Inside Out
How to manage inflammatory attacks
By Cory Quirino
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 23:36:00 10/13/2008
MANILA, Philippines—Johnny is a 59-year-old businessman on the peak of his career. Since Monday to Friday is all work for him, he looks forward to Saturdays with his friends for a few rounds of golf.
But this particular Saturday as he swung his club, he felt a familiar, almost paralyzing pain on his lower back. After one year of drug prescriptions and rehab therapy,
his back pain had recurred. Why?
Nancy, a 25-year-old nurse and wife to a loving husband, would wake up each morning feeling mild palpitations. At first, she dismissed them as a sign of stress due to a heavy workload. But, one day, she woke up feeling the kind of unbelievable pain that rendered her immobile for a few minutes.
Could it be a mild heart attack? Since both her parents had died of myocardial infractions, that dreaded possibility terrified her. But she was too young for the disease, she thought. Or was she?
Protective response
A natural and localized response to infection and trauma, inflammation serves as the body’s protective response. The usual signs—swelling, pain, redness and heat—range from mild to fatal.
Inflammation isolates the injured part of the body much like a wall, as it works to destroy the injurious agent.
Chronic inflammation emerges because of lifestyle, diet or environmental factors. These factors trigger what is called the inflammatory wave. This means that the natural inflammatory response can continue and linger on for days, months or years. Inflammation can also be caused by microbes.
Chronic, unresolved inflammation is now considered the root cause of many major diseases such as stroke, cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabetes or atherosclerosis (fatty deposits in the arteries that lead to heart disease).
While inflammation is a part of life, its damage does not have to be inevitable. Chronic pain can be stopped and the damage caused can be slowed down or, in some instances, reversed.
It is important to remember that the inflammatory process is additive. In short, your body has a memory. For every injury, there is a scar. And all scars add up to a bigger injury.
No wonder that, at age 59, Johnny’s back injury was worse than ever. The daring athletic feats of his youth battered his body, the effects of which were only felt in later years.
Nancy, meanwhile, was still in a state of denial over her stressful life, which was a clear cause of her heart condition.
Health tips
Take the good fats—omega3 and omega 6. The ideal ratio is five or six to one (5 omega3-1 omega6).
Control your body fat. Excessive body fat resulting from years of over-eating, plus lack of exercise, can trigger inflammatory processes.
Understand your allergies. Know that this is the result of an overactive immune system. What you need is balance. A popular belief has it that your immune system did not properly develop when, as a child, you were not introduced to things like dirt, dust, etc. You lived in an over-hygienic environment. Now, when faced by these things, your body generates an immune response that sets off allergy attacks.
Boost your good bacteria. Bad bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract can cause serious problems. These bad bacteria tell your immune system to trigger allergy. Consider adding probiotic supplements like acidophilus and other strains to your daily regimen.
Don’t overdose on antibiotics. Overusing antibiotics can upset your intestinal flora. There is a strong documented connection between children on antibiotics and the development of allergy or asthma in these kids.
Manage stress levels. When grief, depression and hurt go on unchecked, stress sets in and compromises your immune system. Stress releases hormones that suppress your defense against disease.
Exercise more. Exercise is essential to good health. It stimulates the body to release good hormones that fight inflammation.
Calming bath soak
To fill your inner need for calm, have a soak bath. Dim the bathroom. Light up candles. Soak in a medium hot bath for five to seven minutes. Mix a few drops of your favorite aromatherapy oils. If you have none, throw in some citrus fruits like orange, lime, etc. Mixed with the warm water, the aromatic oils will clear your sinus and uplift the senses.
And affirm life everyday. The more you do, the stronger your immune system becomes. So, with an open mind and heart, declare, “Life is a gift and I claim it as mine.”
Love and Light!
Reference: “Inflammation, Health & Longevity,” Richard Bennett, Ph.D.
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