PULSE Magazine | February 2019 Issue

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Cellular Inflammation

The Stealth Bomber Within

Most of the time, inflammation is a lifesaver that enables our bodies to fend off various disease-causing bacteria, viruses and parasites. The instant any of these microbes slips into the body, inflammation marshals a defensive attack any tissue it may have infected. Then just as quickly, the process subsides and healing begins. However, chronic inflammation is literally a stealth bomber, damaging your body just as deadly and silently as an invisible odorless poison gas. It has been linked to diseases as diverse as Cancer, Alzhei- mer’s, obesity, Congested Heart Failure (CHF), and Diabetes (DM). Inflammation is truly what Time Magazine called it decades ago: “The Silent Killer” As scientist have searched for the mysteries behind the diseases most likely to afflict us, they have alighted on one factor common to virtually all of them: inflammation. Chronic inflammation, has a role in a host of common and often deadly diseases. Scientist have not yet answered the major questions about inflammation, it remains a mystery. What scientist have discovered has led them to an understanding of how lifestyle choices like diet, dental health, and exercise may influence inflammation and its potentially damaging downsides. Nearly everything that’s an irritant to the system the air we breath, the tobacco smoke we inhale directly or indirectly, the some 80,000 chemicals we are exposed to in our environment has the potential to produce some level of inflammation. The food we eat can produce an inflammation reaction, and frequently does. Some foods, like sugar and excess vegetable oils, have the effect of turbo-charging our inflammation production pathways, while some foods like wild salmon (rich in omega-3s and antioxidant astaxanthin) have precisely the opposite effect.

Some of the anti-inflammatory superstars that you should include in your diet on a regular basis are:

Onions

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Garlic

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Leeks

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Leafy greens (spinach, kale, chard)

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Tomatoes

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Bell Peppers

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 Brassica Vegetables (Brussel sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower)  Beans (all types)  Nuts and seeds  Spices (ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, cloves)  Herbs (parsley, rosemary, thyme, oregano, mint, tarragon, dill)  Tea (all types especially green teas)  Red wine (in moderation)  Cocoa/chocolate (darker varieties with minimum sugar)  Flaxseeds and flax oil

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