When this happens, the process that normally defends and repairs the body can harm it.
What they have in common is inflammation.
A lot of the work comes down to what you eat and how you spend your time.
Here are some suggestions on what to do.
UNDERSTAND THE BASICS
1.
The phenomenon even has a name: inflammaging.
As we age, the immune system undergoes complex changes that tend to promote inflammation, Swirski says.
The microbiome plays a big role
In your digestive system are trillions of microorganisms known as the gut microbiome.
Theres no one ideal microbiome.
What we do know is that adiverse mix of microbesis better than a homogeneous one, Ravella says.
The immune response may be sluggish, or it may overreact with too much inflammation.
Its almost like theres static in your body, Ravella says.
But the test has limits, Ravella says.
For example, it cant distinguish between acute inflammation and chronic inflammation.
EAT SMART
6.
Chan School of Public Health, wrote in an email.
Eating those foods also leaves less room for foods that promote inflammation.
Traditional Hawaiian, African and South Asian diets also reflect these principles, she says.
One reason seems to be fibers positive effects on the immune system.
Unfortunately, we as a nation have a significant fiber deficiency, Ravella says.
Ravella says a more ambitious target is 50 grams of fiber per day.
(Our ancient ancestors probably ate double that, she says.)
Soluble fiber is found in foods including oats, peas, berries, apples, beans and lentils.
Want to try kombucha?
Find one thats as low in sugar as possible.
