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14 Steps to Reducing
Unhealthy Inflammation
with diet and
supplements
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Healthy inflammation is a
healing process and essential to our survival. But there is a dark
side to inflammation that is linked to a whole range of serious
diseases.
When we cut ourselves, we expect it to
heal. This is due to the finely organised sequence of events called
'inflammation'. The visible signs are pain, swelling and redness.
Healthy inflammation is essential to
our survival. It is local to the area of injury, and ends when the
injury is healed.
However, science is learning that
there is a dark side to inflammation - this sinister unhealthy
inflammation silently extends far beyond the original injury.
Unhealthy inflammation actually speeds
up wear and tear on vital organs, and many scientists now believe it
underlies accelerated ageing and degenerative organ decline.
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Diseases states implicated include:
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Patrick Holford
AGE Antioxidant
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It is now believed that one of the
major causes of this chronic pervasive inflammation is the change in
our diets, particularly the composition of fats and low levels of
antioxidants.
We all know that the modern diet is
highly processed and manufactured.
Over the years, the amount of
pro-inflammatory fats in the diet has increased substantially, while
anti-inflammatory fats have decreased. Instead of a 1:1 ratio
between these fats, the ratio is now 30:1 of pro-inflammatory fats
over anti-inflammatory fats in the Western diet. The result is that
the body can't turn off its inflammatory response, which sets the
stage for chronic inflammation.
The fats which increase unhealthy
inflammation are the
omega-6 family, found in corn, safflower, and other common cooking
oils. The good anti-inflammatory fats are the omega-3 family, found in
fish, flaxseed and leafy green vegetables.
Trans fats, found in most fried foods
and margarines, complicate the situation by inhibiting enzymes which
process the body's omega-3
fats.
There is also a lack of antioxidants
in the modern diet as most of us do not consume enough fruits and
vegetables, which are the main dietary sources of antioxidants.
Antioxidants are anti-inflammatory. They quench free radicals, which
are involved in inflammatory reactions.
So what
can we do to reverse this unhealthy trend?
First of all, we need to make good
food choices. A list of 14 dietary principles have been suggested in
the book "The Inflammation Syndrome" by Jack Challem.
Even adopting just a few of these
fundamental dietary principles will go a long way in reducing
unhealthy inflammatory tendencies, thereby reducing your risk of
degenerative illness.
Here are the 14 principles described
in this book.
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Eat a variety of fresh and whole
foods
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Eat more fish, especially
coldwater varieties
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Eat grass-fed lean meats, and game
meats
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Eat a lot of colourful vegetables
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Use spices and herbs to flavour
your foods
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Use olive oil as your primary
cooking oil
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Identify and avoid food allergens
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Avoid conventional vegetable
cooking oils
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Avoid or limit intake of all
refined sugars
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Avoid or limit intake of refined
grains
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Limit your intake of dairy
products
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Snack on nuts and seeds
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When thirsty, drink water
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When possible, eat organically
raised foods
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The Inflammation Syndrome: The Complete Nutritional Program to Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease, Arthritis, Diabetes, Allergies and Asthma |
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Every disease process is either caused
by or strongly influenced by inflammation. Nearly everyone knows
that inflammation is the underpinning of arthritis, allergies, and
other "-itis" diseases. In recent years, cardiologists have revised
their thinking on the causes of coronary artery disease, and they
now believe that chronic low-grade inflammation is at the root of
heart disease. Fuelled partly by a relatively inexpensive blood test
for high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, a marker and promoter of
inflammation, doctors around the world have found that inflammation
promotes disease complications in obesity, diabetes, cancer, and
many other chronic and catastrophic diseases. The Inflammation
Syndrome was the first book to connect the dots and explain how
inflammation promotes arthritis, allergies, heart disease,
Alzheimer's, cancer, and many other diseases. In this landmark book,
Jack Challem describes an anti-inflammatory diet and
anti-inflammatory supplements to help people improve their health.
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Omega-3 Fish Oil |
Patrick Holford
AGE Antioxidant |
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Brainsharp (omega 3
and GLA) |
SerraPlus
(anti-inflammatory) |
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We are
required to inform you that there is no intention, implied or
otherwise, that represents or infers that these products or
statements be used in the cure, diagnosis, mitigation, treatment, or
prevention of any disease.
Any
references, studies or testimonials on this website do not imply
that similar results will happen with your use of products referred
to. Our web pages are not intended to recommend any supplement
as a drug, as a diagnosis for specific illnesses or conditions, nor
as a product to eliminate diseases or other medical conditions or
complications. We make no medical claims as to the benefits of any
of the products to improve medical conditions.
We always
recommend that you work in conjunction with your primary medical
advisor, particularly if you have an existing medical condition, and
that you do not take any products during pregnancy or breast-feeding
without first referring to your primary medical
advisor.
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