3 Tips to Help You Fight Inflammation and Support an Aging Immune System

Chronic inflammation can quietly affect all the body's functionalities. Pressmaster/Shutterstock

As we age, our immune function gradually declines, and chronic inflammation can quietly affect all the body’s functionalities, taking a toll on health and reducing our lifespan. So how can we slow the aging of our immune system and fight chronic inflammation?

Here are some secrets for fighting aging and inflammation through diet, reducing calorie intake, and nutrient supplementation.

What Is Chronic Inflammation?

When confronted with tissue damage or infection, our body initiates a repair mechanism known as an inflammatory response. But if this reaction continues indefinitely, it will trigger another phenomenon called chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation can deplete our immune system and other parts of the body, leading to chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and brain degeneration.

There are quite a number of sites where chronic inflammation can occur, such as the respiratory, digestive, and urinary tracts and the oral cavity and skin. The cause of inflammation may be pollen in the air, food additives, pigments, gluten, parasites, bacteria, viruses, and the like.

Chronic inflammation is like boiling a frog in warm water. The body may not sense it until it has caused long-term damage. Considering the following factors will help reduce chronic inflammation.

1. Choose an Anti-Inflammatory Diet

In the Mediterranean region, people live longer, and there are fewer cases of cardiovascular disease. These outcomes are closely related to diet. The Mediterranean diet is a classic example of an anti-inflammatory diet. It is characterized by plentiful fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, and olive oil and contains relatively little animal protein, especially processed meat products such as red meat and cured bacon.

Studies show that the Mediterranean diet can reduce the body’s inflammatory response and oxidative stress, maintain the balance of intestinal flora, and improve immune function.

Some of the most anti-inflammatory foods are:

• Berries
• Avocados
• Tomatoes
• Cherries
• Turmeric
• Mushrooms
• Lentils
• Kale
• Broccoli
• Grapes
• Peppers
• Chia seeds
• Salmon and deep-sea fatty fish
• Dark chocolate

2. Reduce Calorie Intake, Activate Anti-Aging and Anti-Inflammatory Channels

Reducing calorie intake means eating less or even keeping yourself in sort of a hungry state. This can activate the body’s anti-aging and anti-inflammatory chemical channels, such as reducing the gene expression of interleukin-6, interleukin-1 beta, tumor necrosis factor, and other inflammatory genes. Intermittent fasting can also stimulate the circulation of the body’s hematopoietic stem cells, which can differentiate into various immune cells needed by the body.

Fasting Promotes Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Capacity

Many cultures worldwide practice fasting, though their approaches differ. The Chinese call it “Bigu,” and in the West, it is called fasting. Fasting can fight immune aging and reduce inflammation. It reduces the energy consumption needed for metabolism and the waste produced therein, supporting the body’s ability to clear damaged cells and generate new ones. This promotes the body’s ability to resist oxidation and inflammation.

The ancient wisdom of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) dictates that you should only eat until you’re 70 percent full each meal and practice intermittent Bigu (fasting) to maintain health.

Medication Can Stimulate Anti-Aging Chemical Pathway

Some people may not want to fast or feel the effect of fasting is not enough, so they turn to medication. Metformin, a diabetes drug, can be effective; animal studies have shown it can reduce the body’s energy consumption, thus stimulating the anti-aging chemical channel (the 5′-AMP-activated protein kinase, AMPK). It can also reduce the inflammatory response of arthritis. Of course, this drug must be prescribed and used under a doctor’s guidance.

However, it’s better not to resort to this extreme. Middle-aged and older people are prone to malnutrition due to a decline in digestive tract function, slowed body metabolism, sometimes a reduced number of teeth, and a weakened sense of taste. All of these things can hinder immune function and accelerate aging. Therefore, these people must obtain additional nutrients through supplements and not rely on medication to solve their problems.

3. Supplement Nutrients

Nutrients to reduce immunity decline and relieve inflammatory aging include:

• Vitamin B9 (folate)
• Vitamin B12
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin D
• Vitamin E
• Omega-3 fatty acids
• Trace elements, including zinc, copper, and iron
• Intestinal probiotics

Among these, zinc is the coenzyme of more than 300 enzymes, participates in almost all body chemical reactions, and guarantees the health of the digestive tract’s endothelial cells. It also affects the immune system’s signaling, proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis of immune cells.

Even minor zinc deficiency can have grave consequences. For example, the thymus is an essential organ of the immune system. Thymus endothelial cells produce a kind of thymosin, which can activate the production of T cells and enhance their mediation of immune function. It also plays a vital role in the early and late differentiation of lymphocytes. However, thymosin depends on zinc to function, so supplementing enough zinc is particularly important for immune function.

There are also results from randomized, double-blind studies demonstrating zinc’s significant role in immune function.

The study, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2007, had two groups of participants aged 55 to 87 take either 45 milligrams of zinc gluconate or a placebo each day for one year. People who were supplemented with zinc gluconate had significantly increased plasma zinc levels, significantly reduced chances of infection, and significantly reduced tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and oxidative stress markers.

In another 2008 study, 36 adults with sickle-cell disease were divided randomly to receive either 25 milligrams of oral zinc acetate or a placebo three times daily for three months. The adults supplemented with zinc acetate were found to have significantly increased plasma zinc levels, reduced incidence of infection, and enhanced antioxidant capacity.

Despite these supplements’ many benefits, always consult a health care professional for specific treatment and prescription before starting supplements.