Inflammation
Inflammation: Good & Bad: Acute (short-term) inflammation occurs when the body’s immune system activates inflammatory cells to strengthen your body’s defenses or to begin the healing process. If left unchecked, chronic (long-term) inflammation inhibits the body’s healing process & initiates illness/disease development. Foods, exercise, environment, stress management, exposure to bacterial/viral infections and toxic chemicals are elements that impact the immune system. Assess each element and reduce long-term exposure to inflammation.
Systemic Inflammation: Chronic inflammation can cause chronic disease, but chronic disease can sustain inflammation. Some blood tests that reveal signs of inflammation are C-Reactive Protein(CRP) [measures acute/chronic conditions], Hb-A1C (A1C) [blood glucose] & Interleukin-6 (IL-6) [measures specific disease inflammation [lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, bowels dysfunction, sepsis, some cancers]. Range values may vary from lab to lab & may be impacted by medical conditions, treatment & medications. Discuss each test with your doctor & learn more on how to improve chronic inflammation.
Inflammation Risks: Chronic inflammation damages arteries, veins, organs, joints, DNA and it increases risk for diabetes, overweight/obesity, cancer, Alzheimer’s, rheumatoid arthritis, bowel/kidney disease and skin disorders. Some signs & symptoms of chronic inflammation are intestinal disturbances, chronic fatigue, insomnia, depression, anxiety, mood disorders, fever, joint, chest or muscle pain, oral discomfort, various skin conditions & frequent infections. Report these symptoms to your doctor to start addressing your inflammation risks.
Inflammation, because: Some causes of inflammation are related to some medications, foods (meats, dairy, eggs, processed foods, sugar, vegetable/seed oil, refined grains, fast foods), excessive alcohol use, inactivity, extreme exercise, insomnia, smoking & vaping. For better health, take steps to reduce & eliminate everything in your life that causes inflammation.
Ignore It: Ignoring any amount of long-term inflammation will challenge your body to heal itself. If left unaddressed, medications and/or procedures may be needed to correct or stabilize the damage done. Review the possible inflammation sources/causes in your life and take action to reduce it. Your health is depending on you.
Prevent/Manage/Reverse: In addition to reducing or eliminating the causes of inflammation, you can help reduce it by taking some anti-inflammatory actions. Eat foods that are high in omega-3 (walnuts, tofu, flaxseed, chia seeds) and have high anti-inflammatory properties (beans, lentils, berries, dark greens, turmeric, rosemary, cinnamon, cumin, ginger, green tea). Reduce your body weight to achieve a healthy Waist-Hip Ratio. Stay active (walking) & exercise routinely (cardio, resistance training). Manage stress (meditation, prayer, yoga, breathing) and improve your sleep habits.