The inflammation age

Just what is inflammation and why would someone want to control it? This was the question my friend asked when I told her about our special inflammation issue. Many people (including myself) associate inflammation with injuries like sprains or cuts--not with chronic conditions like heart disease. But the truth is, researchers are discovering that silent inflammation, which attacks the body's cells, blood vessels and organs, may be at the root of several diseases.

Conditions most associated with excessive inflammation include cardiovascular disease, cancer, obesity, allergies, asthma, arthritis, Alzheimer's, type 2 diabetes and autoimmune illness. You increase your odds of inflammation by smoking, being overweight and/or sedentary and having a stress-filled lifestyle. I'm sure most of us can identify with at least one of these risk factors.

On the plus side, there are many ways to manage (and possibly even reverse) inflammation's insidious damage. Changing your diet is an important first step. The typical Western diet, laden with sugar, processed grains, unhealthful fats and pesticides, is a setup for inflammation. Even some foods that seem healthful--like whole grains, eggs and poultry--can promote inflammation. While you don't need to completely eliminate these foods from your diet, it may help to reduce your consumption of them.

How can you tell if you have this health saboteur? Right now the best tool is a blood test for C-reactive protein, an inexpensive analysis that your doctor can order. It can be repeated annually to track your progress, too. Getting your homocysteine level checked might also help. High homocysteine is often associated with inflammation.

In addition to the stories listed above, I highly recommend the following books for more information: The Inflammation Syndrome by lack Challem and The Inflammation Free Diet Plan by Monica Reinagel.

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