A Huge Number of Illnesses are Caused by Inflammation

[Guest guest]

http://www.naturalnews.com/027335_inflammation_health_immune_system.html

There is a surprising link between Heart Attacks, Cancer, Alzheimer's and other

diseases. These other diseases include all forms of Autoimmune disorders

including Arthritis and MS, Parkinson's, Osteoporosis, Diabetes, Obesity,

Allergies including Asthma and Food Intolerances, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome,

Fibromyalgia and many other pain disorders. And there is much evidence to

suggest that the link is inflammation. The modern diet and lifestyle is likely

to cause inflammation in the body, and this can lead to a variety of illnesses.

Inflammation is now the hottest area of medical research, as drug companies rush

to find remedies for this modern day epidemic. Unfortunately, these drugs are

generally dangerous and don't get to the root of the problem.

Inflammation is the age-old immunological defense mechanism that causes the area

of tissue of an injury to become red, hot and swollen. Most of the time,

inflammation is a lifesaver that enables our bodies to fend off various

disease-causing bacteria, viruses and parasites. The inflammatory response

should subside after it has fought off any invaders to an injury site and has

allowed the healing to begin. However in certain circumstances, the inflammatory

response fails to shut down and becomes chronic.

This is often due to poor dietary and lifestyle factors which promote chronic

inflammation. Immune cells use " free radicals " to kill off pathogens and other

foreign invaders. Free radicals (also known as reactive oxygen species) are

unstable particles which puncture and damage cells around them. This is great

for killing bacteria, but it can also damage healthy cells if allowed to become

out of control. In a body with chronic inflammation, there is therefore

increased free radical or " oxidative " stress in the body. Free radicals damage

blood vessels, joints, cell membranes, nerves and just about any other part of

the body - this is why chronic inflammation is so bad for us. Free radical

stress is also essentially how we age.

The body has an army of natural defense against free radicals; these are known

as anti-oxidants. In states of chronic inflammation, the body can become

depleted of anti-oxidants, and hence free radical stress does a lot of damage.

This in turn causes more inflammation and more free radicals! It is essential to

break this cycle of damage by lowering factors which promote inflammation, and

by boosting our anti-oxidant status through dietary and lifestyle changes.

One last point - do we want to " boost " our immune system if it is already

" over-active " due to inflammation? The answer is yes and no! There is only one

PART of the immune system which gets over-active and begins to create problems

with inflammation. Another part of the immune system works along a different

line of attack; it does not create inflammation, but does a very important job

fighting off bacteria, parasites, cancers cells and viruses. Many people today

have signs of inflammation, yet also come down with yeast infections, viruses,

dental infections and so on. In a sense their immune system needs modulation,

reduction of the pro-inflammatory side, and a boost to the other side which

fights off the baddies without inflammation.

Risk factors which promote inflammation:

-A poor diet can create micro-nutrient deficiencies. Type " B " malnutrition is

rampant in the Western countries. This is a diet high in calories but deficient

in nutrients, resulting in obesity and poor health. Micro-nutrient deficiencies

make us more susceptible to low grade infections such as helicobacter pylori

(the cause of stomach ulcers), gum disease, recurrent urinary tract infections,

and Chlamydia. All low grade chronic infections can set up a chronic

inflammation in the body.

-Poor gut health. A significant part of the immune system is found in the gut.

The immune system in the gut is one of the most important first lines of defense

against the outside world; after all, it is the area where matter from the

outside is brought inside the body. The gut contains many billions of bacteria;

most of them are good and help promote good immunity as well as good digestion,

and they help with the absorption of nutrients. However, if there is an

over-growth of " bad bacteria " , these produce toxins and trigger the immune

system. This is known as gut dysbiosis and can trigger a systemic low grade

inflammation throughout the body's immune system. A symptom of poor gut health

are food intolerances. A diet low in fiber and high in saturated fat and sugar

promotes gut dysbiosis. Constipation is very bad for your health!

-Stress causes inflammation through worsening gut health, makes the body more

susceptible to chronic low grade infections and lowers the immunity to bacteria,

viruses, parasites and so on. All of this can trigger inflammation.. Stress can

also reduce cortisol hormone levels if adrenals are exhausted, which is a

natural anti-inflammatory hormone.

-Obesity. Fat cells behave like immune cells, spewing out messages to increase

the inflammatory immune response. Therefore a sedentary lifestyle and a diet

high in fat and sugar promote inflammation.

- Environmental pollution such as pesticides, heavy metals and other toxic

chemicals from things like exhaust fumes and electrical appliances.

-Excessive sunlight since sun burn is free radical stress.

-Excessive exercise since the process of energy production produces free

radicals as a by-product. Some exercise is good for you but overdoing it at the

gym every day is very bad for you.

-Trans and hydrogenated fats made from over-heating vegetable oils. These are

also found in processed and refined foods and deep fried foods.

-A diet deficient in anti-oxidants; (anti-oxidants can be found in most fruit

and vegetables).

www.medterms.com/script/main/art.as...

nutrition.about.com/od/.../a/antiinflamfood.htm

users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/.../I/Inflammation.html

About the author

is author of " WHY ME? My Journey from M.E. to Health and Happiness "

and founder of The Optimum Health Clinic, an award winning clinic specialising

in M.E./C.F.S./Fibromyalgia based in Harley Street Clinic, London, UK. The

clinic has treated over 5,000 patients with M.E./Chronic Fatigue

Syndrome/Fibromyalgia in over twenty-five countries around the world, and is

currently running a two year clinical trial in conjunction with two top

universities. A free information pack, including a 75 documentary about the

clinic and its work, can be ordered from www.FreedomFromME.co.uk

 

 

Love, Gabby. :0)

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" I know of nobody who is purely Autistic or purely neurotypical. Even God had

some Autistic moments, which is why the planets all spin. " ~ Jerry Newport