take care of Your inner amoeba
- Dr. Gerald Davies
- Aug 28, 2025
- 2 min read
Understanding Your Body's Army of Micro Chimney Sweeps
The photo below are amoebas, compare them in the video link here to human macrophages consuming dying white blood cells
You probably remember learning about amoebas in school science class—those single-celled creatures that move around engulfing and digesting their prey. Interestingly, we share 30% of our DNA with amoebas. This shared DNA is crucial for producing billions of macrophages, our immune cells that look and act much like amoebas.
Macrophages are essential for our health and survival. They act as our body's cleanup crew, swallowing and breaking down nearly 4 million of our old, tired cells every second. Present in every tissue and making up about 10-15% of our body mass, these cells recycle around 700 grams of dead cells daily. Their ability to efficiently remove dead cells is crucial for preventing inflammation throughout the body. For example, by clearing out millions of expired cells in our arteries daily, macrophages help prevent the buildup of cholesterol which can lead to heart attacks.
Boosting the Cleaning Power of Our Immune Cells
While macrophages are naturally anti-inflammatory and efficient at quickly recycling dead cells, they can switch to a pro-inflammatory state in response to various environmental cues. Managing this balance is key to preventing diseases linked to inflammation, and luckily, many lifestyle choices can influence this.
Here's a brief rundown on how you can help your macrophages function better, keeping your body healthier:
1. Avoid Obesity: Being overweight encourages a pro-inflammatory state in macrophages. 2. Regular Exercise: This not only helps with weight but also enhances the anti-inflammatory capabilities of macrophages, potentially reducing the risk of artery blockages. 3. Fasting: Periods of fasting boost a process called autophagy, which is the way a macrophage rapidly digests its prey. 4. Understand Hormones: Insulin and glucagon, hormones affected by eating and fasting, respectively, have opposite effects on inflammation in macrophages. 5. Cut Down on Starch and Sugar: Reducing these can help manage the glucose/insulin balance that impacts inflammation. 6. Moderate Your Protein Intake: Just the right amount can trigger autophagy, which helps in cell cleanup. 7. Eat More Fiber: High fiber intake can regulate inflammation through substances produced in the gut that affect macrophages. 8. Consider Time-Restricted Feeding: This eating pattern can enhance signaling related to autophagy, boosting the cleanup process.
By understanding and adopting these lifestyle changes, you can keep your internal cleanup crew working efficiently, leading to better overall health.
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