Contrary to popular belief and expectation, aging does not mean we have to live in pain and be subject to disease and infirmity. The scientists who study the aging process have identified 12 causes of aging, referred to as the “Hallmarks of Aging”. The causes are all connected and interrelated, meaning that if you interfere with some of these causes, it can have a positive effect on the other ones.
“Inflammaging” is a new hallmark that refers to the uncontrolled chronic inflammatory process that contributes to the development of age-related diseases such as cancer, heart disease, dementia and diabetes. Inflammaging also aggravates osteoarthritis which is responsible for many of our joint aches and pains as we age.
You might also like
Chronic systemic inflammation, coined “inflammaging”, is considered to be one of the major causes of aging and age-related diseases of many kinds. Inflammation can be a good thing: For example, If you cut yourself, you will note that the area becomes red, hot and swollen before it heals. The healing process for wounds or other acute injuries requires inflammation. We can not heal wounds without inflammation. Symptoms of acute inflammation include redness, swelling, heat, pain and loss of function. All of us have probably experienced acute inflammation from spraining an ankle, burning ourselves or getting stung by an insect. This is GOOD inflammation. All of these symptoms are necessary for us to heal.
When we are young, we get hurt or sick and we heal using the normal process of inflammation. Our young body then easily eliminates the used cellular material when it is no longer needed. As we age, the immune process can become impaired and we get chronic or constant inflammation. Immune cells get stuck in high gear and this exacerbates another cause of aging, cellular senescence, often called “zombie’ cells, that destroy healthy tissue and cells with reactive oxygen species (oxidants).
If you presented a scientist with a 25-year-old liver sample and a 60-year-old liver sample, he would immediately be able to tell you which was which. The signs would show in the structure of the organ, the amount of “zombies” and the encroachment of unnecessary immune cells in the tissue.
Age-related diseases and chronic pain do not happen overnight. They often take years or decades to develop. But inflammaging does not have to happen. Causes of inflammaging include obesity, gut permeability, disruption of the gut microbiome, cessation of cell division and mitochondrial dysfunction. Here we are looking at dysfunction on a cellular level.
Mitochondria are present in every cell of our body and they produce energy for our body in the form of ATP, adenosine triphosphate. If the mitochondria are dysfunctional, we lose our energy, leading to disease. No energy, no cell replacement and that equals disease.
Our digestive system, aka the gut microbiome, should contain billions of beneficial bacteria if we are healthy. Disruption of the good bacteria in our gut leads to many health problems including dementia and autoimmune disease. Widespread overuse of antibiotics has led to more obesity and disease because antibiotics kill off the good bacteria and the bad without discretion.
Gut permeability refers to bad bacteria being able to get into our bloodstream through the gut lining and passing into our brain via the blood-brain barrier, also considered a major cause of dementia and autoimmune diseases. Crohn’s disease is an example of an inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract although it’s not officially an autoimmune disease.
When cessation of cell division takes place, we no longer can proliferate or create new cells. All cells have a life cycle: Red blood cells replace themselves every 120 days, and stomach lining cells need to replace themselves every 3-4 days due to the acidic environment. All of our body’s cells need to replace themselves. Obviously, a stop in this cycle will lead to various diseases and disorders.
Obesity is a growing problem, (excuse the pun), in Mexico, the USA and Canada. Diabetes rates are soaring as low fiber intakes, processed foods and sugar make their way into our lives. Obesity itself is largely a result of a chronic inflammatory state. Obesity puts a lot of extra stress and strain upon our joints, our cardiovascular system and even our respiratory system. Visceral fat, the most dangerous type, collects around our organs causing inflammation and disease.
An often overlooked stressor of the body is food: Are we eating the correct amounts, the right kind of foods and what food is our food eating? There are conflicting theories on this topic. Should we eat meat? Should we eat fat? Should we be vegetarians? It’s no wonder people are confused. I think it’s important to acknowledge there is no cookie-cutter approach to this and not everyone is cut out for the same type of diet.
In general, the latest research on eating for disease-free longevity recommends the Mediterranean Diet. If that’s too much fish and beans for you here are some more general guidelines for non-inflammatory eating:
Eat local grass-fed meats, eggs, butter and dairy
Buy local chemical-free produce
Eliminate sugar and processed food
Cut out wheat and other grains
Cut out seed oils and eat olive oil
Take fish oil or eat more fish
Cut out alcohol
Drink more water
Get way more fiber! Your good gut bacteria live on fiber.
The other thing that helps avoid inflammaging is regular movement. You might have heard the phrase “Sitting is the new smoking”, meaning that fewer people smoke cigarettes these days but we are all going to die from sitting. You don’t have to run marathons but you do need to move your lymphatic system so it can rid your body of toxins. Walking, housework, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, parking a little further away from the store or getting a stand-up desk are all easy ways to get more movement in during your day.
Another contributor to inflammaging is our state of mental health. Our mental health can get injured just like our bodies. We are less likely to acknowledge the effect of our mental state on our physical state. Having an inflammatory reaction to daily life stressors, having a negative outlook, being judgemental of yourself/others and expecting the worst can all have a terrible toll on your health over time. Most of the things we worry about never happen so save your energy for recovery and healing.
If you have any questions about this article, please feel free to contact me at +52 624 211 9435 or email robynlittlewood@yahoo.com
