What can you do to delay the inevitable?

Statistically, if we make 70 years of age, we will make 80 years of age. Many of us won’t make it to 70 years old. Some of us over 70 years of age live their lives as if they were over 90 years old.

There are two guarantees in life – death, and taxes. Some of us seem to be in a hurry to die. Not intentionally, but by life’s choices. Most of us are creatures of habit. We eat the same foods daily. We have the same level of exercise every week. Some of us smoke and drink to excess.

Almost all of us don’t manage our stress daily. Most of us are not aware of how our immune system protects us. And, those who do generally do not do what is required to maximize our inherent immunity.

Our lifestyle determines a lot about our future. Yes, genetics plays a part in when we will pass from this world. But, typically, the genetic impact is generally quite small (5%) compared to other factors. Epigenetics can sometimes cancel those genetic predispositions.

Epigenetics refers to external activities that affect our DNA. If we were genetically predisposed for cancer, for example, there could be an epigenetic activity that would turn off the gene that predicts or causes cancer. These outside activities are called our lifestyle. It can affect our DNA’s ability to read specific sequences.

Skin cells look different than stomach cells or kidney cells. They all contain the same DNA. Epigenetics is the reason each cell looks and acts differently. Your DNA is your body’s baseline cell. It can perform different functions when specific genes are turned off or on.

Think of your DNA as a long electrical pole with lots of light switches. You have a program that says turn on this gene and turn off that gene. You go through the entire sequence of your DNA turning certain genes on or off to perform specific functions. Tumor cells usually are suppressed from growing. However, certain epigenetic functions can cause that gene not to suppress the tumor cell. And, vice versa.

Everyone is different. We have heard stories of a few people over one-hundred years of age who have been smoking all their lives and are still healthy. Their immune system is supercharged, or some activity turned off the gene responsible for lung cancer. Do we know what these activities are? No.

Oxygen is a molecule with two oxygen atoms. Our metabolic processes split the oxygen molecule in half. When cut in two, each atom is missing an electron, and each becomes a free radical in our body. The free radical attacks anything it comes in contact with trying to stabilize itself by grasping or capturing an electron from whatever molecule it is next to.

There is damage to whatever molecule the free radical attacks – DNA, a protein, a brain cell, or other body organ or tissue. It has to be repaired to function correctly. Our diets supply the antioxidants (vitamins and minerals) to counter the destruction of free radical damage. Our immune systems assist with the repair processes.

Inflammation occurs at the cellular level when free radical damage is not repaired. Left untreated over time, the body will begin to create low-level cellular inflammation. Chronic (long-term) low-level cellular inflammation is the genesis of nearly every disease.

Scientists have identified diseases associated with free radical damage. A few are cancer, atherosclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease. Early aging results from free radical damage over time. The free radical damage can alter your DNA code to cause new cells to grow incorrectly, resulting in disease or early aging.

Disease causes us to age early and to limit the quality of our lives. We must protect our bodies by providing the right nutrients (vitamins and minerals – balanced nutrition) to properly fight the daily attacks by free radicals on every cell in our bodies. Otherwise, the risk of heart disease, cancer, respiratory diseases, stroke, Alzheimer’s, influenza, and pneumonia increases. Having one of these is enough to ruin your health. What if you had two or more, at the same time.

How do you ensure that you will not make 70 years of age? Eat poorly every day. Do not exercise. Do not manage your stress. Those three things will help you leave this world earlier than you should.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *