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By Anil Minocha MD, author of Wall Street Journal Best Seller Dr. M's Seven-X Plan for Digestive Health
Effect of chronic inflammation
Chronic inflammation has been implicated as a significant risk factor for many chronic diseases like chronic heart disease, diabetes, obesity etc as well as cancers like liver cancer due to chronic viral hepatitis B or C, lung cancer due to chronic inflammation due to chronic irritant effect of smoking.
Inflammation has also been implicated in neurobehavioral and neurodegenerative disorders like autism, schizophrenia and Alzheimers.
Is It Leaky Gut or Leaky Gut Syndrome?
How does chronic inflammation cause diseases
- Release of reactive oxygen radicals during inflammation
- Increased damage resulting in increased regeneration of cells and impaired repair increasing risk of errors in healing leading to diseases including but not limited to cancer.
Curbing inflammation
Importance of harmful effects of inflammation can be gauged by the fact that a simple aspirin is not just effective against chronic inflammatory diseases like arthritis, it can also reduce not only heart disease but also many cancers. However medications like aspirin have increased risk for complications like ulcers and bleeding etc and may not be appropriate for everyone.
Pharmaceuticals to treat inflammation
- Nonsteroidal Antiinflammatory drugs
- Corticosteroids
- Biologic anti-TNF drugs like Remicaide
Wall Street Journal Best Seller Dr. M's Seven-X Plan for Digestive Health
Natural ways to curb low grade chronic inflammation
These strategies apply to the constant low level inflammation our body is subjected to due to constant barage of dietary and evironmental stimuli surrounding us. These must not to be understood as a substitute for otherwise treatable causes like antimicrobials for infections like tuberculosis, orthoperdic treatments for fractures etc. Be sure to talk to your doctor.
Weight control and reduce obesity
Obesity is both a cause an result of chronic low grade inflammation. Breaking this cycle by proper weight control makes for a healthy body and lower risk of chronic diseases
Dietery modifications
- Eat healthy diet. Mediterranean diet has been shown to provide the most benefit among the widely prevalent dietary patterns.
- Increase intake of omega-3 fatty acids in diet. Omeg-6 fatty acids are needed as well but in right proportion since they tend to be proinflammatory. Modern Western diet has over abundance of proinflammatory omega6 fatty acids whereas ancient diets had equal proportions. Reduce ratio of omega3 to omega 6 fatty acids in diet.
- Low cholesterol diet
- Low glycemic index foods: High glycemic diet promotes inflammation
- High fiber diet is low glycemic plus has prebiotic effects
- Diet rich in argenine, vitamins B, C, D, E, magnesium
- Diet rich in carotenoids, lycopene and astaxanthin. Foods rich in lycopene include tomatoes, red grapefruit, and guava. Astaxanthin is mainly derived from seafood like salmon, shrimp etc.
- Flavonoids-rich diet like green tea; polygonum cuspidatum also known as Japanese knotweed containing 20% resveratrol; ginger; garlic
- Use turmeric for cooking: It is also known as the yellow curry powder
- Reduce saturated fats, trans-fats in diet
Is It Leaky Gut or Leaky Gut Syndrome?
Natural dietary supplements
Studies on use of natural supplements have been conflicting.
One reason might be that dietary sources are much more complete and balanced source of anti-inflammatory components as compared to isolated micronutrients. Another reason may be a reflection of healthy eating habits in many of the populations studied, like nurses, doctors as compared to truck drivers or busy executives always on the move.
Other reasons include too little, too late or wrong combinations. Supplements of potential benefits include:
- Multivitamin multimineral and antioxidant supplements
- Curcumin
Overall, it is much better to take diet rich in above over taking just the supplements!
Lifestyle changes
- Moderate drinking
- Smoking cessation
- Regular physical exercise although strenuous exercise actually is proinflammatory
- Good orodental hygiene: Bad teeth are associated with increased risk of chronic ilments like heart disease
Is It Leaky Gut or Leaky Gut Syndrome?
The vaccination conundrum
Vaccinations may reduce flu and may reduce risk of diseases later. At the same time, while individual vaccinations given exclusively have been shown to be safe, some have questioned if multiple vaccinations over a short period of time may alter the immune balance/dysfunction and risk of chronic low inflammatory state over long term in select individuals who may be susceptible to their genetics and/or the other environmental influences that these individuals may be surrounded by.
The National Institute of Health is of the opinion that vaccinations do not play role in diseases like autism. However, this issue continues to be mired in debate with passionate proponents of each side including celebrities and politicians. Be sure to read controversy surrounding
Is It Leaky Gut or Leaky Gut Syndrome?
Wall Street Journal Best Seller Dr. M's Seven-X Plan for Digestive Health
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