Ayurveda & Longevity: Silent Inflammation

How we age prematurely without realising it

AYUS means longevity. LONGEVITY means longevity.

Ayurveda is the profound knowledge (VEDA) of longevity and the oldest longevity medicine known to mankind.

However, this is not just about extending our lifespan. Rather, it is about ageing in a healthy, happy and meaningful way.

In Ayurveda, the result is secondary, the process itself and the path to it are the actual goal. Not a sprint, but a marathon.

Longevity from an Ayurvedic perspective means first asking the central question of why. Health serves to put a long life at the service of our four life goals: Dharma (ethical and moral righteousness), Artha (material prosperity and success), Kama (sensual pleasure) and Moksha (spiritual liberation).

Once the motivation has been clarified, the second step is to find out how. Rasayana is the Ayurvedic discipline for extending our health span to the highest possible age.

Rasayana includes substantial measures (Dravya) through targeted nutrition and supplements as well as insubstantial methods (Adravya) through our mindset and associated lifestyle.

The current megatrend „Healthy Longevity“ can help Ayurveda to receive more attention with regard to its uniqueness. This does not lie in purely naturopathic measures, which we can also find in other methods. Ayurveda combines medicine, psychology and philosophy in a unique, holistic world view for healthy longevity.

Today we are focussing on an invisible but decisive factor in ageing: inflammation - and in particular „silent inflammation“.

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When the body burns in secret

Acute inflammation We all know it: An injured area of skin becomes red, warm, swells, hurts and has limited resilience. These reactions are visible healing processes. We cool, protect and protect the centre of inflammation until it heals.

However, silent inflammation (Silent Inflammation) take a different course. They often go unnoticed, spread unnoticed throughout the body and smoulder for years. They are not a localised reaction, but a subliminal, systemic and permanent burden on our organism.

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Inflammatory ageing - the ageing of inflammation

The release of pro-inflammatory messenger substances increases with age. This subliminal, chronic inflammation - inflamm-aging - keeps the immune system on permanent alert.

Instead of healing in a targeted manner, the body constantly attacks. This is often caused by

• Overweight, especially abdominal fat
• Diet low in vital substances
• Alcohol, nicotine
• Lack of exercise
• Permanent stress (Dys-Stress)

The consequences are serious: accelerated skin ageing and an increased risk of arteriosclerosis, diabetes, arthritis, osteoporosis, Alzheimer's, allergies, autoimmune diseases and even cancer.

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How you can recognise silent inflammation

Many silent inflammations are asymptomatic and are only recognised retrospectively when signs of premature ageing or associated symptoms appear.

The following signs can often be recognised as non-specific harbingers:

• Tiredness and listlessness to depressive moods
• General feeling of illness and susceptibility to infection
• Headaches and aching limbs
• Declining concentration and memory
• Sleep disorders, inner restlessness and tension

Laboratory parameters that may indicate silent inflammation are:

• hsCRP | highly sensitive CRP
• Leucocyte increase
• Increase in blood sedimentation rate (BSG)
• LPS (bacterial lipopolysaccharide) antibodies
• High IDO activity

In practice, we can therefore deduce the degree of silent inflammation in the ageing process from a comprehensive medical history, physical examination and targeted laboratory diagnostics.

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Silent Inflammation from an Ayurvedic perspective

Both the emergence and development of silent inflammation is complex from an Ayurvedic point of view. Weakened Agni and the resulting Ama, which is responsible for 80% of the signs mentioned above, play an important role here. The circulation pathways (srotas) are blocked by ama and secondarily all three dosha (vata, pitta and kapha) can aggravate and produce individual clinical pictures.

In my view, the starting point is almost always the gastrointestinal tract.

A chronically disturbed intestinal mucosa and impaired bacterial flora favour the absorption of undesirable substances from the intestinal lumen, resulting in an inflammatory immune reaction.

Therefore, the first step is to correct the ratio of food intake to processing capacity. Intermittent fasting with two meals a day and sufficient time between meals without any snacks, paired with hot water or herbal tea often helps to reduce ama.

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Eight keys against silent inflammation

From almost 30 years of practical experience, I have identified eight effective strategies that can prevent or reduce silent inflammation - and thus achieve an effect of up to 80 %:

#1 | Intermittent fasting

Eat two meals within eight hours, avoiding breakfast and dinner. The optimum time is between 10am and 6pm. This stimulates autophagy and alleviates inflammation.

#2 | Alcohol cessation

There is no lower limit up to which alcohol is harmless. This scientifically clear finding relates primarily to inflammation, which is intensified by every gram of alcohol.

#3 | Maximum 25g free sugar daily

Sugar promotes various inflammatory processes. Free sugars„ include “added sugars„ as well as those naturally contained in honey and syrup, fruit and vegetable juices and juice concentrates.

#4 | Correct amount of food

Even the healthiest food is harmful if we eat too much of it. Ayurveda therefore applies the 70:30 rule - always keep 30% free, according to the motto: if you realise you have eaten, you have already eaten too much.

#5 | Daily exercise training

Plenty of daily exercise is wonderful, but does not always prevent silent inflammation. A combination of endurance and strength training 2-3 times a week and daily yoga practice has been proven to be effective.

#6 | Proper sleep

Lack of sleep and sleeping too long into the day perpetuate the vicious circle of chronic inflammation. Therefore, make sure you get 7-8 hours of restful sleep and adjust to the position of the sun.

#7 | Taking anti-inflammatory supplements

The five most important are extracts of curcuma (curcuminoids), boswellia (frankincense resin with boswellic acids), guggulu (Indian myrrh resin), liquorice root and omega-3 fatty acids. Consume ginger daily.

#8 | Daily breathing and meditation practice

Mental health is crucial to meeting the challenges of modern working life. Regulate tension through breathing practice and strengthen your defusion through meditation.

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Conclusion

Our modern lifestyle favours silent inflammation - and therefore accelerated ageing. The solution does not lie in medical diagnostics or supplements alone. It starts with an honest assessment of our lifestyle, followed by conscious, consistent changes.

Ayurveda offers us not only the knowledge - but also the path.