Aging and optimizing health
I am a 48 year old woman who has recently made the decision to "prepare"
for my golden years by entering them in the best possible health. My new
regime includes weight reduction, exercise, skin care, vitamin, mineral,
herbal and modist hormone supplementation. Not having the vast scientific
background as some of the posters on this group, I wonder if someone would
mind answering a couple of basic questions that seem confusing to me?
First, I have read several of the post to this group on the Telomeric
Theory. If my thinking is correct, this theory says that cells have a
definite lifespan based on the number of cell divisions. If this is
correct what does it mean for the practice of exfoliating as an anti-aging
skin care practice? Or do skin cells operate by a different mechanism? My
second question has to do with a new hygiene product I came across that
"rejuvenates" the immune system. This system includes a soap that you dig
your fingernails into to remove microbes as well as a facial dip for the
eyes and nose. It strengthens the immune system by raising the level of
albumin. Apparently, several studies have shown that men with the lowest
albumin levels had the highest rates of death from many different causes.
This system may also give relief from allergies from which I suffer. Now
here is my problem. I have read in many places that one can "over
protect" the immune system, thus decreasing it's efficiency. This theory
and the principle behind the High Performance Hygiene Kit would then seem
to be mutual exclusive. Could someone please help me out here? And while
I'm on the subject where does my practice of getting a yearly flu shot
fall in all this?
This is not as any easy a question as one might think because it depends
on new knowledge about telomeres, the detailed workings of skin growth
and aging, and perhaps, on the rate at which you "exfoliate" the skin.
Sorry, but I simply don't currently have the knowledge to answer this
part of your question.
This makes some sense, because in adulthood it is important to keep your
body surface as free from bacteria as possible so the immune system is
not constantly reacting to them. Washing all over with soap is better
than a simple water rinse.
What other parts are there to this hygene product that it could do this?
This true for children. They need to encounter bateria and viruses to
"challenge" and train the immune system as grow up, but I don't think it
has any validity for adults. All immune system elimination of "germs"
produces toxins which are not good for the adult system.
That is quite different. If your system has never encountered that
strain of flu virus before then your flu shot will "train" it to react
quickly and decisively when it does. The training will "cost" a little
in terms of generating some toxins that will slightly tax your system in
their elimination, however, if the right flu bug comes along and does
*not* infect you because of your shot, then you are ahead of the game.
I never get flu shots. My strategy (at age 60) is to keep my immune
system so strong that is will react strongly enough to ward off anything
even without being "trained" ahead of time. That strategy had worked
successfully and kept me from being sick for almost 20 years now.
For an immune enhancement protocol see:
http://lef.org/protocols/prtcl-062.shtml