Inflammation is something that we have all experienced. Its main symptoms are: redness, swelling and heat. But sometimes there are other things like fever and chills, and in some cases it may seem like you are catching a cold or the flu.
Inflammation affects many aspects of our life. It plays an important role in our body and it is not something we can do without. But even if it protects us and plays a critical role when we are injured, it can cause serious problems if it gets out of control. When this happens, we refer to it as Chronic inflamation.
It may seem a bit ironic that something so important to our well-being and good health can also ruin our health and even cause death, but it is true. Chronic inflammation is something you should definitely avoid. It has attracted a lot of attention lately because scientists have shown that in one way or another it is associated with most major diseases. Both heart disease and cancer have been linked to inflammation problems. In connection with heart disease, it can cause coronary blockage and heart attack. For years we have been told to keep cholesterol low to prevent plaque build-up in our arteries, but scientists now believe that inflammation plays as important a role as cholesterol and plaque.
Inflammation is also a villain in relation to cancer, particularly at the onset of cancer. Things are not so clear cut here, and certainly not all cancers are caused by inflammation. However, some of the cells and chemicals involved in inflammation have been shown to create DNA mutations that can eventually lead to cancer; Furthermore, it can also make precancerous cells to become active cancer cells. Some of the cancers known to be associated with inflammation are colon, lung, stomach, esophagus, and breast.
Many other diseases are also associated with inflammation. Rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, MS, lupus, emphysema, and gingivitis are all inflammatory diseases. In fact, any disease whose name ends with “itis” is an inflammatory disease. Some examples are: bursitis, tendonitis, arthritis, hepatitis, and colitis.
When you are injured, your body initiates a response that depends to some extent on the type of injury and where it is located, but is generally characterized by two main components called cellular and exudative responses. In the cellular response, the white blood cells from the blood vessels rush to the injured tissue. They seep out of the capillaries and quickly engulf and consume any foreign object, such as bacteria or cell debris; they also help “isolate” the infection to prevent it from spreading.
In the exudative response there is movement of fluids containing fibrin and various types of antibodies. Blood vessels dilate upstream of the infection and constrict downstream. This causes a swelling in the infected area. Various types of particles and cells are involved in the process; some trigger inflammation, others turn it off. What you don’t want is to have too many that trigger inflammation and too few that turn it off. Once the injury has healed and things are back to normal, the swelling should go away. If not, you are in trouble and you should do something about it.
What can you do? To get an answer, let’s look at some of the main factors that lead to chronic inflammation. They are:
1. Our genes.
2. The foods we eat, especially saturated fat.
3. Lack of sleep.
4. Lack of exercise.
5. Contaminated air and water.
6. Smoking.
7. High cholesterol.
We can’t do much with our genes, but we can do something with the food we eat. One of the best anti-inflammatory agents is omega-3, and one of the best sources is fish, especially salmon and sardines. Apart from fish, you should eat whole grains, nuts and seeds, vegetables, and fruits. It is also important to stay physically active and maintain the proper weight; overweight people are much more susceptible to inflammation. Finally, make sure you get enough sleep and avoid contaminated water and air.