The Effects of Inflammation, Mitochondrial Decay, and Glycation on Aging
Good Fats Vs Bad Fats: The role of Prostaglandins in reducing inflammation
Prostaglandins (PGE) are hormones produced by the body as a result of the fats we ingest in our daily diets. Their main function is to regulate the body’s inflammatory response. Your body produces both anti-inflammatory prostaglandins (PGE 1 and 3) and inflammatory prostaglandins (PGE 2). In order to reduce general inflammation, it is desirable to increase the production of PGE 1 and 3 and control the production of PGE2.
Maintaining PGE homeostasis
How to Elevate PGE 1 Levels:
Increase production of GLA (Gamma-linolenic acid): Evening primrose oil, Black current seed oil, and borage oil.
How to Elevate PGE 3 Levels:
Increase consumption of omega-3 (good fats)
Fish oil (immediate EPA/DHA) absorption and assimilation
Flax seed (longer conversion process to EPA/DHA
How to control PGE 2:
Control dietary habits by reducing/eliminating trans fats (bad fats) from your diet. Trans fats or hydrogenated fats create a rigid, less permeable cell membrane. This disrupts cellular homeostasis, changes the physiology of the cell, increases inflammation and causes disease.
Therapeutic Options to Reduce General Inflammation
Smart Fats – make sure you have the proper ratio of Omega 3, 6, and 9 fish oils in your diet. The American diet is very high in Omega-6 so it is necessary to increase your consumption of Omega-3 and Omega-9
Anti-oxidants- Make sure you take some basic anti-oxidants like Vitamin E, vitamin C, and reserveratrol.
Dietary Changes – It goes without saying that there is a huge correlation between your diet and how you look and feel. If there is only one thing you can do to reduce inflammation, that is to eliminate processed foods and refined sugars completely from your diet.
