The number one question I get asked is which supplements to take to reduce a symptom or symptoms of inflammation. It’s the start of an excellent question because hidden, chronic inflammation is the source to most known diseases of aging – heart disease, hypercholesterolemia, cancer, diabetes, depression, ADD, autoimmune diseases, gut dysfunction, allergies, arthritis, Alzheimer’s, dementia, diabetes, obesity, the list goes on. It doesn't matter what you call it, it's all inflammation wrapped up in a different outfit. Supplements are great but as the name suggests they are extra, in addition to, an add-on. They are meant to compliment a healthy lifestyle or address a deficiency. They can't negate the three root causes of inflammation - a poor diet, a barrage of stressors and an assault of daily toxins. You must identify which root cause or combination of causes are causing your inflammation, or the symptoms of chronic disease will become an ongoing battle you will never win.
Inflammation is a natural process in your body that is meant to induce healing through creating heat, swelling, pain, and redness. It’s a series of successive reactions that are only meant to come, stay for a short bit and then leave – like a visit from your in-laws. The problem arises when this inflammation process doesn’t stop, and it becomes a systemic, silent resident. The key word is “silent.” You probably feel fine, not great (maybe you don’t even remember what great feels like), and you might have had a few symptoms like brain fog or fatigue that your doctor told you is "normal for your age" or "genetic." (If this happens, ask for the inflammatory lab test: hs-CRP (optimal range: <1.0 mg/L) - this test should be run annually.) If you don’t take anything away but this, I will consider this blog a success: Your body is not healthy one day and sick the next. It doesn’t work like that. It's a progression which leads to systemic overload, inflammation, symptoms, and finally one or more of the chronic diseases mentioned in the intro. You have been designed to stay alive in a balanced, healthy, natural state. Every single cell in your body is fighting for its survival, every single second of every single day until your last breath on this planet. Symptoms of chronic disease only appear when the scales have been tipped in too many cells for far too long.
A little word on genetics before we move on: research shows only 20% (+/- 10%) of our health throughout our lifetime is genetically determined. Environmental factors have a far greater impact than the government, media, big pharma, and the food and beauty industry are wanting you to believe.
The Anti-Inflammatory Diet
The type of food and the quality of food you eat has a direct impact on every single aspect of your health including how much inflammation you have. There should be no confusion on why the rates for chronic disease continue to skyrocket and attack younger populations at an alarming rate, and why fertility has taken a nose-dive despite drug companies pumping out more "miracle" injections and pills. Period. No question. Peer-reviewed, evidence-based, no conflict research studies have all agreed - food and food quality matters. It's common sense. Are you eating processed foods with high fructose corn syrup, trans fats, artificial colorings, preservatives or added sugar? Replace those foods one-by-one with whole foods. Are you sensitive to dairy or gluten? If you don't know, eliminate dairy for a month then slowly reintroduce it and keep track of how you feel and the symptoms you are or are not experiencing. (Need a place to track this information and more? The Healthspan Journal is available on Amazon. Click here.) An elimination diet is the gold standard for investigating the foods that do and do not work for you. Please talk with a medical professional before beginning an elimination diet. Remember a whole food that causes you symptoms may do wonderfully well for someone else which is one of the many reasons why healthcare should always be tailored and personalized to the individual. Adding a probiotic and increasing your fiber intake during this phase would be beneficial to aid in healing your gut lining and restoring the microbiome.
Food quality is a huge topic to dive into in this post, but I would be remiss if I didn't touch on the toxic food chemicals in the American supply and give you resources to start enacting change. It's a root cause of inflammation that is quite literally poisoning you, your children, and everyone else you know and love. It's criminal. The best place to start is the
Environmental Working Group. Here are a few of my favorite resources from their website and app:
Dirty Dozen Food List - the list for 2024 will be out soon
Tap Water Database - we installed a reverse osmosis water filter after seeing this report for our area
When you are making changes, the key is to think progress, not perfection. Every step, no matter how small, in the right direction will make a difference over time.
Resources:
Effects of Probiotic Intervention on Markers of Inflammation and Health Outcomes in Women of Reproductive Age and Their Children - PMC (nih.gov)
Disclaimer
The content on this site is for informational and educational purposes only. It does not substitute professional medical advice from your healthcare professional.
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