Inflammation is
a silent killer that is gaining ground
inside your body.
You can't feel or see inflammation, but it manifests as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's, cancer, and is married to aging.
When the body is under attack, our internal army (that is, your immune system) goes on the warpath
using all kinds of weapons (cytokines)
, which is fantastic. However, many times this process not only cannot be turned off correctly - as is the case with the cytokine storm that leads to severe cases and death from COVID - but your body is constantly at war due to different factors such as stress , poor diet, sedentary life, negative emotions... This is known as the silent killer or systemic inflammation.
Imagine
a mythological hydra with many heads
.
Each head is a biomarker of aging, such as telomere shortening, oxidation, buildup of debris such as amyloid plaque, DNA damage, and epigenetic changes.
We also find other heads such as obesity, metabolic syndrome, autoimmune diseases and chronic degenerative problems that plague our society.
If you cut off any heads, the hydra will not die, it will grow another head.
You have to attack the spine: inflammation.
What causes inflammation?
Inflammatory diet high in sugar, oxidized fats, processed foods, and meats
Insomnia, stress and sedentary life
environmental chemists.
Dysbiosis, alterations in the microbiota and leaky gut
How to reduce inflammation?
Imagine now that, inside, your body is at war with hundreds of firearms and soldiers destroying wherever they go.
When the body is inflamed, it goes up in flames.
If you want to put out a fire, you have to call the fire department, but it won't do you much good while you're still pouring gasoline.
Five tips to make that 'gasoline' disappear
Insulin and blood glucose problems lead to systemic inflammation, protein glycation, and oxidation.
We need to stabilize glucose levels.
And how do you do that?
Eliminating refined carbohydrates, juices and sugary drinks
.
Control cortisol
.
When stress levels are high, it is as if a Boeing 747 with gasoline arrives over a medieval town with some burning fires.
Stress is the gasoline of inflammation.
Avoid gluten
, which increases zonulin, momentarily generating leaky gut.
If it is constantly consumed, the walls of the intestine are opened and this lets in proteins that the body does not recognize.
That's when the immune system goes on a war footing.
Avoid refined oils
.
Processed foods have omega 6 oils that are subjected to high temperatures, oxidizing them.
This creates an imbalance of inflammatory prostaglandins.
Reduce the consumption of meats and sausages
.
The Inflammatory Foods Index puts saturated fats along with trans fats as the most inflammatory compounds.
And, now, what to do to put out the fires?
Change refined carbohydrates for their integral version
.
The juices, for the whole fruit.
Sugary drinks, by infusions.
So that glucose levels do not rise, carbohydrates need to be accompanied by healthy fats.
Avocado, olives, nuts and seeds can be incorporated into all meals.
Food should be based on natural foods.
Any type of diet can work as long as the base is vegetables and foods in their whole, unrefined version.
Meditate 10 minutes in the morning
, do 15 minutes of yoga, take a walk, eat with friends, laugh, dance, play with your children and be thankful for three things every day.
This helps mitigate the effects of cortisol.
Eating foods high in fiber
will feed the bacteria we need to produce anti-inflammatory compounds like butyrate.
Eat lentils, beans, potatoes, oatmeal, artichokes, garlic and endives.
Also polyphenols from cocoa, green tea, turmeric and pomegranate.
Opt for healthy fats
from fish, extra virgin olive oil, avocado or nuts.
Pay attention to levels of vitamin D
, which regulates hundreds of genes associated with inflammation.
Beatriz Larrea is a nutritionist and health advisor.
Her new book,
Your Body on Fire
(The Sphere of Books), is a practical guide packed with
keys to fighting inflammation and reversing aging.
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