Cold aloof mothers can damage your physical health into adulthood

Cold aloof mothers can damage your physical health into adulthoodCold aloof mothers can damage your physical health into adulthoodIf your mother was cold and distant, she could have done real damage to you not just emotionally, but at the genetic level.Researchers from Loma Linda University have found that a chilly, unsupportive parenting style from mothers result can result in premature aging and increased risk for disease later in life.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moraThe way someone is raised seems to tell a story that is intertwined with their genetics, said lead author Dr. Raymond Knutsen, an associate professor for the university, in a release.The answer lies in the telomeres the protective cap at the end of DNA strings. People who describe their mothers way of parenting as cold were found to have shorter telomeres.Telomere have been called a genetic clock, but we now kno w that as early life stress increases, telomeres shorten and the risk of a host of diseases increases, as well as premature death, said Knutsen.As early life stress increases, telomere shorten and the risk of a host of diseases increases, as well as premature death, he added.MethodologyFor the study, Knutsen and his colleagues used data from 199 people who participated in two studies of Seventh-Day Adventist men and women in the U.S. and Canada between 2002-2007. Using measurements of subjects telomeres and data about their childhood, researchers found that those who reported having aloof, distant, and cold mothers had telomeres that measured about 25% shorter than people with warm mothers.There were a few things that seemed to provide protection against a less-than-welcoming upbringing, however. The study suggested that both higher education and normal BMI may provide some resilience against cold parenting and cellular aging.A fathers parenting style was not significant enough to m ake an impact on telomere length, researchers said.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people