Do You Know Why We Age ?
In this article we will be going deep into aging, its definition and the main concepts behind it with simple, easy to digest definitions that will give you clarity into how your body ages and how you can actually determine the way you affront it and live your life.
So first, let's understand how we age
There are 03 main theories of aging backed by science:
The free radical theory of aging (FRTA) states that organisms age because cells accumulate atoms or molecules that have a single unpaired electron in an outer shell which are highly reactive. For most biological structures, free radical damage is closely associated with oxidative damage and stress which eventually damage all components of the cell, including proteins, lipids, and DNA, resulting in premature aging.
The mitochondria theory of aging states that with time, the mitochondria which are sub cellular organelles primarily responsible for the generation of energy and ATP synthesis, accumulate damage and become dysfunctional due to the production of highly toxic reactive oxygen species, causing the function of cells to decline developing aging symptoms.
The cross-linking theory of aging (also known as the glycosylation theory of aging) attributes aging to chemical changes that happen in the body. These changes happen gradually as proteins, structural molecules, and DNA develop detrimental chemical bonds (also known as cross-links) to each other. When these cross-links between molecules occur, they lose basic levels of functionality, damaging cells and tissues, resulting in increased tissue stiffness, slowing down processes within the body and therefore resulting in aging
After understanding these theories we can state that oxidative stress and chronic inflammation are the common denominators when it comes to aging. Therefore we will structure this article around them.
It refers to your body’s process of fighting against things that harm it, like infections, injuries, and toxins, in an attempt to heal itself.
When something damages our cells, our body releases chemicals that trigger a response from our immune system releasing antibodies and proteins, as well as increasing blood flow to the damaged areas and organs in order to protect them.
Chronic inflammation happens when this response lingers, leaving your body in a constant state of alert. Over time, chronic inflammation, as we stated, may have a negative impact on your tissues and organs.
What causes aging and inflammation?
As we determined through the main 3 theories, aging is the process by which our cells get damaged throughout our lives and its determined primarily by our habits and other external factors that in continuity create permanent damage to our cellular structure resulting in all the known consequences of the aging process which include:
- Chronic diseases
- Energy deficiency
- Skin stiffness
- Metabolic dysfunctions
- Chronic pain
There are many factors of modern life that have a direct impact in the way we age. Nowadays we are exposed constantly to high levels of electromagnetic fields or EMF which are known to increase our free radical levels significantly and have a direct impact on the quality of our sleep and recovery capacity. Also one of the most important factors is the quality of our diet and the food we get exposed to. In the majority of the cases are processed foods or empty calories which in the long term accumulate a significant damage on the most important organs in our systems.
Other important factors include:
- Sedentary life
- Smoking
- Dysregulation of circadian rhythms
- Disconnection to nature
- High stress levels (cortisol)
- Living in apartment
So, how can we slow down chronic inflammation
The most effective way to keep the damage generated in our cells under control is to manage our oxidation levels and the amount of free radicals present in our system. To do so, we first have to reverse the habits that are causing the problems in the first place and literally live a more balanced life. We have to take special attention to the way we eat, our exposure to EMF, our environment, our sleep quality and stress levels and ensure we generate optimal conditions for our body to function correctly, as it is meant to work for thousands of years.
It is the process by which the Earth's crust maintains the electrical stability of our bodies thus serving as a basis for vitality and health
Reconnecting with the Earth's energy under our feet, provides a way back to better health, generating incredible results, both calming and restoring physical, mental and emotional balance in our bodies.
When we are in contact with the earth, either because we are walking barefoot on the beach or through any conductive object, this silent energy is transferred naturally to us and becomes "ground" allowing our body to maintain its natural balance
How does it affect inflammation?
As we already know, free radicals are generated when there is a missing electron in the external shell of a cell, so these cells are constantly looking for that “missing part” wherever they can find it. The earth is the biggest source of these electrons, absorbing them directly from the sun, so when we are in direct contact with the ground, all the missing electrons in our body flow automatically from the earth surface to fill the missing spaces in our cells, restoring our balance and reducing our inflammation and degeneration levels.
Does Earthing reduce the aging process?
We can now determine that earthing most definitely has an impact on the way we age, reversing many of the known processes that causes us to age in the first place. We strongly believe that after all the studies and cases gathered over the past 10 years, earthing can become an essential piece in general wellness, environmental medicine and chronic disease treatments.
How can I start Earthing?
Well, the best and most simple way is to just go barefoot and get in contact with the ground beneath your feet.
Of course, we understand that this is not a simple task for the majority of people living in dense concrete jungles, but there are multiple options created over the last year that can bring earthing into your life without modifying your daily habits in significant ways.
So called earthing products are sets of daily use essentials that adapt to your daily routines to keep you grounded consistently over time. For example, there are earthing sheets or sleeping mats that you can adapt to your bed, actually connecting to the grounding system of your home, eliminating the free radicals in your body while you sleep, restoring your energy levels, reducing stress, chronic fatigue, improving facial skin flow and giving you more vitality.
It is very important to be mindful when it comes to the way we treat our body because now we know that we actually have a word and can change the way we age by just modifying our habits.