Inflammation - The Biggest Threat to your Health
Dr Paul Clayton 2012
Current research reveals that almost all the so-called ‘age-related diseases’, from declining mental powers to coronary artery disease, from cancer to hypertension, from arthritis to diabetes and stroke, have one driver in common: chronic, sub-clinical inflammation.

Acute inflammation is a good healing reaction
Most of us think of inflammation as the reddening and warming of the skin following a cut, or the swelling of glands following an infection, or possibly the reaction to an allergy.

These are examples of acute inflammation, a short term protective immune response that is switched on to counteract harmful outside threats. It’s clearly beneficial and the generally short-lived symptoms can often be noticed externally. Once the threat is neutralized, equally powerful and closely related anti-inflammatory compounds are switched on to begin the healing process.

  “Inflammation is an underlying contributor to virtually every chronic disease… rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, diabetes and depression, along with major killers such as heart disease and stroke.”
Scientific American (2009)
 

But Chronic inflammation damages and destroys tissue
There’s another, destructive type of inflammation called chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation may be the sequel to a failed acute inflammatory response, but more often it is the result of long term dietary imbalances. This type of inflammation is generally internal, and sub-clinical – which means you cannot see it or feel it. But although you cannot feel it, it is extremely dangerous.

Chronic inflammation damages and destroys tissue wherever it occurs in your body – in the heart, brain, joints, bones, bowel, prostate, lungs and skin. This is why chronic inflammation is now thought to be a main cause of almost all the age-related illnesses, including many cancers. And why chronic inflammation is associated with faster ageing.

   “Low-grade inflammation is associated with everything from heart disease and diabetes to Alzheimer’s and arthritis, and may even be the cause of most chronic diseases.”
Univ of California Berkeley, School of Public Health (2010)

Most people are now aware that excess free radicals can damage cells in your body. Inflammation triggers toxins that release excess free radicals. These then oxidise fats within body cells which damages those cells. So free radical damage and chronic inflammation are closely linked.

For long term health, the clear conclusion is that chronic inflammation must be kept in check. This is surprisingly easy to do.

What causes chronic inflammation – and how can you counteract it?
There are 5 main causes of chronic inflammation.

1. A pro-inflammatory diet and cooking style
Most plant oils are polyunsaturated (like safflower, sunflower, and corn oil) and contain a dominant proportion of omega-6 fatty acids, which break down in the body to form pro-inflammatory compounds. The omega-3 fatty acids in oily fish form anti-inflammatory compounds. Our ancestors ate a diet with a ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 of between 1:1 and 2:1, which is a healthy ratio. Our current ratio is anywhere between 10:1 and 20:1! Far too high.

To make matters worse, we rely on cooking (often with these oils) at high temperatures – and this creates a whole range of new pro-inflammatory compounds.

Another factor is that we no longer eat enough fruits and vegetables. These contain flavonoids, carotenoids and other compounds that exert powerful anti-inflammatory effects in the body.

COUNTERACTION: Use fewer polyunsaturated plant oils (try olive oil instead, which is mono-unsaturated) and cut down on foods cooked at high temperatures.

Increase dietary intake of anti-inflammatory foods and nutrients, including fruits, vegetables and omega-3-rich oily fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines etc). Foods that are high in anti-inflammatory flavonoids, carotenoids and other phyto-nutrients include broccoli, chard, spinach, cabbage, carrots and fruits like blueberries, raspberries, strawberries and blackcurrants.

The American Cancer Institute now recommends 9 portions of fruit and vegetables a day! If this is unrealistic, choose a nutritional supplement that includes potent anti-inflammatory compounds like curcumin, green tea and grapeseed flavonoids.

2. Being overweight or obese
Overweight and obesity are major causes of inflammation, as the excess adipose (fat) tissue – particularly around the abdomen – secretes pro-inflammatory messenger compounds.

COUNTERACTION: Lose weight if appropriate – but support any weight-reducing diet with a supplement that includes Omega 3, key anti-inflammatory nutrients, A-Z vitamin and minerals with above-RDA levels of Vitamin C and E (which are anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory), together with adequate levels of anti-oxidant co-factors selenium, zinc, manganese and copper.

3. Ageing
The sex hormones (o)estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone reduce as we age, and lower hormone levels are implicated in age-related inflammation. Symptoms of chronic inflammation often become more apparent during and after menopause in women and in men as testosterone levels begin to fall with age. Chronic inflammation has been cited as a cause of the muscle loss that occurs with ageing.

COUNTERACTION: Both men and women should further increase the level of anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant foods and supplements after the age of about 45. This may also reduce adverse reactions throughout the menopause.

Regular moderate exercise also appears anti-inflammatory.

4. Environmental factors including pollution
Exposure to certain pesticides and air pollutants such as diesel exhaust particulates and cigarette smoke can trigger chronic inflammation.

COUNTERACTION: Stop smoking (but you already knew that!), and minimise exposure to air pollution where possible.

5. Failed acute inflammatory responses
If the body is invaded by a harmful micro-organism, and the subsequent acute inflammatory response is insufficient, the infectious agent may linger on. The body will then respond with a chronic inflammatory response.

COUNTERACTION: Increase dietary intake of anti-inflammatory foods and nutrients and use 1-3, 1-6 beta glucans to enhance the acute inflammatory response.

Preventative and restorative nutritional healthcare
A daily A-Z vitamin and mineral pill will ensure you have a baseline of some of the essential micro-nutrients, but will do little to reduce chronic inflammation. This is why studies on simple vitamin and mineral supplements generally show little or no reduction in age-related disease.

To keep chronic inflammation in check you need to eat more fruits, vegetables and oily fish and take a health supplement that includes powerful anti-inflammatory ingredients like curcumin, green tea extract and omega-3 fatty acids.

And as you get older – typically over 45 – it is advisable to add nutrients that create an even more extensive anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory 'cocktail', such as lycopene, lutein, co-enzyme Q10 and soy isoflavones.



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