Meditation, as ancient literature on the subject records, can be used to slow down the ageing process. It is not uncommon to see very old yogis with full heads of black hair and unblemished, wrinkle-free skin. Their metabolism, and even their demeanor, is like that of youngsters, not aged people.

Just like a machine undergoes wear and tear over a period of time, our body too suffers the same as a part of the process of natural decay. This wear and tear and subsequent decay is mainly a result of oxidative metabolism that takes place within cells.

Oxidative metabolism ages cells

During the process of oxidative metabolism, the food we eat is broken down. The nutrients present in the food are processed in the presence of oxygen and energy is released as a result. This is comparable to an ordinary object burning in the presence of atmospheric oxygen. The calories (measurement of energy) thus released from oxidative metabolism are used up in the mechanical functions that a living body performs through its life.

Over a period of time, during this process, along with the release of energy, there occurs a certain wear and tear at cellular level (since this process happens at the cellular level). As cells constitute the different organs of the body, the wear and tear is reflected over all at the organ level too. This wear and tear of the different organs in the body is primarily what the ageing process is all about.

Yoga and meditation can slow ageing

Yoga in general and meditation in particular take along the path of healthy living through the intake of lesser and lesser amounts of food. (Yoga is a boon for dieters as the need for forced dieting accompanied by hunger pangs is eliminated).

In other words, through the practice of yoga, the body is trained to carry out its metabolic activities with far lesser amount of food than it would normally require. A direct result of this is far lesser oxidative metabolic activity at the cellular level. This in turn means lesser wear and tear and hence a slower process of decay or ageing.

The body is trained to remain healthy and perform its regular functions with fewer calories than can be drawn from even a frugal diet.

Modern medical science corroborates the theory of bouts of starvation leading to a slowed down ageing process. An ordinary person tends to take to a frugal diet when he is mentally too occupied - it is easy to skip a meal when our attention is focused on something urgent.

Yoga and meditation train us mentally and physically to move away from our material needs, including food, to an enduring state of mind that is neither baffled by a crisis nor delighted by an ephemeral pleasant moment.

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