Wellness Through Wisdom

UNDERSTANDING INFLAMMATION, AGING, AND DIS-EASE

Inflammation in the body is a common problem. The suffix ‘-itis’ medically means inflammation - like bronchitis (inflammation of the of the bronchi in the lungs) or arthritis (from Greek arthro-, joint + -itis, inflammation). There are hundreds of diseases that are inflammatory in nature. Some scientists and doctors are now beginning to proclaim that inflammation is the cause of all degenerative disease and that inflammation on a cellular level is the cause of aging.

First of all, what is the purpose of inflammation? It is a natural bodily response that is the immune system responding to infections, bacteria, injuries, or viruses. It is characterized by swelling, redness, and heat. An inflammed area can be sensitive and painful. This is the body’s attempt to protect the area and remove whatever is harming the tissues.

Though inflammation can be part of a healing process, it can also be damaging. In the case of auto-immune related diseases (such as type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, etc.), the immune system chronically attacks normal healthy tissues with an inflammatory response. Dr. Andrew Weil (well-known author and holistic doctor) writes, “We now know that inflammation also plays a causative role in heart disease, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, as well as other age-related disorders, including cancer.” And at a recent conference, he commented, “The idea on the medical horizon is that chronic inflammation is a root cause of degenerative diseases.”

Inflammation can affect our cells and our organs creating dis-ease, but can also damage our appearance by damaging our skin cells and our tissues. Another well-known doctor who has authored many books on the subject of anti-aging and developed a skin care line around these principles, Nicholas Perricone, M.D., gives this explanation on his website, “After years of research Dr. Perricone arrived at the conclusion that cellular inflammation may be the underlying cause of wrinkles. According to Dr. Perricone, this inflammation is not the redness that is visible to the naked eye but rather microscopic irritation that takes place in your cells leading to cellular damage. He believes that this inflammation is responsible for skin-related problems like breakouts, wrinkles, and loss of firmness.”

We can also look at inflammation from the spiritual, emotional, and mental perspectives. In her book, Heal Your Body, Louise Hay writes that inflammation stems from fear, “seeing red”, or inflammed thinking. She suggests using the affirmation: “My thinking is peaceful, calm, and centered.” I have also been told through several alternative health care providers (in response to my own auto-immune disorder) that auto-immune diseases are essentially a form of self-destructive behavior manifesting in the body - in other words, the body attacking itself.

The good news is that inflammation, on all levels, can be greatly supressed through the observance of an anti-inflammatory diet. The main things you want to be aware of on this diet are having a lot of healthy fats and high omega-3 levels and foods that contain high levels of antioxidants. Because I have found most diets to be confusing and over-explained, I am simply going to list the key elements of the diet that best counteracts chronic inflammation:

Key Elements of the Anti-Inflammatory Diet:
- eat low-glycemic foods (sugar whether from sugar, fruits, or carbs that metabolize into sugar like pasta are very inflammatory)
- eat lean proteins
- eat healthy fats
- drink spring water - the proper amount is half your weight in ounces per day
- drink green tea
- high fiber from fruits and veggies
- avoid nightshade family plants (tomatoes, white potatoes, eggplant, bell peppers, etc.)
- a healthy balance of omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9 fatty acids (omega-3s are what we tend to not eat enough of and they are highly anti-inflammatory. They come from oily fish like salmon, walnuts, flax, hemp, etc.)
- avoid margarine, vegetable shortening, and partially hydrogenated vegetable oils
- limit carbohydrate foods such as bread, white potatoes, crackers, pastries, doughnuts, cookies
- experiment with cutting wheat and/or all gluten from your diet - it is a common food allergen and causes inflammation
- cut out anything with high fructose corn syrup as an ingredient
- no fast food
- limit processed foods
- eat whole grains
- choose temperate fruits over tropical fruits
- eat squashes and sweet potatoes
- eat a lot of soy foods, beans, lentils, legumes, and tofu for protein
- limit meat and poultry, but eat free-range and organic when you do have it
- get healthy fats from oily cold water fish like wild Alaska salmon, halibut, sardines, herring, anchovies, and black cod
- eat shellfish (if you are not allergic)
- get healthy fats also from nuts, seeds, and extra virgin olive oil
- add Flaxseed oil, flaxseeds, flaxseed meal, hempseed oil, hempseeds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, Brazil nuts, sesame seeds to your foods
- enjoy avocado
- eat dark green leafy vegetables, including kale, spinach, purslane, mustard greens, collards, etc
- low fat dairy like yogurt is good - though note that some arthritis sufferers report relief when eliminating dairy from their diet completely
- try Acai - a Brazilian berry, great in smoothies