What Causes Aging and How to Slow It

We age because garbage accumulates in our bodies over time caused by basically three processes in the body: oxidation, inflammation, and glycation. These three processes cause sticky stuff (sludge/plaque) to build up in our blood vessels and to pile up on our tissues as we age, which in turn causes extended wear and tear on our bodies. Moreover, as we age, our body’s garbage-disposal system (the immune system) weakens and is unable to keep up with the repair of the wear and tear from the sticky stuff.

• In the simplest of terms, aging has two primary causes: too much garbage accumulation; and a weakened immune system that can no longer remove the garbage we accumulate as efficiently as we age. 

• Garbage accumulates primarily in two places: inside the cells, damaging the mitochondria or energy factories; and on the surface of tissues.

Oxidation: causes damage to cells and tissues. Oxidation is a normal process that happens continuously throughout the body. Every minute, millions of biochemical reactions throughout the body generate exhaust called oxidants, or free radicals.

• An easy way to think of oxidation is to think of rust. Trillions of times a day, this “rust,” or free radicals, attack our cells and tissues like little hammers.

• Our body makes antioxidants, which can slow the oxidation process, but the body produces fewer antioxidants as we age. Thus, we must eat MORE antioxidant-rich foods (fruits, vegetables, fish, nuts & seeds).

Inflammation: is the body’s efforts to address the wear and tear and results from chemical messengers rushing to repair damage and oppose foreign threats throughout the body. Inflammation is a necessary process (think of blood rushing to an injury site) but can get out of control causing premature aging and autoimmunity diseases (where our immune system attacks our own tissues).

• When the body is healthy, its repair system can manage all the wear and tear. Just as a road stays smooth when the wear and tear is fixed quickly after it occurs, a body stays healthier longer if repairs are done on a regular basis.

• When the wear and tear overwhelm the body’s ability to repair the damage, excess inflammation occurs. Excess inflammation is the primary cause of unhealthy or premature aging.

• Unhealthy lifestyle, toxins and poor dietary habits change the genetic code of our cells, prompting the body to view the unfamiliar cells as invaders or enemies and spurring a counterattack, leading the body to attack its own healthy cells (autoimmunity). 

Glycation: is the accumulation of sludge or sticky stuff in tissues, which prevents healthy growth and repair of new tissues. As we get older, our cells become less sensitive to insulin, resulting in insulin resistance and resulting in a higher level of glucose in the bloodstream, which wreaks havoc on our tissues.

• Excess sugar in your blood attaches to proteins, changing their structure and making them stiff and sticky.

• These aging proteins are called Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs.) These AGEs stick to artery linings hardening them and making them sticky, while excess sugar on the skin attaches to collagen proteins and shows up as wrinkles.

Content provided for educational and informational purposes only. It is derived from Dr. Bill Sears’ Prime Time Health book. It is not to be considered medical advice.