On a Cellular Level
Am I growing a new body?
While it may somehow seem ‘romantic’ to imagine your body completely re-generating every 7 years, this is unfortunately a myth. Here are some interesting facts about cell regeneration:
The cells that line your stomach can renew every 2-9 days, since they’re in contact with digestive acids.
Skin cells are replaced every 2 to 3 weeks.
Red blood cells live for about 4 months, while white blood cells – the ones which fight infections – can last anywhere from 4 days to 8.
Fat cells can live for about 10 years.
The body will create new, fresh liver cells every 300 to 500 days – so you’ll constantly have a combination of new and old liver cells.
Bones also may regenerate completely, approximately every 10 years.
Cartilage cannot regenerate as it doesn’t have any blood vessels.
The power of stem cells:
According to an article done by American Cardiologist, Dr. Joel Kahn, results of a new study done at University of Southern California show that fasting for 24 hours can boost stem cell activity in mice. In humans, prolonged fasts can be used to trigger stem-cell-based regeneration that rejuvenates the immune system.
Another preliminary study shows that the polyphenols and antioxidants found in blueberries, green tea, pomegranates, goji berries and spirulina, can increase circulating bone-marrow-derived stem cells.
On-going research also indicates that the response to bouts of acute exercise can increase stem cells in the circulatory system. Other natural ways to increase stem cell production is to drastically reduce sugar intake, practice relaxation techniques like Tai Chi and Meditation, and acupuncture treatments to boost the body’s ability to produce new stem cells.
Studies advise that, since the body is in many ways able to heal itself, one’s diet must support healthy cell regeneration for it to properly happen. •
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