subject: Cellular Inflammation, Aging, and Your Health [print this page] Cellular Inflammation, Aging, and Your Health
There is an ever increasing body of evidence suggesting that inflammation at a cellular level is one of the main contributing factors for disease and may accelerate the aging process. The argument goes that as inflammation at a cellular level increases cells become less pliable thus becoming less efficient at conducting the daily business that sustains one's general health.
For doctors skilled in the art of naturopathy this idea is very much at the core of their approach to wellness; though in a roundabout way. For example one of the primary linchpins of naturopathic medicine is liver health with the premise being that a healthy liver keeps the blood free from toxins. We now know that toxins cause internal inflammation leading to cellular denigration. This naturopathic approach used for thousands of years may soon be proven correct.
As far as the aging process goes inflammation causes skin tissue to wrinkle and age. There are many, many, topical creams and lotions specially formulated to eliminate wrinkles and give your skin that youthful glow. But from the less than stellar results of most of the people I know this claim may be falling short of expectations due to the constant damage being done internally. In other words even the best of these products are simply putting a Band-Aid on the damage rather than addressing the cause.
What can I do to reduce the impact of internal inflammation?
I wish I could tell you that there is a magic bullet that will turn back the clock overnight but I can't. What I can tell you is that there a number of steps that have produced tangible results in a relatively short period of time for myself and my family. If you have a couple of extra minutes to spare why don't we look at four of these.
They are:
*Diet modification: Adding foods to your diet that have known antioxidant and liver health properties is a good place to start. Parsley (liver), radishes, cucumbers, watercress, blueberry juice, and sweet potatoes (skin health/aging) all seem to poses certain properties which may reduce inflammation and improve skin health.
*Colon cleansing: Some believe that the buildup of fecal matter in the intestines over time continually bombards the body with toxins. By cleansing the colon and small intestines of this garbage once in a while you will be reducing inflammation and improving vitamin and mineral absorption. A cautionary note: Colon cleansing is not for everyone and products vary widely so do your homework on this one.
*Herbal and homeopathic anti-aging/liver health supplements: There are a handful of excellent herbal and homeopathic products which attack inflammation from the inside out while improving liver and immune function. These products are generally considered to be very safe and quite affordable.
*Omega 3 fatty acids: In recent years fish oil supplements high in omega 3 fatty acids have become a staple in the world of cardiovascular health. They also seem to help reduce cellular inflammation with one study suggesting they may be useful as a supplemental treatment for over 60 different inflammation driven diseases.
In conclusion, the four steps above are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to reducing internal inflammation. Other suggestions that might help temporarily send father time packing are avoiding tobacco smoke, staying active, saying no to trans fats, and reducing the intake of damaging homocysteines (amino acids found in protein that are neutralized by B vitamins).
