Inflammation Is Bigger Than You May Think

Inflammation is something we should all be thinking about.
Think of it like a weed.
It has roots in conditions such as arthritis and chronic joint
pain, heart disease, Crohns disease, neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Lou Gehrig's, and is
linked to Multiple Sclerosis as well, just to name a few.

What is inflammation?
Of the ten leading causes of mortality in the United States, chronic, low-level inflammation contributes to the pathogenesis of at least seven. These include heart disease, cancer, chronic lower respiratory disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, and nephritis (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2011; Bastard et al. 2006; Cao 2011, Jha et al. 2009; Ferrucci et al. 2010; Glorieux et al. 2009; Kundu et al. 2008; Murphy 2012; Singh et al. 2011)(lef.org).
As presented in an article from sciencedaily.com, healthy inflammation occurs naturally in the body to aid in the nervous system's response to injury (signaling the need for tissue repair) or infection (alerting the immune system). When the inflammation goes un-checked, beyond the necessary response to the afflicted area, damage and destruction of neurons can occur.  This is the role inflammation plays in neurodegenrative disease, the destruction of neurons.

Inflammatory markers named in an article from Life Extension Magazine, including fibrinogen and C-reactive protein (CRP), have been linked to heart disease and stroke.  "High fibrinogen levels can induce a heart attack via several mechanisms, including increased platelet aggregation, hyper-coagulation and excessive blood thickening. The New England Journal of Medicine studies showed that those with high levels of fibrinogen were more than twice as likely to die of a heart attack" (lef.org).  Further, "indicates an increased risk for destabilized atherosclerotic plaque and abnormal arterial clotting. When arterial plaque becomes destabilized, it can burst open and block the flow of blood through a coronary artery, resulting in an acute heart attack. One of The New England Journal of Medicine studies showed that people with high levels of C-reactive protein were almost three times as likely to die from a heart attack" (lef.org). 

What can you do?

The whole body is connected and should be treated as a whole.  It is but one harmonic system, and should be healed on the whole, not specific symptoms treated individually. I've even heard doctors and specialist stress the importance of brushing one's teeth twice daily and regular flossing as significant in reducing inflammation in the body- it's all connected.  I believe that an anti-inflammatory diet is a most logical place to begin. 

• Tea- Both green tea and black tea have anti-inflammatory properties that suppress inflammatory proteins.
• Turmeric- "Experts say, if you want relief from pain and swelling, try turmeric.  It might work as well as ibuprofen and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), but without their side effects.  Turmeric might even be powerful enough to fight the stiffness and swelling of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, according to the Arthritis Foundation" (Eat and Heal, p. 342).  Try a turmeric tea.
• Ginger-Like turmeric, ginger contains "curcumin, an antioxidant with pain fighting powers.  In laboratory studies, curcumin appeared to be as potent as NSAIDS, like ibuprofen.  The Arthritis Foundation even lists turmeric and ginger as alternative therapies for RA" (Eat and Heal, p. 311-312).
• Magnesium- "Magnesium was rated as the most anti-inflammatory dietary factor in the Dietary Inflammatory index, which rated 42 common dietary constituents on their ability to reduce CRP levels based on human and animal experimental and observation data" (Cavicchia et al. 2009)(lef.org).  Great dietary sources of magnesium are beans, bananas, oranges and seeds/nuts.
• Vitamin D- "Vitamin D appears to exert anti-inflammatory activity by the suppression of pro-inflammatory prostaglandins...several observational studies suggest vitamin D deficiency may promote inflammation. Vitamin D deficiencies are more common amongst patients with inflammatory diseases (including rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, and diabetes) than in healthy individuals" (Guillot et al. 2010)(lef.org).  The most fun way to get some Vitamin D is by soaking up some sun.
• Vitamin E- suppress C-reactive proteins, CRP.  Get some Vitamin E in wheat germ, almonds, peanuts, or sunflower seeds (Eat and Heal, p.55).
• Zinc and Selenium- "reduce reactive oxygen species (free radicals)... and prevents the production of several inflammatory enzymes" (lef.org). Find zinc in barley, wheat, and beans- selenium in whole wheat and mushrooms.
• Carotenoids- "In the Women’s Health and Aging Study, participants with the highest blood levels of α-carotene and total carotenoids were significantly more likely to have the lower IL-6 levels than participants with low carotenoid levels at the onset of the study (Walston et al. 2006)(lef.org).  Get carotenoids in foods rich in Vitamin A and beta carotene like apricots, cantaloupe, carrots, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, kale, spinach, mangoes and broccoli (Eat and Heal, p. 133).
• Sesame lignans- Currently being studied for their potential anti-inflammatory properties, they are found nutritionally in sesame oil (also believed to lower blood pressure).

-Stacey

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110512132410.htm
http://www.lef.org/protocols/health_concerns/chronic_inflammation_01.htm 
http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2001/jan2001_awsi.html

Eat and Heal, by the Editors of FC&A Medical Publishing.  2001.
Kitchen Doctor; Book of Healing Recipes, Jill Scott.  Hermes House, 2006.