After an introductory chapter on the difference between degeneration and ageing, let’s look at the different forms of degeneration and the diseases they cause.
Chapter 2: Degeneration and diseases
The different forms of degeneration develop from a common base. The development of one disease rather than another depends on genetics, on living conditions that place greater demands on an organ, on the vitality of the organism and on protective factors in life.
Survival is a priority for living organisms. The human body is programmed to stay alive as long as possible. To achieve this, our body uses a number of mechanisms. It increases the elimination of toxins, uses antioxidants and minerals to combat oxidative stress and chronic acidosis, mobilises its immune system to neutralise micro-organisms and certain undesirable substances…
Degenerative diseases result from the overuse of these mechanisms. I classify them in four main categories.
1- Elimination diseases
These are the first illnesses to appear. They mainly affect the skin and mucous membranes (ENT, bronchopulmonary, digestive and, for women, vaginal). They occur when the major excretory organs (liver, kidneys, lungs) are overworked. These are excretion relays, which help the body to detoxify more effectively in order to maintain a satisfactory internal environment.
If you have acute elimination problems, your body has the ability to significantly speed up the elimination of toxins. This is a good sign! Degeneration sets in when these problems become chronic. The body no longer has enough strength to cope with an intense attack. Inflammation becomes chronic. The tissues concerned gradually lose elasticity and become sclerotic. They can then become fibrous or cancerous.
The skin and mucous membranes are the primary excretory organs. They are called upon when toxins accumulate too much in the body. But sometimes these organs are no longer sufficient to support the major excretory organs. Other organs may then be called upon, such as the prostate in men.
2- Fouling diseases
The main elimination diseases are:
– skin: psoriasis, eczema, pruritus, acne, urticaria, profuse or odorous sweating (hands, feet, armpits, head, torso or whole body), etc.
– ENT and bronchopulmonary: asthma, chronic bronchitis, chronic rhinitis, chronic sinusitis, etc.
– digestive: colitis, gastritis, Crohn’s disease, gastric reflux, etc.
The phenomenon of bioaccumulation
This phenomenon means that the higher up the food chain an organism is, the more contaminated it becomes. It’s a law of nature. Plants are less polluted than animal flesh, and small fish are less polluted than large fish. Carnivorous animals are naturally more exposed to toxins.
This phenomenon also applies to humans. The choice of food and the environment in which we live is therefore crucial.
Fouling diseases come after elimination diseases. The body does its best to protect its most important organs (nervous system and heart) from exposure to toxins. The elimination of toxins is not always sufficient to maintain a favourable internal environment. So our body uses storage to support the work of elimination.
Joints, cysts and adipose tissue, particularly in the abdomen, are the body’s three main storage areas. In addition to this, the cells, which naturally produce toxins, will retain some of their metabolic waste for longer to prevent too many toxins circulating in the blood and lymph.
These fouling situations can happen. But they should be temporary, allowing the body to release the accumulated toxins. Degeneration sets in when overwork becomes chronic and the process of eliminating toxins never really gets under way.
Tissues that are too dirty function less well. Cells communicate poorly with each other, then suffer from asphyxiation and finally, if the process continues, die or become cancerous.
A leaky (or porous) intestine, poor digestion, trans-fatty acids and pollution all contribute to cell fouling. Nutritional deficiencies in vitamins and minerals amplify this phenomenon.
The main clogging diseases are arthritis : osteoarthritis, abdominal obesity, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, fibromyalgia, insomnia, endogenous depression.
3- Oxidative diseases of the circulatory system
The body rusts under the effect of toxins and the use of oxygen. This is oxidative stress! The main diseases caused by oxidative stress either directly affect the circulatory system or are the consequences of its deterioration: atherosclerosis, heart attack, stroke, erectile dysfunction, visual impairment, neurological disorders, loss of feeling in the extremities, kidney failure due to nephropathy, etc.
Antioxidants represent a major protective barrier for the circulatory system. Over the years, this protective barrier is weakened by oxidative stress. The circulatory system is less well protected. Its deterioration increases.
Oxidative diseases of the circulatory system often develop from the age of 45-50. The modern diet lacks enough fruit and vegetables to provide sufficient antioxidants and to enable the body to produce and recycle its own antioxidants, such as glutathione, efficiently. Selenium, vitamins C and E and the antioxidants found in red and black fruits help to regenerate glutathione when it is oxidised. Magnesium contributes to glutathione synthesis.
4- Defensive diseases
These diseases involve the immune system: auto-immune diseases, allergies, food sensitivities and intolerances. They generally appear after warning signs (elimination and/or clogging diseases, digestive disorders). And degeneration through defensive diseases develops when these signs are not sufficiently heeded.
It’s not the immune system that’s malfunctioning. The human body is constantly adapting to its environment and does nothing at random. One of the major roles of the immune system is to protect the body from micro-organisms and undesirable substances from outside.
When aggressions are regular, antibody levels rise and the risk of triggering a defence disease increases. Inflammation of the respiratory and intestinal mucosa amplifies this aggressive nature. Illness occurs when the situation becomes intolerable for the body.
Food sensitivity or intolerance?
Intolerance means that the food in question can no longer be eaten at all without causing major reactions. Avoidance is necessary.
Sensitivity means that eating a food causes significant reactions. Avoidance is recommended. But the food can be tolerated with better digestion and more appropriate consumption, in terms of quantity and frequency.
Whether it’s a food intolerance or sensitivity to gluten, dairy products or other foods, the food in question is only the tree that hides the forest. The problem is poor digestion and chronic intestinal inflammation. This is also the case when consumption of a food causes disorders of the nervous system, joints, skin or other organs.
In the case of autoimmune diseases, the body’s terrain is similar. But many cases have a genetic predisposition. Genes in the HLA system can become activated when the body is under intense stress. When these genes are expressed, they induce the production of specific antibodies.
To reverse defensive diseases, it is necessary to considerably reduce the factors of aggression and sufficiently calm the immune system, by reducing inflammation of the mucous membranes. Autoimmune diseases do not always respond favourably. Degeneration can be reversed and avoided in many cases: rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, lupus, scleroderma, multiple sclerosis, coeliac disease, Crohn’s disease.
Between pollution and emotion
Toxins are often the major cause of degeneration. But some cases cannot be explained solely by the presence of toxins. We need to look elsewhere. Our emotions are often a relevant clue. An emotion, which expresses a danger to our brain, inevitably induces an adaptive survival response.
Emotions influence our hormonal, energy and immune systems. As a result, they can provoke a wide range of illnesses, falling into all the categories of degeneration. The problem is not the event itself, but how you interpret and feel about it.
When conventional solutions fail to produce the desired results, we need to explore the emotional dimension, otherwise we miss the real cause. This is often the case with autoimmune diseases.
So, is it still possible to live old and healthy? The answer is coming soon in the last chapter of this special report…
