This page contains a Flash digital edition of a book.
healingways


research have likewise led him, along with pioneers like Dr. Andrew Weil, to conclude that chronic, systemic in- flammation is the root cause of many diseases.


INFLAMMATION Dietary Solutions Counter Disease by Linda Sechrist


COOLING CHRONIC I


t’s important to note that wounds and infections would never heal without the presence of acute inflammation, the body’s normal biological response to harmful patho- gens, damaged cells and irritants. Although this protective measure to initiate the body’s natural healing response is often misrepresented as being synonymous with infection, it is not; even when the inflammation is caused by infection. Dr. Vijay Jain, an expert in


ayurvedic medicine, explains how the system normally works: “An infection brings about an acute inflammatory response and also summons the aid of immune system cells such as lympho- cytes—thymus cells (T cells), bursa- derived cells (B cells) and natural kill- er (NK) cells—as well as monocytes (a type of white blood cell). These then migrate through the bloodstream to eliminate specific pathogens or pathogen-infected cells.”


14


In contrast, chronic inflammation Hudson County


NAHudson.com


occurs when the immune response stays activated, rather than naturally abating, and the body’s defense sys- tem consequently turns against itself. Today, a number of leading physician scientists including Jain are drawing attention to an epidemic of cases of such chronic inflammation. With 35 years of experience in


general surgery and 15 years of fo- cused study in integrative medicine, Jain bases his concern on extensive study and research. He currently serves as the medical director of Amrit Ayurveda for Total Well Being, at the Amrit Yoga Institute, in Salt Springs, Florida.


Floyd H. Chilton, Ph.D., author


of Inflammation Nation, and profes- sor of physiology and pharmacology at Wake Forest School of Medicine, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, is on the same wavelength. Trained as a physician and specialist in infectious disease and inflammation at Harvard Medical School, Chilton’s 20 years of


The condition has been linked to rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, Crohn’s disease, psoriasis, irritable bowel syndrome, diabetes, allergies, arthri- tis, atherosclerosis, Alzheimer’s and cancer. Furthermore, in 2000, The New England Journal of Medicine published several studies showing that blood indicators of inflammation (such as homocysteine, fibrinogen and C-reactive protein) are strong predictive factors for a heart attack. These experts all point to the standard American diet as a primary culprit for setting chronic inflamma- tion in motion, and cite an anti-in- flammatory diet as helpful in counter- acting the problem.


Kathy Bero, founder of at Nu- Gensis Farm, Inc., in Pewaukee, Wisconsin, attests that an anti- inflammatory diet containing many angiogenesis-inhibiting foods was a major factor in the remission of three aggressive forms of cancer that threat- ened her life six years ago. “Many of the diseases linked to chronic systemic inflammation also share a dependence on inappropriate blood vessel growth, which either nourishes the disease or hinders the body’s fight against it,” Bero explains. “Angio- genesis-inhibiting foods are known to assist the body in controlling the healthy growth of blood vessels.” The nonprofit NuGenesis Farm supports 35 acres dedicated to grow- ing anti-inflammatory and angiogene- sis-balancing foods with the strongest disease prevention properties, using sustainable organic agriculture prac- tices. It offers a “food as medicine” model for global communities seek- ing alternative methods for naturally preventing disease.


An anti-inflammatory diet rec- ommended by family physician and nutritionist Ann Kulze, author of Dr. Ann’s 10-Step Diet, includes colorful, fresh fruits; green, leafy vegetables; low-glycemic foods such as whole grains, sweet potatoes and winter squashes; fruits such as berries, cher-


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40