When the body is working properly, inflammation is a minor issue usually arising from an injury or infection. When the body isn’t working properly, inflammation starts to cause issues.
Our immune system is a complex array of different cells, like white blood cells, that fight off foreign material (i.e. infection) in the body to keep you healthy. Usually, these warrior-cells enter battle against infection and start the healing process.
Acute inflammation causes redness, pain, swelling, and/or heat. These signs mean the body is doing its job and are nothing to worry about in the short term. When the healing process is complete, inflammation should disappear.
While acute inflammation is sudden and temporary, chronic inflammation can remain indefinitely.
What is Chronic Inflammation?
Sometimes, chronic inflammation is simple: the body cannot get rid of the foreign material on its own and needs help. For example, the strep throat virus will not clear on its own. Your doctor can prescribe you antibiotics to help clear infection and inflammation.
Other times, the body goes into fight mode for no apparent reason. When this happens, the immune system starts attacking healthy cells and breaks them down, creating many potential complications.
Symptoms of chronic inflammation include:
- Abdominal (belly) pain.
- Chest pain.
- Fatigue and/or insomnia.
- Fever.
- Joint pain or stiffness.
- Mouth sores.
- A skin rash.
- Depression, anxiety and other mood disorders.
- Gastrointestinal (GI) issues, like diarrhea, constipation and acid reflux.
- Weight gain or weight loss.
- Frequent infections.
What Causes Chronic Inflammation?
Environment and lifestyle are two main pillars of health. When these pillars fall, inflammation follows. You may not even notice the signs at first. Your body is excellent at problem solving and can overcompensate for years before you start experiencing a slew of symptoms.
Unhealthy habits such as poor diet and dysbiosis, alcohol consumption, sedentary behaviour, stress, weight gain, poor sleep, and exposure to toxins are all risk factors of chronic inflammation.
Top 5 Inflammatory Foods: Artificial sugars, trans fats, red and processed meats, omega-6 fatty acids, and refined carbs.
Learn more about dysbiosis and the gut with The Health Insider’s article: Gut Health and Microbiome.
We don’t routinely test for inflammation in North America. Ask your doctor about a C-reactive protein (CRP) test if you’re experiencing the symptoms above. Not covered by provincial insurance, the test costs about $10 and can be done with a lab referral from either a family doctor or a walk-in clinic.
Complications
Inflammation is detrimental to the body and can occur anywhere, including heart, brain, joints, gastrointestinal tract, and liver.
“Chronic inflammation contributes to diseases that together represent the leading causes of death around the world, such as type 2 diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular diseases,” wrote Mayo Clinic.
Many of the widespread issues that we face in North America start with inflammation and develop into other diseases, according to Casey Means, MD in her book Good Energy.
Conditions Associated With Chronic Inflammation:
Autoimmune diseases.
I.e. lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, ankylosing spondylitis.
Cardiovascular diseases.
I.e. heart disease and high blood pressure.
Certain cancers.
I.e. skin cancer, colorectal cancer, liver cancer, and stomach cancer.
Gastrointestinal diseases.
I.e. Crohn’s disease and inflammatory bowel disease.
Lung diseases.
I.e. asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Mental health conditions.
I.e. depression and anxiety.
Metabolic diseases.
I.e. type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Neurodegenerative diseases.
I.e. Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.
Food as Medicine
You’ve likely heard that eating a lot of red meat is bad for you, and it’s true. Red meat is an inflammatory food that increases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, congenital heart disease, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and cancer.
Studies have found that diets such as the Mediterranean diet, which are low in pro-inflammatory foods, protect against disease including “cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes,” according to Harvard Health.
Though food is just one avenue through which you can manage inflammation, it’s a great place to start. Power your body with healthy foods that give you the nutrition you need to make the most out of every day.
Bookmark our Longevity section to learn more about how to live a healthier, longer life!
~ Read more from The Health Insider ~
- A Bad Diet Is Like Alcohol For Your Liver
- Dietitian vs Nutritionist: What’s the Difference?
- The Danger of Untreated Inflammation
The information provided on TheHealthInsider.ca is for educational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice. TheHealthInsider.ca advises consulting a medical professional or healthcare provider when seeking medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment.