Is Inflammation Messing With Your Body?

Inflammation is a problem for everyone at some point in their life.   Inflammation is a localized physical condition in which part of the body becomes reddened, swollen, hot, or painful in reaction to an injury or infection.

Acute Inflammation — this is the injury type of inflammation.   You twist your ankle or slam your finger in a door.   Allergic Inflammation — is when your body has a reaction to an allergy such as a food that doesn’t sit well in your system or a bee sting.   It is another form of acute inflammation.   A physical reaction that is short lived and the problem is solved by your body.

If you get a splinter for instance: the defense cells recognize something wrong in your body and send signals to other cells. Next, the mast cells release a chemical that cause the blood vessels in the area to dilate. This action creates holes and allow white blood cell fluid to the exit vessel, begin to fight the invading microbes, and heal any tissue damages. That fluid is what causes swelling. Once the injury fixed, the micro war is over, and everything goes back to normal.

Chronic Inflammation — is not the natural healing processes of our body working correctly.   This is when your body stays on high alert thinking it is being attacked all the time.   Chronic inflammation is what can increase your risks for other diseases.   Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus are examples of chronic inflammation.   Inflammation in the brain contributes to Alzheimer’s disease and depression.    Long term inflammation may cause increased risk of serious conditions such as heart diseases and cancer.

Symptoms of Chronic Inflammation:   Fatigue, extra belly fat, high blood sugar and digestive problems.

Treatment:   Aspirin and ibuprofen are the solution for pain. Corticosteroids are the next level solution.

Prevention of Chronic Inflammation:   Changing your diet can have a huge impact on inflammation.   Avoid processed meat, refined carbohydrates (donuts, cookies), and soybean oils.   Soybean oils are in almost everything.   You are going to have to read labels.   Increase your consumption of fruits and vegetables.   High fiber foods, blueberries and leafy greens are excellent places to start.   Adding fish to your diet will also help.   Your new food habits need to be life long changes not temporary measures.   Stress causes inflammation so learning to de-stress is important.   Make sure you workout, hang out with friends or add some new habits to help you unwind.