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Ask our Doctors

Skin Renewal Doctors all have a broad knowledge, background and passion for aesthetic medicine. Please feel free to ask them your questions and concerns.

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Why must one kerb one's inflammation?

At Health Renewal we realise the need to make our patients aware of lifestyle choices that aggravate chronic inflammation and the serious effects that chronic inflammation has on disease. This systemic or "silent" inflammation is the evil twin of oxidation, and where you find one, you nearly always find the other. But this type of inflammation doesn't cause you any pain — it lives "under the radar," quietly lingering for years and even decades, where it silently injures your heart, brain and immune system. In fact, the number of diseases linked to chronic inflammation is staggering: Heart disease and cancer, the deadly manifestation of chronic inflammation, are expected to remain as the leading causes of death in developed countries for many years to come.

frequently asked
questions

What Lifestyle changes which will naturally decease your levels of chronic inflammation ?
  • Optimise your Insulin: If there's a single marker for lifespan, it would be insulin, specifically insulin sensitivity. Insulin resistance is the basis of virtually ALL chronic diseases of ageing, and one of the primary reasons for this is because it promotes chronic inflammation throughout your body.
  • Dramatically reduce sugar and fructose intake: Circulating “blood sugars” come into contact with proteins and lipids and a damaging reaction occurs. Compounds called advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are formed which bind to the cell-surface receptors and activate numerous inflammatory genes.
  • Eat less saturated and trans fats: General overeating, especially saturated and trans fatty acids is a major contributor to inflammation and other detrimental age-related processes in the modern world. Eating a small piece of avocado with each meal may reduce the highly sensitive marker of inflammation CRP, thereby reducing your inflammation.
  • Lose weight: Fat cells, especially visceral fat cells, are an endocrine organ which secretes three times the amount of inflammation as fat elsewhere. This visceral fat, which is proportional to BMI, appears to be a major cause of low-grade, systemic inflammation and insulin resistance.
  • Balance your sex hormones: Amongst their many roles in biology, sex hormones also modulate the immune/inflammatory response. Preservation of sex hormone levels with bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BIHRT) is associated with reductions in the risk of several inflammatory diseases, including atherosclerosis, asthma and rheumatoid arthritis.
  • Stop Smoking: Cigarette smoke contains numerous inducers of inflammation, particularly reactive oxygen species.
  • Floss your teeth daily: Smoking also increases the risk of periodontal disease, an independent risk factor for increasing systemic inflammation.
  • Get enough sleep: Disruption of normal sleep can lead to daytime elevations pro-inflammatory molecules.
  • Reduce your stress: Stress (both physical and emotional) can lead to inflammatory cytokine release. In addition, stress is also associated with decreased sleep and increased visceral fat which themselves produce inflammation, a vicious cycle of events.
  • Avoid sitting for more than 20 minutes at a time: Sitting is inflammatory! The more you sit, the poorer your health and the earlier you may die, no matter how fit you are. So it's recommended that you get up and move every 20 minutes to get your blood circulation going.
How does obesity induce inflammation?

Since fat tissue (especially abdominal fat) expresses inflammatory cytokines, obesity can be a major cause of low-grade, systemic inflammation. Thus, it is important that total energy intake is proportional to energy expenditure, to avoid the deposition of abdominal fat. Obesity-induced increases in inflammatory cytokines appear to be reversible with fat loss. In a dramatic example, weight loss in a group of 20 severely obese individuals reduced Inflammation bold tests by almost half!

How does exercise improve inflammation?

Energy expenditure through exercise lowers multiple cytokines and pro-inflammatory molecules independently of weight loss. While muscle contraction initially results in a pro-inflammatory state, it paradoxically lowers systemic inflammation. This effect has been observed in dozens of human trials of exercise training in both healthy and unhealthy individuals across many age groups.

What are the most anti inflammatory nutrients?

Amongst the most anti-inflammatory nutrients are magnesium, beta-carotene, turmeric (curcumin), genistein, and tea.

What are the most pro-inflammatory nutrients?

The most pro-inflammatory nutrients include carbohydrates, total- and saturated fat, and cholesterol.

Why must one take a high quality the Omega 3 supplement?

The more omega-3 fat you eat; the less omega-6 will be available to the tissues to produce inflammation. Omega-6 is pro-inflammatory, while omega-3 is neutral. A diet containing a LOT of omega-3 and NOT MUCH omega-6 will REDUCE INFLAMMATION.

Why must one consume more Omega 3 than Omega 6?

The more omega-3 fat you eat; the less omega-6 will be available to the tissues to produce inflammation. Omega-6 is pro-inflammatory, while omega-3 is neutral. A diet containing a LOT of omega-3 and NOT MUCH omega-6 will REDUCE INFLAMMATION. This is because humans have problems converting omega-3 (n-3) fats from plant sources, (such as flax seeds, walnuts, hempseed, canola oil, soybeans, soybean oil, pumpkin seeds, pumpkin seed oil, linseeds, walnuts, and walnut oil) to the longer chain derivatives EPA and DHA.

Since EPA and DHA (especially DHA) are responsible for the benefits omega-3 fats provide, and since EPA and DHA are only available in significant amounts in seafood, it follows that we should be consuming seafood on a regular basis. But how much is enough? The question of how much omega-3 to eat depends in large part on how much omega-6 we eat. Over the course of human evolution, there has been a dramatic change in the RATIO of omega-6 and omega-3 fats consumed in the diet. This change, perhaps more than any other dietary factor, has contributed to the epidemic of modern disease-inflammation.

What historical ration of Omega 6 to Omega 3?

Throughout 4-5 million years of hominid evolution, diets were abundant in seafood and other sources of omega-3 long chain fatty acids (EPA & DHA), but relatively low in omega-6 seed oils. Anthropological research suggests that our hunter-gatherer ancestors consumed omega-6 and omega-3 fats in a ratio of roughly 1:1. It also indicates that both ancient and modern hunter-gatherers were free of the modern inflammatory diseases, like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes that are the primary causes of death and morbidity today. At the onset of the industrial revolution (about 140 years ago), there was a marked shift in the ratio of n-6 to n-3 fatty acids in the diet. Consumption of n-6 fats increased at the expense of n-3 fats. This change was due to both the advent of the modern vegetable oil industry and the increased use of cereal grains as feed for domestic livestock (which in turn altered the fatty acid profile of meat that humans consumed).

What has caused the dramatic increase of inflammatory disease such as Heart Attack and Cancer?!

Vegetable oil consumption rose dramatically between the beginning and end of the 20th century, and this had an entirely predictable effect on the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats in the American diet. Today, estimates of the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 range from an average of 10:1 to 20:1 with a ratio as high as 25:1 in some individuals. Studies reveal that our average intake of n-6 fatty acids is between 10 and 25 times higher than evolutionary norms. The consequences of this dramatic shift cannot be overestimated as in the U.S. the average person's tissue concentration of highly unsaturated omega 6 fat is 75%. This creates a very inflammatory environment and goes a long way towards explaining why 4 in 10 people who die in the U.S. each year die of heart disease. The RATIO of omega-6 to omega-3 matters, but so does the total amount of each. Omega-6 COMPETES with omega-3 and vice versa.

What additional daily supplement may help reduce inflammation?
  • Curcumin is another powerful natural anti-inflammatory, the active ingredient in turmeric, a powerful anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, cancer-preventive and cancer-fighting supplement. A novel curcumin absorption system, Biocurcumoid BCM 95, has been developed which delivers up to seven times more pharmacologically bioactive curcumin to the blood compared with commercial curcumin products. BCM 95 is available at Health Renewal.
  • A good multivitamin and mineral daily supplement containing adequate Vit A and E, Magnesium, Zinc and Selenium, Antioxidants such as Co Q 10, Carnosine, Resveratrol and Astaxathin.
  • These all may help reduce chronic inflammation.
  • Ensuring that your Vitamin D 3 levels are above 52 ng/mL may help reduce inflammation as well as preventing Breast cancer, which now affects one in eight women. Vitamin D appears to exert anti-inflammatory activity by the suppression of pro-inflammatory prostaglandins, and inhibition of the inflammatory mediator NF-κβ

Frequently asked questions

What Lifestyle changes which will naturally decease your levels of chronic inflammation ?
  • Optimise your Insulin: If there's a single marker for lifespan, it would be insulin, specifically insulin sensitivity. Insulin resistance is the basis of virtually ALL chronic diseases of ageing, and one of the primary reasons for this is because it promotes chronic inflammation throughout your body.
  • Dramatically reduce sugar and fructose intake: Circulating “blood sugars” come into contact with proteins and lipids and a damaging reaction occurs. Compounds called advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are formed which bind to the cell-surface receptors and activate numerous inflammatory genes.
  • Eat less saturated and trans fats: General overeating, especially saturated and trans fatty acids is a major contributor to inflammation and other detrimental age-related processes in the modern world. Eating a small piece of avocado with each meal may reduce the highly sensitive marker of inflammation CRP, thereby reducing your inflammation.
  • Lose weight: Fat cells, especially visceral fat cells, are an endocrine organ which secretes three times the amount of inflammation as fat elsewhere. This visceral fat, which is proportional to BMI, appears to be a major cause of low-grade, systemic inflammation and insulin resistance.
  • Balance your sex hormones: Amongst their many roles in biology, sex hormones also modulate the immune/inflammatory response. Preservation of sex hormone levels with bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BIHRT) is associated with reductions in the risk of several inflammatory diseases, including atherosclerosis, asthma and rheumatoid arthritis.
  • Stop Smoking: Cigarette smoke contains numerous inducers of inflammation, particularly reactive oxygen species.
  • Floss your teeth daily: Smoking also increases the risk of periodontal disease, an independent risk factor for increasing systemic inflammation.
  • Get enough sleep: Disruption of normal sleep can lead to daytime elevations pro-inflammatory molecules.
  • Reduce your stress: Stress (both physical and emotional) can lead to inflammatory cytokine release. In addition, stress is also associated with decreased sleep and increased visceral fat which themselves produce inflammation, a vicious cycle of events.
  • Avoid sitting for more than 20 minutes at a time: Sitting is inflammatory! The more you sit, the poorer your health and the earlier you may die, no matter how fit you are. So it's recommended that you get up and move every 20 minutes to get your blood circulation going.
How does obesity induce inflammation?

Since fat tissue (especially abdominal fat) expresses inflammatory cytokines, obesity can be a major cause of low-grade, systemic inflammation. Thus, it is important that total energy intake is proportional to energy expenditure, to avoid the deposition of abdominal fat. Obesity-induced increases in inflammatory cytokines appear to be reversible with fat loss. In a dramatic example, weight loss in a group of 20 severely obese individuals reduced Inflammation bold tests by almost half!

How does exercise improve inflammation?

Energy expenditure through exercise lowers multiple cytokines and pro-inflammatory molecules independently of weight loss. While muscle contraction initially results in a pro-inflammatory state, it paradoxically lowers systemic inflammation. This effect has been observed in dozens of human trials of exercise training in both healthy and unhealthy individuals across many age groups.

What are the most anti inflammatory nutrients?

Amongst the most anti-inflammatory nutrients are magnesium, beta-carotene, turmeric (curcumin), genistein, and tea.

What are the most pro-inflammatory nutrients?

The most pro-inflammatory nutrients include carbohydrates, total- and saturated fat, and cholesterol.

Why must one take a high quality the Omega 3 supplement?

The more omega-3 fat you eat; the less omega-6 will be available to the tissues to produce inflammation. Omega-6 is pro-inflammatory, while omega-3 is neutral. A diet containing a LOT of omega-3 and NOT MUCH omega-6 will REDUCE INFLAMMATION.

Why must one consume more Omega 3 than Omega 6?

The more omega-3 fat you eat; the less omega-6 will be available to the tissues to produce inflammation. Omega-6 is pro-inflammatory, while omega-3 is neutral. A diet containing a LOT of omega-3 and NOT MUCH omega-6 will REDUCE INFLAMMATION. This is because humans have problems converting omega-3 (n-3) fats from plant sources, (such as flax seeds, walnuts, hempseed, canola oil, soybeans, soybean oil, pumpkin seeds, pumpkin seed oil, linseeds, walnuts, and walnut oil) to the longer chain derivatives EPA and DHA.

Since EPA and DHA (especially DHA) are responsible for the benefits omega-3 fats provide, and since EPA and DHA are only available in significant amounts in seafood, it follows that we should be consuming seafood on a regular basis. But how much is enough? The question of how much omega-3 to eat depends in large part on how much omega-6 we eat. Over the course of human evolution, there has been a dramatic change in the RATIO of omega-6 and omega-3 fats consumed in the diet. This change, perhaps more than any other dietary factor, has contributed to the epidemic of modern disease-inflammation.

What historical ration of Omega 6 to Omega 3?

Throughout 4-5 million years of hominid evolution, diets were abundant in seafood and other sources of omega-3 long chain fatty acids (EPA & DHA), but relatively low in omega-6 seed oils. Anthropological research suggests that our hunter-gatherer ancestors consumed omega-6 and omega-3 fats in a ratio of roughly 1:1. It also indicates that both ancient and modern hunter-gatherers were free of the modern inflammatory diseases, like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes that are the primary causes of death and morbidity today. At the onset of the industrial revolution (about 140 years ago), there was a marked shift in the ratio of n-6 to n-3 fatty acids in the diet. Consumption of n-6 fats increased at the expense of n-3 fats. This change was due to both the advent of the modern vegetable oil industry and the increased use of cereal grains as feed for domestic livestock (which in turn altered the fatty acid profile of meat that humans consumed).

What has caused the dramatic increase of inflammatory disease such as Heart Attack and Cancer?!

Vegetable oil consumption rose dramatically between the beginning and end of the 20th century, and this had an entirely predictable effect on the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats in the American diet. Today, estimates of the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 range from an average of 10:1 to 20:1 with a ratio as high as 25:1 in some individuals. Studies reveal that our average intake of n-6 fatty acids is between 10 and 25 times higher than evolutionary norms. The consequences of this dramatic shift cannot be overestimated as in the U.S. the average person's tissue concentration of highly unsaturated omega 6 fat is 75%. This creates a very inflammatory environment and goes a long way towards explaining why 4 in 10 people who die in the U.S. each year die of heart disease. The RATIO of omega-6 to omega-3 matters, but so does the total amount of each. Omega-6 COMPETES with omega-3 and vice versa.

What additional daily supplement may help reduce inflammation?
  • Curcumin is another powerful natural anti-inflammatory, the active ingredient in turmeric, a powerful anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, cancer-preventive and cancer-fighting supplement. A novel curcumin absorption system, Biocurcumoid BCM 95, has been developed which delivers up to seven times more pharmacologically bioactive curcumin to the blood compared with commercial curcumin products. BCM 95 is available at Health Renewal.
  • A good multivitamin and mineral daily supplement containing adequate Vit A and E, Magnesium, Zinc and Selenium, Antioxidants such as Co Q 10, Carnosine, Resveratrol and Astaxathin.
  • These all may help reduce chronic inflammation.
  • Ensuring that your Vitamin D 3 levels are above 52 ng/mL may help reduce inflammation as well as preventing Breast cancer, which now affects one in eight women. Vitamin D appears to exert anti-inflammatory activity by the suppression of pro-inflammatory prostaglandins, and inhibition of the inflammatory mediator NF-κβ
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Thank you for making such a difference to my health. When I first saw you it was due to my constant digestive problems which were becoming worse and no longer responding to the symptomatic medicine prescribed by the numerous Dr's I had consulted with before. I was very impressed by the overall experience at your Parkhurst branch. You really took the time to ask me about my health and showed such an interest in my well being. After one month of your natural and holistic treatment I saw a remarkable difference not only in my digestion but my overall health. Over two weeks ago I decided to bring another health issue to you which causes me a tremendous amount of pain and discomfort. For over eight years I have suffered from a Trigeminal Neuralgia. I have gone to several specialists and tried acupuncture, laser therapy and a number of alternative medicines with no success. When I saw you my pain was at the stage where I could no longer eat or talk. I was struggling to sleep at night and it was really affecting me at work. Desperate to find help I came to see you in the hope that you would be able to assist me with the pain. Over a week later I am feeling so much better. I feel normal again, I am sleeping, eating and back at work. Thank you for taking the time to really understand my case and researching the various medicines which can manage my pain. I have never experienced such fast results before. To live with constant pain is really draining and frustrating. Thank you so much for the quality of life you have given back to me and for the overall improvement in my health.

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