist and bestselling author says our immune system is the key to
In her book Immune to Age: The Game-Changing Science of Immune Health, Dr Macciochi outlines precisely how we can do that in all the stages, or “seasons” of our life. And unlike other longevity “gurus”, there are no expensive supplements required. She says: “I think humans have this idea where if you’re paying money it therefore must work – the thinking that says, ‘I’m taking 20 supplements that Bryan Johnson [the longevity-obsessed tech billionaire] said I should take, so I’m good – it doesn’t matter that I feel really wired and stressed out all the time and can’t be alone with my own thoughts for more than 30 seconds without scrolling social media’ – that you don’t have to do the other, harder stuff, like nurturing social connections, meditating.” Ahead are her expert tips for supporting your immune system to help slow down ageing and protect against diseases from childhood to your 60s. (Photo: Emma Croman)
Birth to age 18: Get outside, and don’t overuse antibiotics
We know that the first 1,000 days of life from conception to age two, are really important. The exposures at this time begin the story of your immune system. A baby’s immature immune system needs to be trained by “old friends” – the environmental microbes that humans co-evolved with. Everything from the route of delivery to the things babies touch and put in their mouths are shaping this ecosystem. You can see what happens when you mess with those inputs if you look at the statistics around Ceasarean sections and breastfeeding. There’s lots of reasons why a mother might not have a choice about these things, but there are things every parent can do to give their child a healthy microbiome, such as exposure to green spaces, being around soil and nature. Antibiotics in the first 1,000 days (so that includes the mother) can have such an impact on the microbiome, and what we call immune tolerance, a lack of which can lead to allergies. Antibiotics are a really important tool when used correctly, and they can be life-saving. But we need parents to not put pressure on their doctors, and doctors to have conversations with patients to ensure they’re used appropriately. (Photo: Getty)
20s and 30s: Lift weights and limit takeaways to ward off cancer
When you’re in the summer of youth, you might feel like you’re made of titanium and magic. But this is the time to build up your immune system to reduce the risk of diseases emerging now or later. We’re starting to see things like cancer and autoimmune diseases happening earlier and earlier. Our immune system is the main cancer detection system in the body. This is your window of opportunity before that midlife point when things become much harder. Take care of your nutrient status – it doesn’t need to be fancy longevity supplements, but you should think about magnesium, vitamin D and omega 3s (health-enhancing fatty acids present in some fresh foods, as well as supplements). On top of that, you should be watching for microplastics by avoiding single-use plastics and wearing natural fibres, and getting a diet and exercise routine baked into your lifestyle. (Photo: Hinterhaus Productions/Getty)
Why weights are so important
Consider muscle as an immunological organ, not just something that holds your body together or has aesthetic purposes. We start to lose it from age 30 – and when we exercise it drives a great wave of substances called myokines that are really, really important for mopping up inflammation. Any exercise that breaks up a sedentary lifestyle is good, but resistance exercise that can build up muscle in particular will help extend the peak of your health. Focus on functional training (exercises that strengthen everyday movements like squats and lunges) and incidental movement (day-to-day movement like walking to work, taking the stairs), as well as your strength training. Likewise, this is the time to resist our evolutionary desire to seek comfort, particularly in our diet. While takeaways and food deliveries are undeniably convenient, they can dull our senses and disconnect us from the food we eat. Cooking from scratch helps establish habits that will keep us healthy into our long lives, while also reducing our intake of ultra-processed foods – hyper-palatable food-like substances that have been reformulated to be as appealing as possible, and have been linked to 32 different harmful health effects. Focusing on whole foods that are dense with fibre and other key nutrients now will have long term benefits in reducing inflammation.(Photo: Getty)
40s and 50s: Prioritise de-stressing
When you realise you’re halfway through your life, and it’s not a prelude but the main act, it’s a really good time to reckon with your bad habit. Your biology doesn’t care that you can’t find the time to go to the gym. As a mother who’s working and juggling a lot, I also stand in those shoes and it is really hard, but it needs to be a watershed moment. Signs of ageing will come as whispers before the body starts to shout, and it’s really important that we learn to listen to ourselves amidst all the noise. Midlife is a unique period for stress. The pressures from your career tend to be much greater, you may have ageing parents, young children, and a mortgage – and then you have the hormonal changes happening in the mid to late 40s as well. For men, testosterone plays an important role in calming inflammation, so as that declines there is a subtle impact on the immune system. For women, after the menopause, your immune system is not able to function as well as it did and you’re more susceptible to things like heart disease, as well as infections. Some studies show that hormone replacement therapy can mitigate some of these immune related issues, but it depends on the individual. An anti-inflammatory diet rich in cruciferous vegetables, key nutrients like magnesium and B vitamins, and omega-3 fatty acids can offer genuine support. And foods containing phytoestrogens (soybeans, tofu, tempeh and flaxseed) can also be beneficial. (Photo: Getty)
The value of meditation
As someone who’s a hardcore, evidence-based scientist, I now practice meditation and have trained as a meditation teacher. Regular meditation can significantly reduce markers of inflammation, such as C-reactive protein (CRP), and downregulate pro-inflammatory cytokines. It gives you a bit more agency over your mind, so you’re able to be more intentional and have more agency over your decisions. That means you don’t get caught in a stress spiral where you eat terrible food out of the fridge instead of cooking a dinner. Getting into a regular practice, working up to daily, can be hugely beneficial. (Photo: Oleg Breslavtsev/Getty)
60s: Don’t stop moving and focus on connection
In our 60s we see a further dip in the immune function. This winter phase is where you get this smouldering inflammaging (the chronic, low grade inflammation that occurs with advancing age) as well as the whole composition of the immune system changing. Some of that is wear and tear with ageing, but it’s also because we change our lifestyles: we become more sedentary, we eat a diet that’s not supporting us, we get into bad habits. It doesn’t have to be that way – look at the 80-year-olds who are still superfit or running marathons, and it shows you that the human body is so resilient and adaptable.
Find joy in small moments
The other thing is to focus on socialising, connection, and finding joy in the small moments – that is all good for the immune system. If you’re stressed, it puts your immune system on red alert – primed for inflammation. If your thought patterns are calm and relaxed and you have social connection, the oxytocin that’s released is calming and anti-inflammatory. What is a well lived life? When you go and speak to older people, they say it’s the connections and the small moments. It’s about being present in the moment. It doesn’t just feel great – it’s one of the best things we can do to keep our bodies young and healthy. (Photo: Getty)
