9 Lives | Chapter 5 | Part 3: Western Life and Molecular Dysfunction in Aging

Lifestyle has a tremendous impact in this stage of life.  As mentioned in the previous section, at 44, our bodies accelerate signs of dysregulation in cardiovascular and lipid metabolism. These changes are subtle at first, but if left unchecked, they can accelerate the decline in heart health. Blood sugar regulation becomes more challenging, and the body’s ability to metabolize alcohol also begins to shift around this time, so reducing alcohol intake can help maintain optimal liver and metabolic function.  By focusing on heart health, immune resilience, and stress management, we can influence how we move through these transitions— ensuring that the systems responsible for circulating nutrients and oxygen throughout the body remain strong. 

Western Life and Molecular Dysfunction: What We Can Control

While the fundamental biological processes of aging are universal, the Western way of life— often marked by poor diet, sedentary habits, chronic stress, and environmental pollutants—can significantly accelerate molecular dysregulation and the onset of age-related diseases. Indigenous populations, on the other hand, often age more slowly when maintaining traditional lifestyles due to healthier diets, more physical activity, and stronger social connections. However, when indigenous people are exposed to Western influences, they too experience the same patterns of accelerated aging and disease. Thus, much of the rapid aging seen in the West can be attributed to lifestyle choices and environmental factors, rather than being purely a result of intrinsic biology.

Even in populations that live more naturally or traditionally, such as indigenous groups, the fundamental process of aging still occurs—it's an inevitable part of human biology. Cells still experience wear and tear, telomeres still shorten, and the body's systems gradually decline over time. However, the key difference is that these populations tend to age more robustly and often enjoy better health and vitality for longer periods before age-related decline sets in.

Aging, however, is still universal. All human beings go through processes like molecular dysregulation, oxidative stress, and cellular damage as they age. Even in indigenous populations with healthier lifestyles, cells still experience natural deterioration, and the biological mechanisms that govern aging, like telomere shortening, mitochondrial decline, and changes in hormone levels, still take place. No population is immune to the aging process, and death is an inevitable part of life, whether in Western or indigenous cultures.

The difference lies in the quality of life during the aging process. In more traditional or indigenous populations, people tend to live more robust, healthier lives until the end. Here’s how that looks:

• Later Onset of Chronic Disease: In populations that maintain traditional diets and active lifestyles, the onset of age-related diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer is often delayed. These diseases are still present, but they appear later in life, and people may not experience the same prolonged periods of chronic illness that are common in Western societies.
• Vitality in Later Years: Indigenous people who follow traditional ways often remain physically active and mentally sharp well into old age. They may continue to engage in labor-intensive activities like farming, hunting, or gathering, which keeps their bodies strong. This contrasts with the more sedentary, disease-prone aging often seen in Western cultures.
• Shorter Period of Decline: Research suggests that in populations with healthier lifestyles, the period of frailty and serious health decline at the end of life tends to be shorter. They may live with vitality and independence for most of their lives, only experiencing significant physical decline shortly before death, rather than enduring long, drawn-out periods of illness or disability.

This more robust aging process in indigenous and other non-Western populations can largely be attributed to:

• Healthier Diets: Many indigenous diets are rich in natural, whole foods that are anti-inflammatory and nutrient-dense, which helps protect against the molecular damage and chronic inflammation that accelerate aging.
• Active Lifestyles: Daily physical activity is a natural part of life for many indigenous cultures, which promotes cardiovascular health, maintains muscle mass, and keeps the metabolism functioning well into later life.
• Lower Stress: Strong social connections, spiritual practices, and less exposure to high-pressure environments mean that chronic stress, which is a major factor in accelerated aging, is often lower in these populations.
• Fewer Environmental Pollutants: People in less industrialized settings are exposed to fewer environmental toxins and pollutants, which can cause oxidative stress and damage DNA, leading to earlier and more severe aging.

Even though aging and eventual death are universal, the experience of aging can differ dramatically based on lifestyle. In Western societies, where chronic disease often sets in earlier, people may endure longer periods of physical and cognitive decline. In contrast, more traditional or indigenous populations tend to age more healthfully, experiencing fewer chronic conditions until later in life and maintaining a higher quality of life throughout their later years. Indigenous populations still age and die, but their journey through the aging process is often marked by longer periods of robust health and vitality compared to those in Western societies.