What is Inflammation? How is it Related to Chronic Illness and How to Reduce Inflammation

Inflammation, its become quite a common term. You may even call it the latest “buzz word.” You may have also heard your doctor use this term. Maybe you’ve been told that you have inflammation in a certain body part, or you’ve been diagnosed with an inflammatory disease.

But what does that even mean?

To a Holistic Nutritionist, it means a whole lot. Inflammation is the first sign of healing. This we know. I like to think of inflammation like a switch in the body turned on by the immune system whenever things are out of balance. This inflammatory switch is triggered to start the healing process. Inflammation is normal. If I get a cut on my finger, it becomes red and inflamed, it bleeds, it scabs over, it heals, end of story.

The problem is when that story doesn’t end and that switch never shuts off. If the body cannot heal, it will be chronically inflamed. This switch not turning off is the start of nearly all chronic illnesses we are faced with today. Heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, colitis, asthma, all of these illnesses have one thing in common. They all begin with inflammation. Whether it’s inflammation of the arteries, joints or bowels, it is all this same switch being triggered in the body.

Getting to the Root of Inflammation

Inflammation is not the root cause of the issue. It is merely the check engine light. It is the switch triggered when there is a fundamental imbalance in the body, something that needs healing. Unfortunately, this means that anti-inflammatory drugs such as (NSAIDS) are really only disconnecting that check engine light. In order to address the root of the problem, we have to correct the imbalances stopping the body from healing in the first place.

Causes of imbalances in the body include:

• Nutritional Deficiencies
• Food Sensitivities
• Environmental Toxins
• Environmental Allergens
• Pathogens such as bacteria and fungus
• Emotional Stress and Trauma

Most often, it is a combination of these factors that cause this check engine light of inflammation to be flashing for quite some time, long before a chronic illness ever occurs. Each must be addressed in order to reduce the inflammation and bring the body back to homeostasis (balance). Only then, will that check engine light shut off for good.

So, if you are facing an inflammatory chronic illness, have a family history of chronic illnesses, such as heart disease or diabetes, or are just looking to prevent chronic illness in the future, check out the Essential Balance Anti-inflammatory Diet.

We call it the Anti-Inflammatory Diet because the Rebalance-and-Return-to-Homeostasis-so-the-Body-Can-Heal diet was too long. For more information click here.

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