Wishing you an enjoyable Tu B’shvat!
As we mark the barely perceptible beginnings of the new year – I’d like to continue our discussion of aging and help you infuse this year with renewal.
We’ve started discussing aging – and what the difference is between chronological and biological age.
We outlined ways to slow down biological aging. To read more about that click here.
Today I want to begin to take a closer look at how you can determine biological age.
Of course – you can’t actually determine your biological age. Perhaps the best determinant of biological age is how you feel.
Yet there are various ways of gesturing towards your biological age. Even if you don’t actually test yourself – understanding how to think about tracking aging in the body can help you cultivate a new lens with which to think about and evaluate your health.
Keep in mind that the following methods simply reflect possibilities. But they can be helpful reminders and motivators.
There are three different ways you can track biological age:
Blood markers
Telomere length
Epigenetic clock/DNAmAge
Today I want to focus on blood markers because they are the most accessible tests.
There are many different ways to use blood test markers to track biological age. Your primary care physician is the expert in ordering and utilizing these.
I want to zoom in on specific blood tests that can track inflammation, since inflammation is a major player in aging.
In fact, there is a term, inflammaging, that refers to the inflammation that is associated with aging.
Here are the top blood markers to track inflammation:
HS-CRP – a protein that rises in response to inflammation and infection.
Homocysteine – an inflammatory marker connected to heart disease.
You want these to stay low.
Other blood markers to track inflammation include:
HgBA1C – which measures blood glucose levels over last few months.
Triglycerides – a measure of fats circulating in your blood; they usually rise with high sugar intake.
These should be on the low end as well.
Finally, HDL cholesterol, or high density cholesterol is the “good cholesterol”. You want this to be at least 40, preferably higher. HDL cholesterol tends to decrease with age.
I really enjoyed this summary of blood markers and aging. It includes tips for combating age related inflammation.
Remember – acupuncture is a fabulous way to lower inflammation.
Researchers in this article observed that acupuncture and more specifically electro acupuncture (acupuncture with electric stimulation – like I do in the clinic) at the famous acupoint Zusanli or ST 36 significantly reduced inflammatory markers in mice.
So if you suspect you are suffering from inflammation check out the lifestyle guides referred to above and feel free to contact me so we can discus how acupuncture might useful in reducing your inflammation and help slow down your biological clock.
