Inflammation - you body's greatest defense - can also be its greatest enemy.How many times have you seen something being criticized for being "inflammatory"? Whether it's Omega-6 fats or sugar or stress, everything bad seems to create inflammation - but what actually is inflammation and why is it such a problem?
And, if it's so dangerous, why do our bodies keep doing it in response to everything it doesn't like?I want you to think of inflammation like that of fire.
See...fire is one of man's greatest tools.
It can fuel large factories and keep our houses warm. Yet, if left unattended, it can burn thousands of acres of trees in a day. A small spark can cause an electrical fire that can destroy a home in a blink of an eye.
So, like fire, inflammation can be very useful in certain circumstances and detrimental in others.
Inflammation: It's Not All Bad
Unfortunately, most people assume that inflammation is a bad thing (and, it is if it chronically experienced) but it is a natural immunological response that aids in the healing process.What a healthy inflammatory response does is...
- It's our body's way of responding to outside invaders - stress, infections or toxic chemicals.
- It protects a wound or fights off illness. When the swelling, redness, and warmth present it is a sign that our immune system is recruiting white blood cells, immune stimulating growth factors, and nutrients to heal the affected areas.
- It prepares you for "battle". Your body release C-reactive proteins in response to inflammation. This is a natural part of your body's biological "fight or flight" response to stress.
The takeaway is this...Inflammation is good, when it is necessary to aid in the healing and repair process.
Inflammation: Sometimes It Is Bad
But, when inflammation is experienced chronically is when it has a detrimental affect on our bodies.
Chronic inflammation, also known as systemic inflammation, is a result of an autoimmune (allergic) reaction.
Systemic inflammation generally is triggered in your gut, due to damage to the gut lining. As a result, digestion is impaired and absorption of nutrients is negatively affected. As foreign substances leak through the gut lining, your body initiates an attack on these foreign invaders.
The response being inflammation, allergic reactions, and other symptoms we relate to a variety of diseases.
You might be thinking that your body is doing what it is supposed to be doing...recognizes a threat and takes the appropriate steps to counteract the situation.
Inflammation: Summing It Up
Again, if inflammation is a one-time thing, it is nothing to worry about. To be honest, it's necessary; you wouldn't be able to recover from injuries without it. But when inflammation is experienced chronically, it can and often does lead to numerous serious and debilitating diseases - heart disease, cancer, depression, obesity. Since your immune system can become overburdened, these inflammatory triggers are cycled continuously through your blood where they affect nerves, organs, connective tissues, joints, and muscles.
So, how can we stop your body's greatest defense from becoming your body's greatest enemy?
- Ensure your aOS (the master control system for your inflammatory response) is working properly.
- Eliminate any inflammatory foods (ie. dairy, refined starches, grains, sugar)
- Take care of your gut. Unhappy gut flora are an inflammation bomb waiting to go off.
- Get an adequate amount of rest (7-9 hours of sleep)
- Move. (20-30 minutes of exercise daily).
If you, or someone you know, are suffering from Chronic Inflammation please contact us to schedule a complimentary consultation.
Our job at TruCentered Chiropractic Care is to make sure you have a high functioning aOS so your body works for you, not against you