Inflammation. It seems like you hear about it every day on the news. Scientists are now linking inflammation with a wide variety of conditions including:
*All types of pain *Arthritis
*Allergies *Fibromyalgia
*Diabetes *Asthma
*Alzheimer’s Disease *Autoimmune Disease
*Cardiovascular Disease *Heart Disease
*Cancer *Neurological Disease
*Respiratory Disease *Gum Disease
Although inflammation hasn’t been pinpointed as the cause of all these conditions, it has been well-documented* as playing a part in them – often intensifying the symptoms and effects.
So what exactly is inflammation, how can it affect you and how can you help reduce it?
First things first: What is inflammation?
Inflammation is your immune system’s response to damage. This damage can arise from trauma, bacterial, viral or parasitic infection, stress, genetic abnormalities, metabolic disorders and a host of other sources. Certain lifestyle conditions can also contribute to inflammation: poor diet, stress, being overweight, a sedentary lifestyle and smoking. Inflammation can cause redness, swelling, heat, pain and loss of function.
When you’re injured, the inflammatory response immediately moves into action. White blood cells rush to the scene of the damage and begin to destroy the damaged cells, while sending out chemical signals that call for more help. That’s when unstable molecules called free radicals are released. Free radicals, now considered key players in many diseases, start to attack the damaged area, destroying some healthy cells in the process. This new damage leads to yet another round of inflammation. And so the cycle of inflammation continues: called chronic inflammation. And that’s when the trouble begins!
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