Inflammation, friend or foe? Both.
Inflammation Is the body’s response to injury, including trauma and infection. Its general purposes are: (1) to seek and destroy pathogens
(2) to remove the debris of damaged tissue
(3) to initiate tissue repair
Inflammation is characterized by four fundamental signs: redness, swelling, heat, and pain.
The suffix -itis is used to denote inflammation of specific organs and tissues:
Arthritis – inflammation of the joints.
Encephalitis- inflammation of the brain.
Gingivitis- inflammation of the gums
Dermatitis- inflammation of the skin
Inflammation can occur anywhere in the body, but it is most common and observable in the skin, which is subject to more trauma than any other organ. Examples of cutaneous (relating to or affecting the skin) inflammation include an itchy mosquito bite, sunburn, a poison ivy rash, and the redness and blistering produced by manual labor, tight shoes, or a kitchen burn.
“It is possible to have too much of a good thing."- William Shakespeare
What is chronic inflammation?
Inflammation in response to injury, infection or trauma is normal and necessary. However in some cases a person can have chronic inflammation. This is when our body continues sending inflammatory cells even when there is no outside danger. For example, in rheumatoid arthritis inflammatory cells and substances attack joint tissues leading to an inflammation that comes and goes and can cause severe damage to joints with pain and deformities. What conditions are associated with chronic inflammation?
Chronic inflammation is involved in the disease process of many conditions, including:
Alzheimer’s disease
Asthma
Cancer
Heart disease
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS)
Type 2 diabetes
What can be done?
Diet and exercise have an especially strong impact on managing chronic inflammation since they both also can help control weight and improve sleep.
Certain foods are associated with either promoting or inhibiting the inflammatory response. These foods also are linked to a lower risk of problems related to chronic inflammation, such as heart disease, weight gain, and cancer.
Also, eating more foods high in the antioxidants known as polyphenols, which can lower inflammation. Examples include all types of berries, cherries, plums, red grapes, onions, Turmeric, green tea, and dark green leafy vegetables like spinach and kale.
Turmeric is a golden spice known for adding color, flavor and nutrition to foods. A relative of ginger, turmeric comes from the rhizome (root) of a native Asian plant and has been used in cooking for hundreds of years. It has also been used in ayurvedic and other forms of traditional medicine in China and India.
Titan Herbs currently carries a Turmeric supplement that may help!
Relevant Articles
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/understanding-acute-and-chronic-inflammation
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/21660-inflammation