Taming the Fires of Infl ammation By Stephanie Walsh, MNT, CEPC, CPT W


hen searching to optimize your health one question always remains, “Which diet is best for


me?” With so many diet books on the shelves today, answering that question can be overwhelming and confusing. Your “best diet” then becomes a lifelong pursuit of the great unknown. Among the many diets out there today is the general anti- infl ammatory diet. Although it lacks a fancy name like DASH, Keto or Paleo, it may be the easiest and most successful nutrition plan out there. Once you understand what infl ammation is, what triggers it and how you can implement your own personalized anti-infl ammatory plan you will be well on your way to a healthier you.


Understanding Infl ammation Think of infl ammation as the body's


natural response to protect itself against harm. There are two types: acute and chronic. You're probably more familiar with the acute type, which occurs when you bang your knee or cut your fi nger. Your im- mune system dispatches an army of white blood cells to surround and protect the area, creating visible redness and swelling. The process works similarly if you have an infection like the fl u or pneumonia. In these settings, infl ammation is essential; without it, injuries could fester and simple infec- tions could be deadly.


Infl ammation is supposed to protect us from infections and promote healing. However, if that infl ammation becomes chronic it will do just the opposite. It will break down the body and make you more susceptible to disease. Once infl ammation becomes a chronic condition, it does not go away quickly. This chronic infl amma-


tion can lead to infl ammatory disorders and create an additive effect. This aggravates the body’s overall level of infl ammation and increases your risk of succumbing to very serious disease.


In fact, infl ammation, not cholesterol,


is now understood to be the primary de- termining factor in coronary heart disease. Currently infl ammation is also recognized as an undercurrent in all disease processes. Diseases and conditions linked to infl am- mation include:


• Accelerated age-related wear and tear


• Food allergies • Allergies to inhalants • Alzheimer’s disease • Arthritis (all types) • Asthma • Athletic and other injuries • Cancer


• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)


• Coronary Artery Disease


• Dental Infl ammation (gingivitis, TMJ, periodontitis)


• Diabetes and pre-Diabetes


• Fatigue and Chronic Fatigue Syn- drome


• Fibromyalgia • Gastritis, Ulcers and Stomach Cancer • Hepatitis


• Infections • Irritable Bowel Syndrome • Lupus Erythematosus • Multiple Sclerosis (MS) • Osteoarthritis • Overweight and Obesity • Rheumatoid arthritis


• Skin disorders (dermatitis, psoriasis, eczema)


• Sjögren’s Syndrome If you suffer from any of the above


conditions you are not alone.


• Almost half of Americans 30 years or older suffer from gingivitis.


• Approximately 40% of the U.S. adult population is obese.


• More than 100 million U.S. adults are living with diabetes or prediabe- tes.


• Roughly 23% of the US adult popu- lation suffers from one or more types of arthritis.


• About 610,000 people die of heart disease in the United States every year.


• Allergic rhinitis affects 10-30% of the worldwide population.


• Approximately 40 million Americans are affected by sinusitis every year.


• Roughly 1 in 13 people have asthma.


• 30% of cancers are related to some type of infl ammatory condition.


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