garlic, rosemary and oregano. Fibrous veggies are rich in fiber. Insoluble and soluble fiber act as a broom and “sweep up” the gut and blood, respectively, clean- ing up inflammatory molecules and im- proving gastric motility. Make sure you have adequate lean protein daily – people without kidney disease and not on dialysis can have up to one gram of protein per pound of body weight. Most people don’t get anywhere close to this. Remember, water is the ultimate sol-
vent, and washes all away. Staying prop- erly hydrated will help the body eliminate excessive inflammatory molecules. The general guideline for water consumption is this: take your body weight (pounds) and divide by two. This number represents the amount of ounces of water/herbal tea/ seltzer/low sodium broth you should have daily. Plus, an extra four ounces for every vice – cup of coffee, cigarette, etc – and an extra 4-8 ounces for exercise. You want to drink enough fluids so that your urine is a pale, clear yellow and does not have a strong odor. Next, reduce foods that create inflam-
mation. The big culprits here are sugar and refined sugar, and refined carbohydrates. Even gluten-free baked goods are inflam- matory when not taken in moderation because they are still processed grain products. Also try to minimize trans fats, additives, synthetic flavors and colors, and any foods that you know of that you react poorly to or do not digest well. You can also harness your hormones to decrease inflammation. This is a power-
ful, inexpensive way to improve your overall health and functionality. There is an ever-growing mountain of research depicting the anti-inflammatory effects of exercise, particularly short-duration, high(er)-intensity training like weight train- ing, bursts and interval training. This type of training releases human growth hor- mone, testosterone and hormone sensitive lipase, all of which promote fat-burning and increased lean muscle mass. HGH is also directly anti-inflammatory. Jogging, long bike rides and the like do not dem- onstrate this effect, but tend to break down lean muscle. The muscle tissue actually acts as an endocrine organ, releasing myokines (chemical messengers from the muscle) into the blood to quell inflammation. The muscle is also a major “sink” for blood sugar, promoting optimal blood sugar control that in turn helps with decreasing inflammation. Identify your stressors. Some people
have no idea what is bothering them, they just know that they are miserable. Do some internal detective work. Sweep up the cobwebs from your mental closets and have a look. What is bothering you? If you feel victimized, this is a great indicator you have stumbled upon something juicy. Even in the most dire, brutal situations, being a victim never serves us well, never pro- motes a positive mental state and tends to slowly creep into any and all aspects of our lives and relationships. Though we cannot control what happens to us in our lives, we certainly control how we react to it.
So find your stressors and find a way
to positively relate to them or process them in such a way that they are used as a tool for your learning and to enhance your personal growth. Do not succumb to the feeling that you have been “done wrong” in this life. We are all human: we all will know pain, we all will face loss, and we will all face death. These things we cannot escape, but we do not need to live in fear, negativity or in suffering. With a clear mind, we can see that the worse thing that happens to us is a thought (“this/that never should have happened”, “this/that should be different”, “he/she should fill in the blank”). Even if you don’t want to look at it that
way, you can look at it through the lens of biochemistry and physiology: a negative/ stressful thought creates a negative emo- tion like fear or anger, which releases hormones. These hormones then constrict the arteries, increase the heart rate, raise blood pressure, stimulate the immune system and create physiological changes. Do this long enough, and your body will let you know.
Looking Ahead Inflammation is a major driver in the
development and progression of celiac disease, other autoimmune conditions and their body-wide consequences. Happily, there are many ways to manage and quell this “fire” that has abnormally developed by the very way we live our lives. Ultimately, it is us who are responsible
for ourselves. You can choose, with each bite, each day and each action and reac- tion in your life, to increase your inflam- mation or decrease it. Some days will be better than others, and being human, we are all our own worse critics. Don’t be too hard on yourself and live the life you enjoy. Be well.
Jillian Sarno Teta is a medically trained Naturopathic Doctor (ND) who practices at the Naturopathic Health Clinic of NC in Winston-Salem. She completed her medical training at Bastyr University, which is only one of four medical universities in the country to train primary-care doctors in complementary healing arts, including nutrition, exercise, counseling, herbal medicine, homeopathy and functional medical. For an appointment with Dr. Teta, call-336-724-4452. See ad on page 38.
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