The February 23, 2004 issue of Time© magazine’s cover story was “Inflammation the Secret Killer.” This cover story was finally bringing national attention to a conclusion nutritionists and holistic health practitioners had been long aware of—that untreated inflammation in the body kills. The article went on to point out the link between many serious conditions, such as heart disease, colon cancer, and Alzheimer’s, to inflammation in the body.
In the book The UltraMind Solution, Dr. Mark Hyman suggests inflammation may be the basis of “almost all psychiatric and neurological conditions.” He recommends cooling chronic inflammation to bring balance to our body and reverse the trend we currently see with rampant diabetes and cardiovascular disease. In fact, the third of his seven keys to balance is to “Cool off Inflammation.”
The inflammatory response is a normal biological process of our immune system. Inflammation is one of body’s major lines of defense and protection to injury and foreign substances. So, how does the body’s natural inflammatory response lead to such serious conditions as heart disease and cancer?
First, let’s briefly look at what the inflammatory response is. The inflammatory response occurs when the body experiences an injury or encounters an unwanted invader (pathogen). The injury or invader triggers a release of chemical signals such as histamine (think of Benadryl™, which is an anti-histamine drug). These chemical signals cause a rush of blood and immune cells to the affected area. Some of the cells, called phagocytes, act like living "Pac-Men" and attempt to engulf anything that’s considered the enemy, like bacteria and dirt or debris. The increased blood flow physically flushes the area, and elevated temperatures also work to kill bacteria. The redness and swelling we commonly see with an injury is a result of the increased blood flow to the area. Eventually, more healthy cells and nutrients are sent to help repair the affected area, and messages are sent to cease the process. This is the normal way it works. What happens in the errant response is sometimes the body doesn’t stop the process or it mistakes its own cells as invaders to be duly eliminated. The state of chronic inflammation then becomes like a wildfire consuming healthy tissue and unleashing a host of problems. Some signs of chronic inflammation are:
Many external and internal factors can trigger an abnormal inflammatory response. We now know poor diet and poor assimilation of nutrients are key culprits and that using nutrition to cool inflammation is an important step to cooling inflammation. Foods that cool inflammation include:
Acupuncture/Oriental Medicine can also assist with supporting your immune system and helping to bring balance to your body by cooling inflammation. In fact, one of the major treatment methods we employ is “to clear (or cool) the heat.” So, for more information on this topic, speak with your acupuncturist on how he or she can help you. Balance is possible.
In the book The UltraMind Solution, Dr. Mark Hyman suggests inflammation may be the basis of “almost all psychiatric and neurological conditions.” He recommends cooling chronic inflammation to bring balance to our body and reverse the trend we currently see with rampant diabetes and cardiovascular disease. In fact, the third of his seven keys to balance is to “Cool off Inflammation.”
The inflammatory response is a normal biological process of our immune system. Inflammation is one of body’s major lines of defense and protection to injury and foreign substances. So, how does the body’s natural inflammatory response lead to such serious conditions as heart disease and cancer?
First, let’s briefly look at what the inflammatory response is. The inflammatory response occurs when the body experiences an injury or encounters an unwanted invader (pathogen). The injury or invader triggers a release of chemical signals such as histamine (think of Benadryl™, which is an anti-histamine drug). These chemical signals cause a rush of blood and immune cells to the affected area. Some of the cells, called phagocytes, act like living "Pac-Men" and attempt to engulf anything that’s considered the enemy, like bacteria and dirt or debris. The increased blood flow physically flushes the area, and elevated temperatures also work to kill bacteria. The redness and swelling we commonly see with an injury is a result of the increased blood flow to the area. Eventually, more healthy cells and nutrients are sent to help repair the affected area, and messages are sent to cease the process. This is the normal way it works. What happens in the errant response is sometimes the body doesn’t stop the process or it mistakes its own cells as invaders to be duly eliminated. The state of chronic inflammation then becomes like a wildfire consuming healthy tissue and unleashing a host of problems. Some signs of chronic inflammation are:
- Obesity
- Diabetes/Metabolic syndrome
- Infection
- Gingivitis
- Cardiovascular disease
- Eye Disorders
- Joint pain and arthritis
- Colon, breast and lung cancers
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Ulcerative colitis and inflammatory bowel disease
- Asthma and allergies
Many external and internal factors can trigger an abnormal inflammatory response. We now know poor diet and poor assimilation of nutrients are key culprits and that using nutrition to cool inflammation is an important step to cooling inflammation. Foods that cool inflammation include:
- Flaxseed
- Green tea
- Turmeric
- Cantaloupe
- Avocado
- Pineapple
- Lemons
- Kale
- Broccoli
- Blueberries
Acupuncture/Oriental Medicine can also assist with supporting your immune system and helping to bring balance to your body by cooling inflammation. In fact, one of the major treatment methods we employ is “to clear (or cool) the heat.” So, for more information on this topic, speak with your acupuncturist on how he or she can help you. Balance is possible.
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