Is Chronic Inflammation Making You Hot and Bothered?

If you’ve ever stubbed your toe or suffered a minor paper cut, then you’re familiar with the effects of inflammation. The heat, redness, and swelling you experienced following that minor injury was the result of acute inflammation, which is part of your immune system’s natural response to trauma.

But there’s another kind of inflammation with which you may not be aware. Unlike acute inflammation, which usually involves pain and is short lived, chronic inflammation can be a “silent fire” and last for weeks or even years.

In fact, most people don’t even realize they’re “on fire” until they’re diagnosed with a serious disease. This may be why chronic inflammation has been identified as a factor in such diverse disorders as autoimmune diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease and rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, type II Diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

So, what is chronic inflammation? And more importantly, what can you do if you are suffering from it?

The Connection Between Inflammation and Your Immune System

Inflammation is an integral part of your body’s natural defenses. When threatened by harmful substances, such as a bacteria or viruses, your immune system sends wave after wave of white blood cells and chemicals to seek and destroy the offending organisms. This “inflammatory cascade” produces the heat, redness, and swelling which characterize acute inflammation. Once the offenders are destroyed the inflammatory cascade stops and healing begins.

During chronic inflammation, however, the inflammatory response is continual. Any number of factors can cause chronic inflammation.

Hereditary and environmental factors. Both may have a causal effect on autoimmune disease, such as inflammatory bowel disease or rheumatoid arthritis. In an autoimmune disease, your immune system mistakes its own tissues as “foreign,” unleashing the inflammatory response.

Typical Western lifestyle. Diets rich in sugars, fats, and food additives, as well as a sedentary lifestyle, may promote the production of inflammatory chemicals.

The “Fire” in Your Belly

Most people aren’t aware of the major role our gastrointestinal (GI) tract plays in our immune health. Besides digestion, our GI tract is home to nearly seventy percent of our immune system. It is a major source of lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell that plays a large role in defending the body against disease, and mast cells, which release histamines and other chemicals as part of an allergic response.

Calming the Flames—A Natural Approach

As home base for the majority of your immune system, your GI tract plays a vital role in your inflammatory response. By paying attention to your gut, you can minimize the effects of inflammation naturally. The following natural approaches can help:

Omega Essential Fatty Acids such as EPA and DHA may help decrease your risk of cardiovascular disease and support a healthy immune response. Although the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids are oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, and sardines, non-fish food options include flaxseed, flaxseed oil, and walnuts.
Ginger and rosemary have been shown to support the healthy metabolism of inflammatory chemicals.

Turmeric extract inhibits the activities of a wide range of enzymes implicated in pain and inflammation.

Rice protein has been shown to have a lower allergy potential than other protein sources, making it a safer alternative.
You can also minimize chronic inflammation by eating a healthier diet (including more vegetables and nutrient-dense superfoods) and getting regular, moderate exercise. Both will reduce the amount of fat in your body, which research suggests may incite the inflammatory response.

By Cindy Clayton-Sudalnik, D.C.

The Most Powerful Natural Antioxidant You May Never Have Heard Of

Antioxidants can play an important role in reducing inflammation in the body. Antioxidants help to counteract oxidative stress. They neutralize excess free radicals to protect cells, prevent illness, and reduce inflammation.

The most powerful natural antioxidant discovered to date is Hydroxytyrosol.

Hydroxytyrosol has an ORAC value (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity – its ability to absorb cell damaging free radicals) of 68,576 – which is considered to be 15 times higher than green tea and 3 times greater than CoQ10. It is recognized by scientists, because of numerous, well documented studies, for its powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effectiveness.

Hydroxytyrosol has the highest level of free radical absorption ever reported for a natural antioxidant. It has some very special characteristics that contribute to its effectiveness. It is:

* Rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream and tissues where it can perform its free radical scavenging duties

* The only phenol (organic compound) that is able to cross the blood-brain barrier, which allows it to absorb free radicals throughout the central nervous system

* Both fat and water soluble, giving it the highest bioavailability of any antioxidant.

The Science Behind Hydroxytyrosol

In numerous human, animal and in vitro (test tube) studies, Hydroxytyrosol has been shown to:

* Reduce markers/indicators of inflammation

* Support healthy mitochondrial function and significantly increase ATP (a molecule that carries energy within cells) energy production

* Promote significant and rapid reduction of LDL (bad cholesterol)

* Boost eye health and reduce risk of macular degeneration

* Have a therapeutic effect on the heart and cardiovascular system.

What is Inflammation? 

Are your Beauty Products Toxic?

A lot of beauty products are on the market have chemicals that you put on ou skin and hair, and that matters.  Your skin can absorb those chemicals

Dr. Berg has created natural products for your hair & scalp,, face cream, and a “clear skin” product.

Check out his products here.  There is a section for his beauty products.

Dr. Berg Heath Formulas

Autoimmune Diseases – So many drug commercials

Do you turn off the drug commercials on TV?

It is interesting as the majority of these commercials fall currently under three categories migraine, psych drugs (and their side effect tardive dyskinesia and autoimmune diseases.. None of these drugs go to the cause of the problem and are just band aids that come with side effects

I like to talk about them all but the one that i notice the most are the autoimmune medications. The ones about you skin being clear, or your arthritis, or IBS or….. All of which are autoimmune problems.

And what they are selling is a medication which lowers your immune response, thus lowers your immunity.    Per Drugs.com….. “affects your immune system. You may get infections more easily:. The ad on TV states you may be unable to fight infections

Yes, and one says it lowers the large amount of eosinophils – which are white blood cells. So the disease creates a strong immune response, but the medication lowers it.

Now interestingly, there is apparently a “link” with autoimmune and migraine per studies and research done.

We will address migraines in another article as well as tardive dyskinesia which is actually a side effect of the drugs they give for “mental health”. TD as they now call it, is connected with a lack of B12. Yes we will get to that article as well.

But autoimmune seems to be the number one target …people do suffer from the itchy, blotchy skin problems as well as digestive problems, etc. all of which are really autoimmune problems.

To address these issues – build health.

IBS

Arthritis

There is also some studies linking toxins and auto  immune 

And see our index on Educate Yourself and Take Control of your Health

We have found a great education course that will teach you the basics of nutrition so you can apply it to your diet and the diet of your family.
Understanding Nutrition Education Course – How to Build Health 

“See Me” Medications? Are you risking your health?

I understand that problem.    It’s embarrassing to have ugly patches of redden skin and you feel you have to cover up which is harder in the summer..   The “see Me” medication also emphasizes the fact that people see the rash and judge the person – or so it seems.   It does look like it might be  contagious.

The solution is medications that unfortunately has a lot of side effects )I think I’ve seen at least 4 commercials for similar drugs.  The information on these  drug say that it “may lower the ability of your immune system to fight infections and may increase your risk of infections” This is pretty uniform on any medication that fights an autoimmune problem.   Lower the immune response and relieve the symptoms of you health challenge.

In this time of vaccines being important due to the flu pandemic, it doesn’t see wise to risk your health for clearer skin.’

I would think a better solution is something natural that work by addressing the inflammation aspect of the conditon.

For skin inflammation, Learn more about addressing skin problems naturally.