Are You “Inflamm-aging?”
I love it when common everyday words get a twist and a double meaning. Some of my favorites are:
“Hangry” – when you are so hungry you get angry.
“Glycem-bitchy” – when hypoglycemia or low blood sugar makes you irritable.
“inflamma-aging” – body inflammation that ages you faster than you’d like.
Inflammation is actually meant to show that your immune system is indeed working to fight off the nasties. It's a natural reaction and a sign that your body is healing. And once the bad guys are gone, the inflammation says "see ya later!"
The problem is when inflammation decides to stick around and overstay its welcome. This can lead to all kinds of uncomfortable symptoms.
Inflamm-aging: The Role of Inflammation in Aging
As you age, your body starts to slow down, break down, and develop various symptoms, ailments, and diseases. You may accept this as a fact without thinking much about it. But did you know that one of the reasons for age-related symptoms and diseases is "inflamm-aging"—a low-grade inflammation that develops as you get older?
Signs & Symptoms of Inflamm-aging
Inflamm-aging can contribute to—and accelerate—a variety of symptoms. Common signs and symptoms of inflamm-aging include:
Looking or feeling older than you are
Bone loss
Muscle loss
Weakness and loss of strength
Memory problems
Mood swings
Brain fog
Muscle and joint pains
Body aches
Chronic pain
Digestive issues
Blood sugar fluctuations
Frequent illness
Frequent injuries
Fatigue
Low energy
Sleep troubles
Weight Gain and Fat Gain—Are You Really Fat or Just Inflamed?
You have a set number of fat cells by the time you reach around 25. You don’t add fat cells; instead. fat cells or “adipose tissue” swell in size according to nutrient deficiencies, toxins, hormone imbalances, immune responses and inflammatory foods. These things determine how large or small your fat cells get. Nor can you “burn” fat cells, that is a myth. Everything you eat above what you need gets stored in fat cells. But you can decrease their size with a healthy lifestyle and proper detoxification.
You don’t have to accept symptoms of inflamm-aging as an unavoidable consequence of aging.
You can live a vibrant & healthy life at any age.
With proper nutrition and lifestyle strategies, you can slow the inflamm-aging process and reduce your risk of age-related symptoms and health issues.
Some causes of inflamm-aging include:
Eating Inflammatory Foods
Blood Sugar Imbalances
Chronic Stress
Poor Sleep Habits
Environmental Toxins and EMF’s
Nutrient Deficiencies
I’m such a science NERD. I love ordering comprehensive labs and evaluating them through a functional nutritional lens.
Some of the best markers to review for Inflammation are:
Fasting Insulin & HbA1C
Hs-CRP
Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate
Serum Ferritin
Red Blood Cell Width
Homocysteine
Comprehensive Blood Analysis
What can improve inflamm-aging?
Intermittent Fasting
Reduce Stress & Improve Sleep Quality
Regular Movement & Exercise
Heal Your Gut & Improve Microbiome
Open Up Detoxification Pathways
That’s why I advocate for running labs and panels early in a woman’s life. First for a baseline, and then to monitor which direction your health is headed. Did you know that what you eat will impact the values on your blood work? It all does start and end with food.
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