Live Younger Longer

 (adenoma)
, which can
eventually develop into 
colon cancer
.
But scientists have also noticed that a low-grade form of inflammation can
occur on a whole-body (systemic) level. This type of inflammation can
occur in response to things like a steady diet of saturated fats and little fiber
or to continuously high stress levels. This constant state of low-grade
inflammation loses its initial purpose of inducing healing and leads instead
to increased cellular and tissue damage. It becomes a source of chronic
irritation to tissues in the body, and eventually it becomes a problem. One
example is acid reflux. We all have very strong acid in our stomachs, which
is necessary to start the breakdown of foods we eat and to ensure that no
bacteria get through to our small intestines. Sometimes, this acid can flow
back (reflux) into the lower end of the gullet (esophagus). Acid doesn’t
bother the stomach much since it produces it and is used to it. However, the
esophagus doesn’t have the protective barrier that the stomach has. Acid in
the esophagus can cause the pain that many know as acid reflux or
gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
Acid reflux is a form of inflammation. This inflammatory response is
typically temporary and resolves once the acid is no longer flowing
backward and the esophageal tissue is healing. But repeated bouts of acid
reflux over time, as in the case of GERD, can lead to more-serious
problems such as cancer of the tissues in the esophagus.

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Can a disease be reversed?
Although our bodies are capable of generating new cells for
certain tasks, such as new immune cells or fresh blood cells,
the bodies we are born with are the ones we have for life.
Once tissues have been damaged by injury or disease, it’s
tough to reverse that damage (or else we’d be like self-
healing superheroes). But it is possible to reverse some
disease progression.
An example is coronary artery disease. Coronary artery
disease develops when the major blood vessels that supply
your heart become damaged and diseased. Cholesterol-
containing deposits (atherosclerotic plaques) in your
coronary arteries along with inflammation are usually to
blame for coronary artery disease.
The coronary arteries supply blood, oxygen and nutrients to
your heart. A buildup of plaques can damage and narrow
these arteries, decreasing blood flow to your heart.
Eventually, the reduced blood flow may cause chest pain
(angina), shortness of breath, or other coronary artery
disease signs and symptoms. A complete blockage can
cause a heart attack.
It’s not possible to make the damaged arteries like new
again, but it is possible to make it easier for blood to flow
through them. Soft plaques that have accumulated in the
arteries can be cleared away by eating more anti-
inflammatory foods (such as fruits, vegetables and olive oil),
using cholesterol-lowering drugs, and taking steps to limit

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additional artery damage from smoking, chronic stress and
high blood pressure.
So although we can’t completely reverse damage done by
disease, we can reverse some of its processes and limit
additional damage.