The Telomere Effect

A Revolutionary Approach to Living Younger, Healthier, Longer

By: Dr. Elizabeth Blackburn, Dr. Elissa Epel

Narrated by: Suzanne Toren

A groundbreaking book coauthored by the Nobel Prize winner who discovered telomerase and telomeres' role in the aging process and the health psychologist who has done original research into how specific lifestyle and psychological habits can protect telomeres, slowing disease and improving life.

Have you wondered why some 60-year-olds look and feel like 40-year-olds and why some 40-year-olds look and feel like 60-year-olds? While many factors contribute to aging and illness, Dr. Elizabeth Blackburn discovered a biological indicator called telomerase, the enzyme that replenishes telomeres, which protect our genetic heritage. Dr. Blackburn and Dr. Elissa Epel's research shows that the length and health of one's telomeres are a biological underpinning of the long-hypothesized mind-body connection. They and other scientists have found that changes we can make to our daily habits can protect our telomeres and increase our health spans (the number of years we remain healthy, active, and disease-free).

The Telomere Effect reveals how Blackburn and Epel's findings, together with research from colleagues around the world, cumulatively show that sleep quality, exercise, aspects of diet, and even certain chemicals profoundly affect our telomeres and that chronic stress, negative thoughts, strained relationships, and even the wrong neighborhoods can eat away at them.

Drawing from this scientific body of knowledge, they share lists of foods and suggest amounts and types of exercise that are healthy for our telomeres, mind tricks you can use to protect yourself from stress, and information about how to protect your children against developing shorter telomeres, from pregnancy through adolescence. And they describe how we can improve our health spans at the community level, with neighborhoods characterized by trust, green spaces, and safe streets.

The Telomere Effect will make you reassess how you live your life on a day-to-day basis. It is the first book to explain how we age at a cellular level and how we can make simple changes to keep our chromosomes and cells healthy, allowing us to stay disease-free longer and live more vital and meaningful lives.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2016 Dr. Elizabeth Blackburn and Dr. Elissa Epel (P)2016 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"A revolutionary set of findings - with a wealth of science-based suggestions - that can transform the way we live our lives, shaping the very health of our cells by how we use our minds." (Daniel J. Siegel, MD, New York Times best-selling author of Brainstorm)

"A classic. One of the most exciting health books to emerge in the last decade. It explains how we can slow the way we age at a fundamental level." (Eric Kandel, Nobel laureate and author of In Search of Memory)

"This book is revolutionary, transforming the way our world thinks about health and living well, disease, and death. It reveals a stunning picture of healthy aging - it's not simply about individuals, it's about how we are connected to each other, today and through future generations. It is hard to overstate this book's importance." (Dean Ornish, MD, founder and president, Preventive Medicine Research Institute)

The fascinating biological science of telomeres

I’d heard a bit about telomeres in undergraduate and graduate biochemistry courses, but the explosion of knowledge regarding function and structure, along with effects from the environment, on telomere health was fascinating. Parts of the book were a bit “preachy,” but the authors have so much passion for their subject that this was understandable. I’m really glad I listened to it.

Great Research and a Must Read!

It’s a great research into the Telomere Studies that covers a wide range of data. It’s compiled very well that even a Middle School Student can understand, but complex enough that can be appreciated by Researchers in various fields of study! What a great resource for prevention and increasing long life and health!

Great book!

I learned a lot of useful information! I am so glad I read this.

Well worth the read or listen!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I had no idea this had been studied! Narrator wasn't my favourite, but adequate.

Excellent Science Info - Misguided Politics

Any additional comments?

The scientific topics covered were very enlightening. Unfortunately, about 2/3rds of the way through the book the authors veer into politics and lose quite a bit of credibility along the way.

Great Information

This book containes some very good information on whst makes us grow old. This is a must listen and read book for every one.

informative to a healthy life 🧬 🙃

shifted my view and affirmed it in ways, I'm grateful this book is out and that I found it 🤍🍄 I'm curious with psychedelic use and telomere length 🐣

Don't do the audiobook

this is a better book to read a visible or digital copy of. there are lots of survey questions and references and websites that are very annoying to listen to audibly. but interesting content and fairly well delivered.

Might be a bit redundant

This book might be very useful for some people but redundant material for me. It is another twist on the same theme that our behaviors have a lot to do with our health. And if I'm following all those healthy behaviors and still having issues with my health I was really looking for something different I could do in my life, to increase my health and longevity. This book might attract some people who are very worried about aging, and dying but those are inevitable facts, how we age is a choice

Good info overall

this is a good book overall and I enjoyed learning about telomeres and what can affect their length. However there was much of the book that was more focused on healthy living and stress reduction your common things we know contribute to disease. He was interesting to actually see but there is a measurable difference cellular DNA that occurs when someone it's an unhealthy and stressful life and this can be seen in the rapid aging of some people based on their dietary and mental habits. Overall I enjoyed the book, but do realize that it is not as science novel but more a consumer level book.