Every now and then, a new way of seeing an age-old medical problem emerges. For instance, heart disease until recently was thought to be caused primarily by cholesterol forming blockages in the heart's arteries. It was believed that if you lowered the level of cholesterol in your blood, you could stop the formation of the blockages.
Now we realize that more is at play than just the level of cholesterol in your blood. The new offender is inflammation.
Inflammation is not only a cause of heart attacks, but it is also increasingly seen as a significant factor in many chronic diseases from Alzheimer's to arthritis. But what exactly is it?
Inflammation is your body's attempt to protect you from things trying to harm you. When pathogens, like bacteria or viruses, or injuries like a sprained ankle, affect your body, your body begins the healing process with inflammation. Inflammation is part of your body's immune response that is critical to returning your body to a healthy state.
Inflammation occurs in your blood vessels and in the tissues adjacent to those blood vessels. The cardinal signs of inflammation are redness, heat, swelling and pain. An example of how inflammation is initially a good thing is when you twist your ankle. The swelling and pain keep you from walking on it and doing additional harm.
However, when inflammation becomes chronic and lasts longer than it should, it can actually become harmful. When inflammation persists over a long period of time, it is a harbinger of disease.
When your body turnsagainst itself, the result is known as an autoimmune disease. Examples of this are asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis and even periodontitis (a disease of the gums). Heart disease, we have discovered, is now known to share similar causes.
Inflammation is part of your body's natural defense system. It is the first line of protection for your immune system. It is a problem only if inflammation becomes chronic and your body turns against itself. Unfortunately, we do not know why this happens, which is why there is so much misinformation and why we are often sold products we don't need.
So what exactly is known that will allow us to prevent chronic inflammation? The answers should not surprise you. We know that obesity increases the chemical markers of inflammation in the blood. Scientists believe that immune cells mistake fat cells for intruders, such as bacteria or viruses, which sets off the inflammatory reaction, which leads to autoimmune diseases.
On the other hand, exercise increases anti-inflammatory chemicals such as eicosanoids. These work against the establishment of chronic inflammation. Sound sleep has the same effect. The dozens of diets now promoted as being anti-inflammatory all focus on increasing chemicals that have similar anti-inflammatory properties. Omega-3 is a precursor to eicosanoids, which is good. Omega-6, found in processed foods, inhibits its production, which is bad.
So what can you do to avoid chronic inflammation? Eat more fish. Eat fruits and vegetables. Avoid processed food. Get plenty of sleep and exercise. Limit your stress, and do not smoke.
If this sounds familiar, it's because this new scientific insight hasn't negated the importance of healthy lifestyle. The challenge remains for us all to do what we know we should be doing. And that is why we need one another. To help us stay honest, after we've made some chronic poor choices and need the boost to get back on track.
Dr. Scott Morris is the founder and executive director of the Church Health Center, whose ministries provide health care for the working uninsured and promote healthy bodies and spirits for all. Morris is also the author of "God, Health and Happiness" (Barbour, 2012).
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