Fanning flames of disease
By Jessica Belasco : November 22, 2013 : Updated: November 25, 2013 10:45am
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When
it comes to inflammation, it's possible to have too much of a good
thing. Inflammation, part of the body's immune response to infections or
injuries, is essential to the healing process when we sprain our ankle
or develop an ingrown toenail. But too much inflammation can be deadly.
Mounting evidence points to the dangerous effects of chronic, low-level
inflammation, which is linked to diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
Take aim at inflammation with the following foods. - Jessica Belasco
Deep marine fish, such as wild salmon, sardines and mackerel
Deep marine fish, such as wild salmon, sardines and mackerel
Inflammation, part of the body's immune response to infections or injuries, is essential to the healing process when we sprain our ankle or develop an ingrown toenail.
But too much inflammation can be deadly. Mounting evidence points to the dangerous effects of chronic, low-level inflammation, which is linked to diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
And one of the biggest drivers of inflammation? Obesity, which can set off a domino effect of health problems.
“I think we're starting to see the grand unification of different diseases all linked by the process of chronic inflammation here in South Texas,” said Michael J. Wargovich, a professor of molecular medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio who studies agents that inhibit chronic inflammation.
Research also has linked inflammation with dementia, stroke, depression and a host of other health problems.
Inflammation occurs when white cells from the bloodstream move into tissues when they shouldn't, said Floyd “Ski” Chilton, professor of physiology and pharmacology at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C.
“Whether they think they're seeing something foreign, whether they just happen to be much more aggressive than normal, whether they're seeing false signals — for a variety of reasons, they will move into tissue, and they cause damage to the tissue,” Chilton said. “If that happens in the synovium of the joint, then it's rheumatoid arthritis. If it happens in the coronary artery, it's heart disease. If it happens in the epithelial lining of the lung, it's asthma. If it happens in the upper gut, it's Crohn's disease. If it happens in the brain, it's Alzheimer's disease. It's essentially a very similar process that's happening throughout the body.”
Chilton puts it this way:
“If you have a genetic propensity to one of these diseases, you're standing at the edge of a cliff,” he said. “When whole-body, systemic inflammation is elevated, you're pushed off the cliff into the disease.”
Blood tests can measure biomarkers of inflammation in the body. The most common barometer is a substance called C-reactive protein. Unlike acute inflammation, which causes swelling, redness and pain, chronic inflammation doesn't have telltale symptoms, which is why Chilton calls it “a silent killer.”
Stoking the flames
Causes of chronic inflammation include smoking, alcohol consumption, chronic stress, inadequate sleep and industrial pollution, but the biggest enemy when it comes to inflammation is obesity, Chilton said.
Obesity causes inflammation throughout the body, said Thomas J. Slaga, a pharmacology professor at UTHSC and author of “The Detox Revolution” (McGraw-Hill, $14.95)
.
“It's in almost every tissue of your body,” Slaga said. “One of the things the obesity leads to is Type 2 diabetes, which in itself then becomes a kind of chronic inflammation in tissues like your pancreas and your kidneys that can lead to a destructive disease or to cancers in those tissues.”
A poor diet is one culprit. Certain foods promote inflammation, said licensed nutritionist Monica Reinagel, author of “The Inflammation-Free Diet Plan” (McGraw-Hill, $16.95).
“Some of the biggest offenders are the ones we know are not good for us anyway — trans fats, foods that are very high in sugar, sugar-sweetened sodas,” Reinagel said
.
Too much saturated fat, she said, is also a problem.
Also, the standard American diet is lacking in foods that naturally fight inflammation, such as leafy green vegetables, fruits and foods containing omega-3 fatty acids.
Many spices commonly seen in Indian, Thai and Chinese cuisine, such as turmeric, chile peppers and ginger, have a big role in an anti-inflammatory diet. It may seem counterintuitive, because we equate inflammation with heat, but spicy foods can tame inflammation, Reinagel said.
Fighting the flames
No pill has been invented to cure chronic inflammation, but several lifestyle factors can help. Losing excess weight is an important step in fighting inflammation.
“One of the things I think is an important take-home message for people who are obese (is) the research has shown that you don't have to lose all that weight. You have to be working to lose that weight,” Chilton said.
“There's a fairly rapid reduction in these inflammatory markers just by the exercise and weight-loss strategies necessary to lose that weight.”
Physical activity that raises your heart rate induces what's called an adaptive stress response, which is important in reducing inflammation. Check with a physician before starting an exercise plan.
Getting enough sleep and reducing stress also may help calm inflammation. Some research has shown mindfulness-based meditation may help reduce inflammation by targeting stress. Exercise also helps reduce stress.
“If you are utilizing the right types of strategies, you markedly reduce whole-body inflammation,” Chilton said. “It would be nice if there were sexier answers, but unfortunately there are no secret weapons.”
jbelasco@express-news.net
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