Inflammation – The Silent Killer

image

All About Inflammation: What You Need to Know

Were you aware that inflammation in the body is the link between debilitating conditions like arthritis, cancer, heart disease, and even Alzheimer’s?

It is also thought to be one of the key causes of the visible signs of aging. In the wellness sphere, you hear the word inflammation a lot.

When you reduce the inflammation in the body, you not only look and feel your best, but you lower your risk for chronic disease. Reducing inflammation can seriously turn back the clock.

What is Inflammation?

When your body responds to stress, it creates inflammation. The cause can be diet, environment and/or lifestyle. Take for example when you catch a cold. You’re going to experience inflammation in the form of a fever because your body is heating up to kill the pesky virus. This is a good kind of inflammation because it is helping your body.

There’s a modern epidemic of chronic, low-grade inflammation that can destroy the balance in your body. When you’re experiencing the chronic inflammation response, you’re more susceptible to disease and premature aging.

What Causes Inflammation?

There are several factors that can cause inflammation in your body.

One main cause is low-grade bacterial, viral, and fungal infections in the bloodstream and organs. This can affect your stomach and gastro-intestinal tract. Take for example H pylori, a bacteria in the stomach that contributes to inflammation and the development of ulcers. 50% of adults over 60 years old and 20% of adults under 40 have it, but inflammation is caused by so much more than just pathogenic organisms.

Some Other Causes of Inflammation

You can have symptoms from low-grade food allergies and food sensitivities. When there is an imbalance of bacteria and fungi in your gastrointestinal system, called dysbiosis, then your immune system will overreact with adverse symptoms.

Stress in the form of constant psychological, emotional, and physical stress raises your cortisol level and leads to inflammation.

Environmental toxins like pollution in the water, air, food, and even toxic metals like mercury will contribute to inflammation and can even lead to diseases like endometriosis and cancer.

When you have a poor diet with too much of the bad fat, sugar or protein it can lead to constant dehydration. The consumption of oils from grains, such as corn oil, canola, peanut oil and on, creates an imbalance between omega 6 and omega 3. Too much omega 6 will cause inflammation. The best fats are coconut oil, olive oil, butter from grass fed cows, organic butter and ghee.

Also, the consumption of too many sodas, caffeine, inactivity, and lack of sleep will all cause inflammation in the body as well.

What are the Lasting Effects of Inflammation?

  • Arthritis
  • Heart Disease
  • Osteoporosis
  • Chronic Pain
  • Psoriasis
  • Acne
  • Weight gain
  • Obesity
  • Acid Reflux
  • Visible signs of aging
  • Cancer
  • Bacterial, fungal, and viral infections
  • Bronchitis
  • Diabetes
  • High blood pressure
  • Candida
  • Urinary tract infections

How Can You Reduce Inflammation?

This is a controversial topic, and everybody is going to give you a different answer. You need to follow a balanced diet that limits sugar and salt (table salt NaCl) while feeding yourself key nutrients in a way that supports your health and vitality. Also, increase your mineral intake and eat anti-inflammatory foods such as vegetables (excluding the nightshades), fish, eggs, meat and some fruits especially berries.
Be conscious of your stress levels and seek to reduce it. Make sure you’re getting plenty of sleep and get a little sunshine. Vitamin D can effectively reduce inflammation, and you get it from sunlight. If it’s in the winter, then be sure to take Vitamin D in the form of supplements.

5 Tips to Reduce Inflammation

1. Eat a whole food diet: some of the most inflammatory foods you’ll find include refined sugar, grains, wheat, flour, processed food, junk food, sodas, alcoholic beverages, chips and ice cream. That’s why going with a diet of whole foods and choosing to eat wild fish abundantly as well as grass fed ( not grain fed) animals will help reduce the inflammation. When you add more of these foods, you’re filling your body up with vitamins, minerals, and cancer-fighting phytochemical compounds, as well as antioxidants and fiber.

2. Pay attention to gut health: Did you know that your gut is 60-70 percent of your immune system? That makes it the perfect place to reduce that inflammation. When your gut is in bad shape your immune system falls into serious trouble. The best way to begin is by taking a daily probiotic, but be sure that it is of the highest quality. Eating prebiotics food such as cultured sauerkraut, brussel sprout, artichokes, yogurt, kimchi, pickled vegetables will create a sort of nesting area in your gut where probiotics can flourish.

3. Become aware of food sensitivities and chronic infections: If you’re battling with food sensitivities or chronic infections, then your body is over-compensating to cope with it everyday life. Inflammation is created on a daily basis by these offenders. That’s why you also need to make sure that gluten, soy, dairy, and eggs aren’t a problem for you. The best way to identify a problem is through a blood test or elimination diet. Don’t eat a certain food for 21 days, then eat plenty of it in one day. If you are doing well in the next 3 days, it’s ok to eat this food again. If you have a negative response stay away from it.

4. Get more rest and relaxation: Your body is constantly working hard to repair and restore itself, and this mostly happens while you sleep. Doctors recommend that you get seven to eight hours of sleep each night. When you’re not getting enough, then your immune system is going to suffer, and that is going to lead to more inflammation.

Stress is just another component that adds to a lack of sleep.
When you’re stressed all the time you’re producing more of the hormone cortisol, and this leads to serious inflammation. You can, therefore, reduce chronic inflammation by focusing on stress reduction, either through more sleep, yoga, meditation, less technology, or even just taking a vacation. Sometimes, you need to take a break. Also take a look at the people around you and the toxic effect they could have on you.

5. Reduce the toxins in your food, personal care products, and home. When you are absorbing too many toxins from various products throughout the day, your body’s alarm system is going to go off. You want to cut down on your exposure by eating organic products and drinking filtered water as much as possible while also choosing non-toxic personal care and cleaning products. The key is to go as natural as possible, so look for those ingredients that come from nature.

The Bottom Line

Inflammation can kill you. There’s no other way to say it. If you’re feeling the signs of inflammation or seeing them in the mirror, then it’s time to do something about it. Take small steps each day to lessen your toxic load, relax a bit, get some sleep, and you’re going to feel like a different person.

References:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22126533

Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology 2012 Jan;47(1):49-58

http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract;jsessionid=C2160A7957DC4D4A183D879E206D89D4.journals?aid=9968201&fileId=S0007114515002093

 

Dr France Carpentier
Dr. France Carpentier has over forty years of experience as a healthcare professional. She started as a Registered Nurse in Quebec, Canada, which was followed by over thirty years as a Chiropractor in Florida. She has always had a focus on nutrition using a holistic approach to health and wellness.