We’ve all been there. All of a sudden wrinkles appear on our faces and there is a sagging to our chests and waistline. The sad thing is that there’s something causing us to age faster and putting us at risk to look worse as we get older.

So, what’s causing this sped-up aging process? It’s the cause of age-related diseases such as chronic fatigue, muscle loss, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, cancer, Alzheimer’s and much more. When we’re exposed to toxins in our environment, chemicals and pollutants… when we eat sugar… when our immune systems become compromised because of Leaky Gut… when we’re exposed to ultraviolet light… when we’re stressed… when our hormones are out of balance… guess what it is?

Inflammation.

It’s not always such a bad thing – inflammation protects us from traumatic damage and against invaders – but there are lots of negative sides to inflammation. If you’ve cut your finger – you know what happens. Sometimes blood appears, germs spread, and an inflammatory response starts. And that’s fine because your body is trying to heal from the cut; however when the same inflammation response kicks in when there is NO invader – well, then that’s not so good at all. And that, folks, is when disease sets in.

For example, take diabetes, in which inflammation and insulin resistance are correlated, and Alzheimer’s, in which the human brain is clogged up with plaque and inflammatory cells. But you don’t need a disease to have inflammation. Chronic, long-term inflammation can form over long periods of time – years and years of small amounts of damage that add up to chronic inflammation that can affect your entire body – even your skin giving you wrinkles and your energy and your hormones and hair and much, much more!

When you combine these small amounts of damage along with an inflammatory lifestyle (eating sugar, high glycemic carbs, stress, processed foods, endocrine disruptors, chemicals, low protein intake, low fruit and veggie intake, lack of sleep, personal hygiene & beauty products, household cleaning products, dehydration and lack of exercise) well then you’ve got a big mess of inflammation. UV rays from the sun and tanning beds will also lead to inflammation and chlorinated water from your sink, swimming pool and shower.

So, what can we do about all this inflammation? Here are a few tips to help squash that inflammation and get you on the path to detoxing all the crap that’s in your body from plastics, food, pollution, water, etc.

1. Ask Your Integrative M.D. About Alpha-Lipoic Acid.

Alpha-lipoic acid is one of the most powerful anti-aging, antioxidants available! It’s a great anti-inflammatory; is water and fat soluble which means it works in your fatty membranes and the interior of the cell to protect DNA along with many other amazing qualities. Ask your M.D. about alpha-lipoic Acid.

2. Try Organic Turmeric & Other Anti-Inflammatory Spices.

Toss spices into your meals and smoothies. You can use them in oatmeal, soups, hot tea, hot cocoa and so much more. My favorites are organic turmeric, cayenne, fennel, ginger, coriander and cinnamon. I love using Simply Organic and Frontier Organic Spices because of their high quality products and reputation!

3. Clean UP Your Beauty Products.

Keep chemicals OFF your body. Look at the awful ingredients in your toothpaste, face wash, lotions, soaps, makeup and so much more. Look for organic ingredients so you’re not exposing yourself to toxic ingredients – YOUR SKIN is your biggest organ so if you are eating organic but using conventional beauty products – you’re not doing yourself any good! Learn more about how to detox your beauty products.

4. Eat an Anti-Inflammatory Diet.

Check out my anti-inflammatory food shopping list for more information! Make sure to fill your plate with lots of brightly colored fruits and vegetables like kale, collard greens, Swiss chard, cabbage, broccoli and spinach along with Omega-3-rich fats such as fish oil, olive oil, pumpkin seeds and walnuts. Avoid sugar and refined carbs along with gluten! You’ll notice incredible differences in your skin and you’ll love the glow!

5. Eat Enough High-Quality ORGANIC Protein.

Read more about why you should choose organic food. You must consume adequate protein to form proper amounts of elastin and collagen – which are primary components of your skin! This is as easy as adding organic eggs to your breakfast, organic chicken or turkey to lunch and a handful of walnuts or almonds to your snack along with grass fed meat or quality fish for dinner.

6. Clean up your Cleaning Products.

Just like your beauty products, the same goes for your cleaning products. All those Clorox, Windex cleaners are filled with chemicals that end up acting as estrogen in your body and causing awful reactions that cause a whole handful of issues you don’t want! Check out my green cleaning page for more information!

The information above is not intended nor suited to be a replacement or substitute for professional medical treatment or for professional medical advice relative to a specific medical question or condition. The above information is not intended to replace a doctor/patient relationship with any physician. There is no replacement for personal medical treatment and advice from your personal physician.