Shorter Telomeres Can Lead to More Inflammation

Shorter telomeres can lead to premature aging as noted in the last post about longevity and telomere length. Unfortunately, the news gets worse. Having shorter telomeres can also lead to an increase in inflammation.

I have written at length about inflammation and the havoc it can have on your body and your health. Certain foods can cause either an inflammatory or an anti-inflammatory response in your system. Eating more inflammatory foods can lead to a cascade of health problems as well as a multitude of aches and pains. In addition to inflammation from the foods we eat, processes in our body will determine whether or not to produce more inflammation.

When the telomeres of aging CD8 cells wear down, they send out pro-inflammatory cytokines which increases inflammation. These aging cells will slowly accumulate in your blood thus causing a steady flow of inflammation. When you have added stress, these CD8 cells grow old, which causes you to grow older too.

How To Improve Inflammation

Eat more anti-inflammatory foods such as greens, fish, flaxseed, and chia seeds.

Avoid processed foods, especially processed meats. Processed meats will increase your inflammation and lead to shorter telomeres. Shorter telomeres lead to inflammation, so be very cautious of this cycle.

Exercise regular, whether it is cardiovascular exercise or HIIT workouts. Get your muscles moving and sweat out all your unwanted toxins.

Minimize stress at all costs. Stress can lead to tension in muscles, strained joints, irritated nerves, and of course inflammation. Regular chiropractic adjustments and massage help minimize physical stress on your body.

Minimize stress at all costs. No, that was not a typo. This topic is very important. Stress leads to shorter telomeres which will lead to an increase in inflammation.

Shorter telomeres will increase the inflammation in your system. Lengthening your telomeres will improve your health and longevity as well as decrease your inflammation. This is definitely a win-win for you body and your health.