Aging is a natural process that affects every living organism. In this article, we will be diving deep into the definition and main concepts of aging, providing simple and easy-to-digest explanations to give you a better understanding of how your body ages and how you can determine the way you approach 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, in this article, we will be focusing on these two factors.
What is Inflammation?
It refers to the body's processes of fighting infections, injuries, toxins, and other things that harm it in order to heal itself. When something damages our cells, our body releases chemicals and our immune system responds by releasing antibodies and proteins that increase blood flow to the damaged area or organ. protect them. When this reaction continues, chronic inflammation occurs, putting the body on constant alert. As mentioned above, over time, chronic inflammation can negatively affect 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 chronic inflammation be slowed down?
The most effective way to control cellular damage is to control the oxidative state and amount of free radicals in your system. To do this, you first need to reverse the habits that are causing you problems and literally live a more balanced life. Particular attention should be paid to stress levels. Year.
What is Earthing?
Earthing or Grounding is the process by which the crust maintains electrical stability in our bodies, serving as the foundation for vitality and health.
Reconnecting with the energies of the Earth beneath our feet offers a path to better health and is an amazing way to calm and restore the physical, mental and emotional balance of our bodies. achieve results.
When we walk barefoot on the beach or make contact with the earth through a conductive object, this quiet energy is naturally transferred to us, becoming the "earth" and allowing our bodies to maintain their natural balance.
How does it affect inflammation?
As we already know, the lack of electrons in the cell's outer shell results in the formation of free radicals, so these cells are constantly looking for that "missing piece" wherever they can find it. The Earth is the largest source of these electrons, absorbing them directly from the Sun. So when we are in direct contact with the Earth, the missing electrons in our body automatically flow from the Earth's surface to fill the missing space in our cells. Restores and reduces levels of inflammation and degeneration.
Does grounding slow down the aging process?
It turns out that grounding definitely affects how we age by reversing many of the known processes that age us in the first place. As a result of all the research and cases collected over the past decade, we firmly believe that grounding can be an integral part of general health conditions, environmental medicine, and the management of chronic diseases.
It has also been shown that it can radically improve skin blood flow and elasticity
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.