Inflammation is suspected to be behind the vast majority of health problems today but is it truly the culprit it seems to be?
Inflammation is your immune system’s response to an injury or infection. When the body senses an attack, healthy white blood cells rush in to fight the infection and promote healing. Therefore the inflammation represents a temporary situation that serves a purpose and is actually a positive response.
However, sometimes this response occurs in response to other triggers that are not so positive. For instance, your body can become inflamed when exposed to toxins, experiencing chronic stress, or living with obesity and autoimmune disorders. In these cases, inflammation is prolonged or even permanent and may attack healthy cells and tissues.
This chronic inflammation can potentially lead to other serious health issues, including heart disease, cancer, or Alzheimer’s disease. Recent research points to inflammation also contributing to clinical depression, anxiety, aches and pains, gut health issues, and chronic fatigue syndrome.
When an area is inflamed, pain receptors can become hypersensitive, thus, lowering the pain threshold. Because inflammation is typically the result of homeostasis being compromised, the pain associated with inflammation is considered to be “protective,” to avoid further harm to that area.
If you’re experiencing pain, whether acute or ongoing, it’s a good indicator of inflammation within the body.
It’s beneficial to avoid those situations that may trigger an inappropriate immune response resulting in inflammation, so here are some of the most egregious offenders for damaging inflammation.
1. High Glycemic Index (GI) and Added Sugar
The glycemic index (GI) ranks carbohydrates on a sliding scale ranging from 1 to 100. Each food is assigned a number based upon the extent to which they elevate blood sugar levels when consumed. The higher the GI, the more rapidly the food is metabolized by our body, causing sudden spikes and dips in blood sugar levels. These high GI foods include processed and refined foods such as bread, pasta, white flour, white rice, cakes, cookies, muffins, and many kinds of cereal.
Low GI carbohydrates result in lesser fluctuations in our blood glucose and insulin levels, and experts indicate low GI foods represent one of the secrets to long-term good health.
2. Trans Fats
Trans fats occur naturally in small quantities in many animal foods. However, those synthetic products are industrially made in high-pressure environments and utilize chemicals, resulting in products that our bodies find difficult to process. Foods high in trans-fats include margarine, oils, fried foods, and processed and frozen foods.
By causing damage to cells in the lining of our blood vessels, inflammation occurs. Consumption of foods and food-related products containing trans fats should be avoided when possible, as they have been shown to be detrimental to our health.
3. Saturated Animal Fats
Saturated animal fats have been linked to an increased risk of inflammation-related health disorders, especially as it pertains to dairy found in baked and processed foods. These foods cause a gut imbalance and trigger an inflammatory response. We should mention that many nutritionists believe that the quality of animal fats makes a significant difference. In other words, pastured, grass-fed animals do not cause nearly the damage to the body as do saturated fats from factory-farmed, grain-fed animals.
The method of cooking also makes a difference. Cooking meats slowly at lower temperatures is best to avoid the inflammatory immune response.
4. Celiac Disease
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that primarily attacks the small intestine. When individuals develop an intolerance to gluten, gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea, abdominal bloating, loss of appetite, and failure to thrive in children can occur. Approximately
three million Americans have celiac disease, resulting in a need to cut down on gluten – or cut it out entirely.
If someone sensitive to gluten continues to ingest wheat, barley, corn, rye, oats, and rice, inflammation can become chronic. Over the long term, microscopic finger-like structures known as villi that line our small intestine will be damaged, affecting their ability to absorb nutrients. Ongoing damage to villi leads to belly pain, diarrhea, iron deficiency, and other digestive issues.
5. Excessive Alcohol Use
The process of breaking alcohol down in the liver creates toxins even more harmful than alcohol itself. These “byproducts” damage the liver and kidney cells, boost inflammation in the body and weaken natural immunity. Heavy drinking can also result in steatosis, or” fatty liver,” the earliest stage of liver disease caused by alcohol. The fat buildup can lead to dangerous, life-threatening medical issues such as alcoholic hepatitis.
Specific bacteria in the gut create lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which has been shown to encourage inflammation. Unfortunately, alcohol consumption significantly increases the movement of LPS from the stomach into the bloodstream. The liver plays a crucial role in detoxifying LPS and neutralizing any problems, but an unhealthy liver isn’t functioning as needed.
Long-term systemic inflammation caused by LPS will ultimately lead to irreversible organ damage.
6. Chronic Stress
Major life stressors are now known to trigger inflammation by increasing pro-inflammatory cytokines in our bloodstream, and these cytokines can cause fatigue, mood suppression, and social withdrawal. Over the last two years, people have suffered more stress than usual and have been processing perceived threats and fear in ways never before experienced.
This correlation between long-term social stress and inflammation may ultimately explain how mood health disorders develop and why they coincide with specific physical health disorders triggered by chronic inflammation.
Conclusion
In summary, inflammation is a natural, protective response. However, external stressors and adverse factors can cause significant damage when inflammation is prolonged.
If you are experiencing health problems, you may very well be dealing with inflammation. While a visit to your physician may be necessary, setting up an appointment with a registered dietician is also a smart move. For more information, call Longevity Wellness Clinic in Bradenton.