THE BODY’S INFLAMMATORY RESPONSE

27/01/2012

A protective attempt to initiate healing

Life expectancy is longer than it's ever been due to better control of infectious diseases, medical advances and year-round access to more nutritious foods.

Unfortunately though, as the average age of the population has risen, so has the occurrence of inflammatory conditions.

There are numerous health issues caused by inflammation. Acute inflammatory injuries ie. injuries that are of a sudden onset, such as a sprained ankle, or a headache, can be brief but severe.

The opposite are chronic problems, ie. habitual problems and occurring for a long time or re-occurring frequently, such as Alzheimer's, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, cancer, arthritis, and late onset diabetes.

Inflammation causes redness, swelling, heat, pain or loss of function. Most inflammation is caused either by tissue damage or cell injury. Common causes of these are:

• Trauma - acute, as in surgery, or chronic, as is the case with repetitive-stress injuries such as tennis elbow
• Age - accumulation of sun damage, stress and wear and tear, all of which cause oxidative stress
• Environmental factors - allergies, irritants and pollution
• Diet - additives in foods, pesticides, inadequate nutrient density and carcinogenic cooking methods

Inflammation is the body's way of protecting itself.

Most of us have experienced, for example, a swollen ankle. As a result, you are less likely to be active, ie. walk or run and increase the injury.

However, the body can “over-react” and fail to switch off this protective mechanism. So, once the body tissue is inflamed, the series of chemical reactions in the body that keep it inflamed can actually increase the problem.

That’s why chronic inflammation becomes dangerous.

Massage increases blood flow to an area and so therefore should be avoided in situations where an inflammatory response is occurring. At a later stage, such as after the immediate acute stage or during a latent chronic stage, when things have settled, massage can be extremely beneficial in mechanically removing waste products and helping transport nutrients and fluids back into the affected area.

The good news is nutritional practices can also help reduce inflammation and thereby decrease your symptoms. Nutrition can be beneficial not only in the long term but also in the immediate stages of inflammation, a time where massage cannot be used.

Nutrition for instance, can decrease the damaging effects of the by-products of oxidative stress. Consuming antioxidants decreases damage done by oxidative stress and decrease signs of inflammation (pain, redness, heat, etc). Eating a diet rich in antioxidants such as fruit, nuts and green leafy vegetables, will help protect the body against cell-membrane damage that can accelerate the aging process.

Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, such as olive oil, safflower and sunflower oils, peanut oil, walnut oil, and flaxseed oil all decrease inflammation. These sources of healthy fat are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and have been shown to decrease one’s risk for age-related inflammatory diseases.

Reducing your exposure to environmental toxins can also help. Eating organically and seasonally can cut down your environmental exposures because organic and seasonal foods have fewer pesticides, less additives and typically aren’t as highly processed, and are therefore less susceptible to loss of nutrients during heating/cooking.

In addition to eating a balanced diet rich in antioxidants and good fats, you should consume adequate protein for cellular metabolism.

Exercising daily will also help decrease inflammation, as it decreases stress and balances blood sugar.

Finally, a reduction of stress overall will also help. When stressed, your adrenal glands are in full fight-or-flight mode. Stress increases muscle tension and inflammation and decreases metabolism and the body’s ability to heal, repair and rest.