Inflammation

Inflammation. What is inflammation? Inflammation is part of the body's immune response. Initially, it is beneficial when, for example, your body sustains a blow and tissues are damaged and are in need of care and protection. However, inflammation is not just limited to your joints! Sometimes inflammation can cause further inflammation and it can be self-perpetuating. More inflammation is created in response to the existing inflammation. The inflammatory response can be provoked by physical, chemical, and biologic agents, including mechanical trauma, exposure to excessive amounts of sunlight, X-rays and radioactive materials, corrosive chemicals, extremes of heat and cold, or by infectious agents such as bacteria, viruses, and other pathogenic microorganisms. Signs of inflammation are heat, redness, swelling, pain and loss of function. When inflammation occurs, chemicals from the body's white blood cells are released into the bloodstream or affected tissues to protect your body from foreign substances, this release increases the blood flow to the area of injury or infection and may result in redness and warmth.   

Inflammations Role in Diabetes. High levels of glucose start a chain reaction producing huge amounts of "free radicals" and advanced glycation products which are products that have sugar molecules attached to them, which both inflame and damage the body. Free Radicals stimulate inflammatory responses and in this way, diabetics develops high levels of inflammation. Industrial pollutants, and cigarette smoke also cause inflammation.

The main trigger of inflammation is oxidative damage to our cells from  chemical, reactions to various cell damaging agents such as ultraviolet radiation from the sun, industrial pollutants, cigarette smoke, even some activities essential to life such as breathing, exercise, and eating all cause oxiditive damage. All of these oxidative triggers require one thing...... A strong Antioxidant response to prevent tissue damage and inflammation!

Some of these chemicals cause a leak of fluid into the tissues, resulting in swelling, stimulating the nerves and causing pain. However, with Chronic Inflammation this inflammatory process begins with even no injury and does not end when it should. Chronic Inflammation may be caused by infections that won't go away or abnormal reactions to normal tissues or conditions such as obesity, Over time Chronic Inflammation can cause damage to your DNA and lead to cancer. Chronic Inflammation is often accompanied by; depression, frequent upset stomach, and always being tired. Now, this is not written in stone, but if you experience these symptoms it's a good bet you may be suffering from Chronic Inflammation. 

Inflammations Role in Allergies. A food allergy is a reaction to a compound in a food such as gluten, or lactose or other molecules that causes antibody release. Food allergies cause the body to produce an increase in IgE and IgA antibodies that "bind" with other specialized cells called mast cells, and this binding causes the release of histamines which are substances that cause swelling and redness. Some people become addicted to certain foods that cause allergic reactions because the body releases endorphins when eating certain foods (such as milk chocolate) that creates a natural "high" which causes addiction.