Inflammation has been found to be associated with just about every health condition, and researchers are furiously investigating chronic inflammation’s effects on health and possible preventive medical applications.
Why is it a new concept?
It’s new because modern medicine focuses on treating symptoms, not addressing the root cause of an issue.
Arthritis is inflammation of the joints. Heart disease is inflammation of the arteries. Instead of taking a medication to reduce joint pain or lower cholesterol, we would be better served by reducing inflammation in the body.
Instead of taking a medication to reduce joint pain or lower cholesterol, we would be better served by reducing inflammation in the body.
The Root of Most Diseases
Dr. Tanya Edwards, director of the Center for Integrative Medicine, writes that inflammation is now recognized as the “underlying basis of a significant number of diseases.”
Although inflammation has long been known to play a role in allergic diseases like asthma, arthritis, and Crohn’s disease, Edwards says that Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, and Parkinson’s disease may all be related to chronic inflammation in the body.
What Causes Inflammation?
What researchers believe is that an overactive immune system results in the body being flooded with defense cells and hormones that damage tissues.
Dietary and environmental toxins may build up in the body, turning the immune system on and keeping it highly reactive.
These foods promote inflammation:
Corn and soybean oils
Dr. Edwards points out that anti-inflammatory foods such as fiber, fruits, vegetables, and teas have been used to combat cancer, and vitamin E, curcumin, acetylcarnitine, and catechin have had positive and preventative effects on Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.
Foods high in anti-oxidants help to reduce damage caused by inflammation.
UCLA professor Greg Cole has been looking at how to control inflammation and possibly prevent Alzheimer’s disease with food substances such as curcumin, fruit flavonoids, omega-3 fatty acids, and reservatrol.
The Mediterranean diet contains many anti-inflammatory foods and has been shown to lower cholesterol and triglycerides and reduce symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. The diet has also been linked to reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.
There is no doubt that if you lose weight, inflammation is dramatically improved.
Although it isn’t the focus, most people who go on an anti-inflammatory diet also lose weight.
Dr. Andrew Greenberg, of Tuft University, says, “There is no doubt that if you lose weight, inflammation is dramatically improved.” This is because excess fatty acids circulating in the blood promote the inflammatory immune response.
My Healing Foods diet is also anti-inflammatory in nature. By reducing inflammation, you place your body in a state that is conducive to healing from diseases and other health conditions.
Dr. Nicholas Perricone is one of the leading proponents of the anti-inflammatory diet and has authored several books. He says that “all foods fit into three categories: pro-inflammatory, neutral, or anti-inflammatory.”