I remember drinking whole milk and using real butter when I was young. While Mom rarely fried our food, she did use natural butter and oils. Sometime in the 70's, we started hearing on the media that the 'experts' decided that whole milk, lard, and real butter were bad for the heart, and that hydrogenated fats like margarine would make us all healthier. In the 90's, suddenly all fats were bad for us -- coconut oil became enemy # 1 and movie theaters stopped using it to make their popcorn. In the last 10 years or so, milk has become the new enemy. To this day, even our doctors will tell us to cut out the fats from our diets and stop drinking real milk. Just last week, my doctor told me to switch to soy or almond "milk". Sadly, those recommendations were, and are, seriously flawed and have caused a great many more health issues for millions of people. Many people and many doctors are unaware that scientists now recognize that we need saturated, unsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats in our diets. Today, we'll learn about the two Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) found in these fats that we MUST consume because our bodies don't make them and discuss the importance of their Omega classifications.
The two Essential Fatty Acids are Linoleic Acid (LA) and Alpha-Linolenic Acid (referred to as ALA or LNA). They are called essential because we have to ingest them in order to survive. The cells in our bodies consist of 60% fat for brain cells and 50% fat for all other cells. So fats are some of the nutrients needed to keep every cell healthy. Other Fatty Acids can be made by our bodies when we eat the proper foods, but LA and LNA are not made by our bodies, and must be eaten to help produce metabolic compounds that are required to get nutrients to all of our cells. These two EFAs are polyunsaturated, have polar opposite functions in the body, and need to be balanced! Linoleic Acid is found in meats, seeds, nuts, and vegetable oils. Grape-seed, Corn, Evening Primrose, Sunflower, Safflower, and Soybean oils are all high in LA. In the oils, LA is more stable (takes longer before spoiling) than LNA, so companies making processed foods (like chips) prefer to use oils with a higher LA content. This is important because LA is a pro-inflammatory, Omega 6 fatty acid. If you read my last several blogs, you know that we need inflammation - it's the way the body protects and heals itself, and that the inflammation process includes swelling and resolution of swelling. Internally, Linoleic Acid promotes the inflammation portion of the inflammatory process -- it supports the metabolic processes that cause inflammation in response to a threat, injury, or invasion. Topically, LA supports the barrier function of our skin -- it keeps harmful invaders out. Yet, it also supports the passage function -- it absorbs easily and brings nutrients and moisture deep into the layers of the skin. LA helps keep our skin healthy and moisturized. Alpha-Linolenic Acid (ALA)(LNA) is found in sardines, mackerel, fish oils, wild salmon, navy beans, hemp seeds, edamame, flax seeds, whole wheat, walnuts, avocados, chia seeds, perilla, oatmeal, etc. Oils high in LNA include Flax, Chia Seed, Kiwi, Perilla, Sea Buckthorn, Sacha inchi, Camelina, Rosehip Seed, Kukui Nut, Blueberry, Cranberry, Red Raspberry, Hemp Seed, Blackberry, and Walnut. LNA is not as stable as LA, so products made with a high percentage of LNA will spoil more quickly. LNA is an anti-inflammatory, Omega 3 Fatty Acid. It promotes the reduction of inflammation by supporting the metabolic processes that resolve inflammation once the affected body part is healed. Internally, LNA supports circulation, heart health, eye health, and blood pressure, and is useful in the prevention of obesity, arterial, rheumatic, and autoimmune illnesses. In infants and children, it helps with brain and eye development. Current studies are showing the possibility that when properly combined with Linoleic Acid, LNA could lower the incidence of respiratory infections in children. Topically, LNA is essential to maintain skin health. Its anti-inflammatory properties can ameliorate irritation, redness, and itchiness. It can reduce inflammation in the skin cells, repair those cells, and help them regenerate. It moisturizes the skin and improves the skin barrier. With the proper amount of LNA, skin will look better and feel smoother. You may have noticed the mention of Omega 6 and Omega 3 Fatty Acids during the discussion of LA and LNA. Huh? Omegas? What are you talking about? I'm so glad you asked! I'm talking about a chemistry thing with fixed (or carrier) oils. It involves the location of the first double bond in the fatty acid molecule. I know, TMI, right? Well, yes and no. This is essential chemistry for those of us who are formulating products for others. For the purposes of this blog, I won't go into the chemistry, rather, I'll talk about two (of several) Omegas we need to watch for when we use fixed oils. You already know I'm talking about Omegas 3 and 6, and that the key Fatty Acids that have these designations are LNA and LA. Omega 6 FAs are pro-inflammatory while Omega 3s are anti-inflammatory, Just as too much Omega 6 can cause cause chronic inflammation and lead to a variety of inflammatory-based diseases (i.e. Alzheimer's, Type 2 Diabetes, etc), too much Omega 3 may lead to higher levels of LDL cholesterol, impair the immune system and white blood cell function, and cause bleeding. Consequently, it's important to keep these two Fatty Acids balanced. Currently, 3 parts Omega 6 to 1 part Omega 3 is considered optimal. Yes, a 3 to 1 ratio is correct. (I've seen other blogs erroneously say differently, but checked with my course professors to verify the correct ratio.) At most, a 5 to 1 ratio is considered to be within acceptable levels. In the west, the average person typically ingests a 16 to 1 (or higher) ratio. Is it any wonder the incidence of Diabetes, Heart Disease, High Cholesterol, and a host of other inflammatory diseases have become so prevalent? This is why nutritionists may recommend using Olive Oil or Canola Oil - they have that approximate 3 to 1 balance of Omega 6 to Omega 3. Peanut Oil, on the other hand, has about 33% Omega 6 but no Omega 3. It may add great flavor to food, but needs a counterbalance (i.e. salmon) that is rich in Omega-3 FAs. Hemp Seed Oil also has the "perfect balance" of Omega 6 to Omega 3, but it can't tolerate heat. So Hemp Seed Oil is good for oil and vinegar dressings, and it's great to use topically. Is it possible to have too little Omega-3 in our bodies? Yes. What happens if we don't have enough Omega-3? Are there signs or symptoms? Difficulties with vision, feeling weak, leg pain and/or difficulties walking, high cholesterol, lots of inflammation, and skin that feels scaly are all caused by, and may be symptoms of, a deficiency in Omega-3 Alpha-Linolenic Acid. The final take away from this is to educate yourself on what your body truly needs nutritionally. It may take some time to find the information you need, but you'll feel better and be healthier in the long run. Resources: 1. Parker, Susan, The Power of the Seed, Process Media, Port Townsend, Washington, ©2014 pages 58 - 64, 78 - 79, 245, 2. Foundation for Diet and Health, Alpha-Linolenic acid; ALA; 18:3 omega 3, https://www.diet-health.info/en/recipes/nutrients/nu/mx220-alpha-linolenic-acid-ala-183-omega-3 Accessed May 27, 2019 3. WebMD, Alpha-Linolenic Acid, © 2005 - 2019 WebMD LLC., https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-1035/alpha-linolenic-acid, Accessed May 27, 2019 4. NutrientsReview.com, Alpha-Linolenic Acid (ALA), NutrientsReview 2016, http://www.nutrientsreview.com/lipids/alpha-linolenic-acid-ala.html Accessed May 27 - 28, 2019 5. Quach, Helen, 20 Amazing Health Benefits of ALA (Alpha-Linolenic Acid), Selfhacked, Last updated February 20, 2019, https://selfhacked.com/blog/alpha-linolenic-acid/ Accessed May 27-28, 2019 6. the conscious life, Anti-Inflammatory Diet: How to Balance Omega-3 and Omega-6 Fatty Acids, 2009 - 2019, https://theconsciouslife.com/anti-inflammatory-diet-how-to-balance-omega-3-omega-6-fats.htm, Accessed May 28, 2019 7. Guyenet, Stephen, US Omega-6 and Omega-3 Fat Consumption over the Last Century, Whole Health Source: Nutrition and Health Science, April 10, 2011, https://wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/2011/04/us-omega-6-and-omega-3-fat-consumption.html, Accessed May 28, 2019 8. Simopoulos, A.P., Evolutionary aspects of diet, the omega-6/omega-3 ratio and genetic variation: nutritional implications for chronic diseases, Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, Volume 60, Issue 9, November 2006, pp 502 - 507 Science Direct, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0753332206002435 Accessed May 28, 2019 We've learned what acute and chronic inflammation are, what causes them, and how they affect the body. Now, its time to discuss natural ways to relieve acute inflammation and to help reduce chronic inflammation.
We'll start with acute inflammation. RICE - Rest, ice, compression, elevation, and NSAIDS are considered by many to be the standard in treating an injury with inflammation, but others say, "wait, ice and NSAIDS don't help, and may harm". It's been interesting reading about the controversies dealing with the ice and NSAIDS steps. In a nutshell, the studies that have been done don't conclusively prove icing to be beneficial or harmful. It's the same with NSAIDS, but these medications carry the risk of other harmful effects on the body. What I suggest is to definitely rest, elevate, and use compression on a fresh injury (i.e. a sprained ankle). If you want to ice it, do so - it will probably help reduce pain and a little of the swelling. If you have no desire to ice it, then don't. Your body knows what it needs and your brain gets the signal to make that need sound, smell, or feel really good to you. In my personal experience, following many surgeries, I wanted to use ice and did so for several days post-op. I've also had many surgeries when the opposite was the case, and I didn't want ice and didn't use any at all. I recovered just fine in each case - my body knew what I needed and my brain signaled me to want or not want it. When it comes to NSAIDS, I have a more difficult time being unbiased. My body does NOT like NSAIDS at all -- I get severe stomach pain from them. I've also learned about some of the risks they pose to the body, so I won't recommend them. Are there things we can do in addition to RICE? Yes! There are herbs and carrier oils we can use both internally and externally, and essential oils we can use externally to help relieve pain and to promote the body to heal itself naturally. The beauty of the herbs, carrier oils, and essential oils is that they can be used for both acute and chronic inflammation. A wide range of herbs have scientifically-proven, significant anti-inflammatory properties. Included in this list are Ginger, Garlic, Oregano, Turmeric, Black Pepper, Rosemary, Lavender, Peppermint, Arnica, Calendula, St. John's Wort, Comfrey, Plantain, Plai, Galangal, Amla, Frankincense, Star Anise, and many more. Quite a few of these can be purchased at your local grocery store and incorporated into the foods you eat or used to flavor your coffee. Several can also be infused in water to use as compresses on an injured area or to drink as a tea. You can make tinctures by infusing them in a grain alcohol, then take a few drops of the tincture daily. When ingesting herbs, check to make sure it's safe. Some should only be used topically. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking certain medications, are heading into surgery, or have chronic health conditions, certain herbs will be contraindicated. Fixed oils can be used in cooking, infused with herbs, and can serve as carriers to properly dilute essential oils. When cooking with these oils, it's important to get the proper balance of Omega 3 (Alpha-Linolenic Acid) to Omega 6 (Linoleic Acid) Essential Fatty Acids. That balance should be about a 1 to 3 ratio in order to maintain balance in the body's inflammatory process. For example, Olive Oil is comprised of 5% Alpha-Linolenic Acid and 5 - 15% Linoleic Acid. This is a great balance and the reason that Olive Oil is considered to be a healthy oil to use in cooking. A few other oils with the proper balance of Omega 3 to Omega 6 are Avocado Oil, Canola Oil, Sea Buckthorn Fruit Oil, and Walnut Oil. (Next week's blog will discuss these EFAs in more detail.) Fixed oils can also be infused with herbs and used topically or in cooking. The oils have their own therapeutic properties which can be enhanced with herbs. Trauma Oil is an herbally-infused oil. It's made from herbs that have been individually soaked in fixed oils for several weeks, then strained, then combined. Doing this allows the therapeutic properties of the herbs to transfer into the oils. The final oil can then be massaged into the skin to soothe localized pain and inflammation. Likewise, fixed oils serve as carriers for essential oils -- they 'carry' the essential oils into the skin. When you incorporate essential oils into combinations of fixed oils like Hemp Seed Oil, Tamanu Oil, Trauma Oil, Andiroba Oil, etc. you get an effective mix of anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. Stronger blends can be made for short-term use during acute inflammation, and more diluted blends used for long-term, chronic inflammation. The list of essential oils that are analgesic and anti-inflammatory is too large for this blog, but here are a few of my favorites: Helichrysum, Copaiba, Ginger, Black Pepper, Turmeric, Geranium, Hops, Frankincense, Lavender, Peppermint, and Rosemary. Combinations of these oils can be used to help relieve both acute and chronic inflammation. An example of this is a blend I made to use after my last three surgeries. I added Copaiba Langsdorfii, Lavender, and Frankincense essential oils to Meadowfoam Oil and Jojoba that was infused with Comfrey Root and Calendula. All of these oils and herbs are safe to use during the two week post-op period and all have significant anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. This blend helped keep the swelling under control, and while it did not eliminate all of my pain, it soothed it enough to make it bearable. There are a few final things to take note of here: 1. We don't want to immediately eliminate acute inflammation -- we need it to heal. The goal is to help the inflammatory process progress normally. 2. Chronic inflammation is what we do want to minimize or avoid. 3. There are steps we can take to reduce chronic inflammation. These steps include diet, exercise, lifestyle, and sleep, and can include the use of herbs, fixed oils, essential oils, and foods (which we haven't covered). 4. Most of us are not going to make sudden, drastic changes in our diets or lifestyle overnight. That's okay. Change just one thing at a time. Switch from using Peanut Oil to Olive Oil in your cooking or add ginger or peppermint to your morning cup of coffee. Once the 'new' action becomes routine, add another positive step. As you continue to repeat this process, eventually, you'll start feeling stronger, healthier, and more energetic -- oh, yeah, and your chronic inflammation will be reduced! We've learned how acute inflammation is the body's way of protecting and healing itself, and how chronic inflammation is an immune response that goes awry and may eventually lead to health issues as we age. This week, we'll discuss the link between inflammation and Alzheimer's Disease.
This topic is near and dear to my heart because my mother suffered from osteoarthritis (chronic inflammation) for much of her adult life. She went to college in her mid 40s and maintained a 4.0 gpa. Sometime in her 60s, she started forgetting things. This forgetfulness progressed until, eventually, she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease. Watching her deteriorate mentally was one of the most heartbreaking things I've ever experienced. Mom passed away a little over a month ago, and I have to wonder how much her chronic inflammation contributed to her Alzheimer's, and if there were any steps that could have been taken to reduce the inflammation and prevent (or slow down) the progression of her Alzheimer's. I have a second reason for my concerns and my desire to find answers. I inherited my mother's arthritis -- it started when I was in my late teens -- so chronic inflammation has been a significant part of my life for several decades. I don't even want to imagine losing my mental faculties (my brain is my best feature). With an estimate of over 5 million people in the U.S. alone having Alzheimer's, this is personal to many of you as well. What is the link between inflammation and Alzheimer's? To answer this question, I'm going to quote sections from the research paper I wrote for my certification in Aromatherapy. This paper is titled: "The Role of Zingiber cassumunar Roxb (Plai) Essential Oil in Inflammation and Three Inflammatory Diseases" "The Role of Chronic Inflammation Inflammation is caused by the immune system responding to illness, injury, or damaged tissue. When cell damage occurs either by injury or invading pathogens, the body activates lymph and white blood cells to repair damage and restore the injured tissue. In acute situations, the swelling is temporary. Long term conditions, however, may cause chronic inflammation – even when there is no threat to the body. In this case, the white blood cells may begin to attack cells, tissues, and organs. Chemical imbalances and severe tissue damage may lead to chronic inflammation in one or more areas of the body. [27] When this happens, the body’s response can change from reparative to degenerative. As a result, chronic inflammation is believed to play a significant contributory role in in the cause and progression of arthritis, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease. Nuclear-Factor-Kappa Beta, Cox enzymes, Interleukin-1β, MMP-13, and MMP-2, are all biological agents involved in the inflammatory process that can lead to arthritis, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease." . . . "Nuclear Factor-Kappa Beta (NFkB) is a protein that senses damage in the body and sends signals to start and stop the inflammation process. As we get older, NFkB signaling increases and sets the body up for chronic inflammation, which causes greater vulnerability to diseases like Rheumatoid Arthritis, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease. [11] Cox is an enzyme that the body produces during an inflammatory response. Its function is to produce prostanoids which are inflammatory hormones. While COX-1 is mostly good for the body and protects the digestive tract, COX-2 is a contributing factor to arthritis, cancer, and Alzheimer’s. [1, 9] Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) (a pro-inflammatory cytokine), MMP-13 (an enzyme), and MMP-2 (a gelatinase) are major factors in inflammation and cartilage destruction in Osteoarthritis. [24] " " Alzheimer’s Disease In Alzheimer’s disease, nerve cells and brain tissue are destroyed and the brain shrinks significantly over the course of several years causing a progressive loss of memory. In the end stages, the brain even loses the ability to signal the autonomic functions of breathing and pumping the heart. Swelling and oxidative stress cause and contribute to several biological processes in the body which lead to the destruction of brain tissue and Alzheimer’s Disease. [4] One of the neurologic processes affected by inflammation is with the neurotransmitters Acetylcholine and butyrycholine. These neurotransmitters carry signals from cell to cell in the brain – they allow thinking, talking, remembering, and functioning to take place. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrycholinesterase (BChE) are enzymes that break down acetylcholine and butyrycholine respectively. Normally, AChE and BChE are balanced which keeps acetylcholine and butyrycholine balanced. However, chronic inflammation may interfere with AChE and BChE causing them to get out of balance, changing their roles from supportive to degenerative and negatively affecting the generation of neuronal cells. " "A second neurologic process influenced by inflammation is movement of Beta amyloid (β-A). β-A is a ‘sticky’ protein found in fatty membranes that surround nerve cells. Chronic inflammation may cause β-A to form clumps, or plaques. Small groups of these plaques (fibrils) may block cellular signaling at synapses which in turn, causes more inflammation by activating immune system cells. The immune cells come to try and fix the damage and eat the damaged nerve cells. [4] " "A third neurologic process affected by chronic inflammation is tau. Proteins in our bodies form a system of straight tracks to move nutrients and other important materials to different parts of the body. Tau is a protein that keeps those tracks straight. Neuro-inflammation can cause tau to collapse into twisted strands called tau tangles. In these areas, the transportation system falls apart and cells die. The cortex – especially the hippocampus – is eventually disintegrated in this process. [4] " As you can see, inflammation is a complicated process and has a significant effect on the brain. Chronic inflammation is not the sole factor in the development of Alzheimer's Disease, but it does play a key role. The good news is that we can take proactive steps to, hopefully, reduce both chronic inflammation and brain degeneration. Next week, we'll focus on some ways to deal with acute inflammation and reduce chronic inflammation naturally. Resources: 1. Dragoo, Karen "The Role of Zingiber cassumunar Roxb (Plai) Essential Oil in Inflammation and Three Inflammatory Diseases" 2017 Certification Research Paper for Aromahead Institute School of Essential Oil Studies Resources for my research paper: [1] All About COX2 - Selfhacked. (2017). Selfhacked. Retrieved 5 December 2017, from https://selfhacked.com/blog/cox2-natural-cox2-inhibitors/ [2] Anasamy, T., Abdul, A., Sukari, M., Abdelwahab, S., Mohan, S., & Kamalidehghan, B. et al. (2013). A Phenylbutenoid Dimer,cis-3-(3′,4′-Dimethoxyphenyl)-4-[(E)-3′′′,4′′′Dimethoxystyryl] Cyclohex-1-ene, Exhibits Apoptogenic Properties in T-Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Cells via Induction of p53-Independent Mitochondrial Signalling Pathway. Evidence-Based Complementary And Alternative Medicine, 2013, 114. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/939810 [3] Bhuiyan, M., Chowdhury, J., & Begum, J. (2008). Volatile constituents of essential oils isolated from leaf and rhizome of Zingiber cassumunar Roxb. Bangladesh Journal Of Pharmacology, 3(2), 69-73. http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjp.v3i2.844 [4] Brain Tour. (2011). Alz.org/braintour. Retrieved 6 December 2017, from https://alz.org/alzheimers_disease_4719.asp [5] Butje, A. (2010). Loving Terpinen-4-ol. Blog.aromahead.com. Retrieved 5 December 2017, from https://blog.aromahead.com/2010/08/12/loving-terpinen-4-ol [6] Danovi, S. (2017). Feeling the heat – the link between inflammation and cancer. Cancer Research UK - Science blog. Retrieved 5 December 2017, from http://scienceblog.cancerresearchuk.org/2013/02/01/feeling-the-heat-the-link-betweeninflammation-and-cancer/ [7] Deadly NSAIDS | American Nutrition Association. (2017). Americannutritionassociation.org. Retrieved 5 December 2017, from http://americannutritionassociation.org/newsletter/deadly-nsaids [8] Ethnobotany, Phytochemistry and Pharmacology of Zingiber cassumunar Roxb. (Zingiberaceae). (2015). Phytojournal.com. Retrieved 6 December 2017, from http://www.phytojournal.com/archives/2015/vol4issue1/PartA/3.1-921.pdf [9] Eustice, C. (2017). What Are the Drawbacks of Cyclooxygenase?. Verywell. Retrieved 5 December 2017, from https://www.verywell.com/cyclooxygenase-cox-1-and-cox-22552188 [10] Formulation Development of Plai Nanoemulsion Based on the Influence of Surfactant Combinations. (2012). Journal of the Science Faculty of Chiang Mai University. Retrieved 6 December 2017, from http://epg.science.cmu.ac.th/ejournal/journalDetail.php?journal_id=4558 [11] Goepp, J. (2017). What Is Nuclear Factor-Kappa Beta? - page 1 | Life Extension. LifeExtension.com. Retrieved 5 December 2017, from http://www.lifeextension.com/magazine/2006/7/report_nuclear/page-01 [12] Hauser, R. (2010). The Acceleration of Articular Cartilage Degeneration in Osteoarthritis by Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs. Journalofprolotherapy.com. Retrieved 5 December 2017, from http://www.journalofprolotherapy.com/pdfs/issue_05/issue_05_10_nsaids.pdf [13] Jalaja, M., Krishnakumar, K., Dineshkumar, B., Anish, J., David, P., & Joseph, C. (2013). Herbs for Alzheimer disease - A Review. Urpjournals.com. Retrieved 5 December 2017, from http://www.urpjournals.com/tocjnls/42_13v3i3_2.pdf [14] Kaewchoothong, A., Tewtrakul, S., & Panichayupakaranant, P. (2012). Inhibitory Effect of Phenylbutanoid-richZingiber cassumunarExtracts on Nitric Oxide Production by Murine Macrophage-like RAW264.7 Cells. Phytotherapy Research, 26(12), 1789-1792. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ptr.4661 [15] Koontongkaew, S., Poachanukoon, O., Sireeratawong, S., Dechatiwongse Na Ayudhya, T., Khonsung, P., & Jaijoy, K. et al. (2014). Safety Evaluation ofZingiber cassumunarRoxb. Rhizome Extract: Acute and Chronic Toxicity Studies in Rats. International Scholarly Research Notices, 2014, 1-14. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/632608 [16] Leelarungrayub, J., Manorsoi, J., & Manorsoi, A. (2017). Anti-inflammatory activity of niosomes entrapped with Plai oil (<em>Zingiber cassumunar</em> Roxb.) by therapeutic ultrasound in a rat model. International Journal Of Nanomedicine, Volume 12, 2469-2476. http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/ijn.s129131 [17] Li, X., Cai, X., Fan, F., Niu, H., Li, S., & Li, D. et al. (2015). Observation of sGAG content of human hip joint cartilage in different old age groups based on EPIC micro-CT. Connective Tissue Research, 56(2), 99-105. http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/03008207.2015.1009052 [18] Manosroi, J., Dhumtanom, P., & Manosroi, A. (2006). Anti-proliferative activity of essential oil extracted from Thai medicinal plants on KB and P388 cell lines. Cancer Letters, 235(1), 114-120. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.canlet.2005.04.021 [19] Metcalfe, M., & Figueiredo-Pereira, M. (2010). Relationship Between Tau Pathology and Neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's Disease. Mount Sinai Journal Of Medicine: A Journal Of Translational And Personalized Medicine, 77(1), 50-58. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/msj.20163 [20] Mortimer, S. (2009). Plai - a natural anti-inflammatory. Balance-holistics.blogspot.com. Retrieved 5 December 2017, from http://balance-holistics.blogspot.com/search?q=plai [21] Okonogi. (2012). Enhancement of anti-cholinesterase activity of Zingiber cassumunar essential oil using a microemulsion technique. Drug Discoveries & Therapeutics, 6(5), 249-255. http://dx.doi.org/10.5582/ddt.2012.v6.5.249 [22] Panthong, A., Kanjanapothi, D., Niwatananant, W., Tuntiwachwuttikul, P., & Reutrakul, V. (1997). Anti-inflammatory activity of compound D {(E)-4-(3′,4′dimethoxyphenyl)but-3-en-2-ol} isolated from Zingiber cassumunar Roxb. Phytomedicine, 4(3), 207-212. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0944-7113(97)80069-4 [23] Rakoff-Nahoum, S. (2007). Cancer Issue: Why Cancer and Inflammation?. PubMed Central (PMC). Retrieved 5 December 2017, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1994795/ [24] Rujirek, C., Siriwan, O., Siriwan, T., Prachya, K., Ampai, P., & Vichai, R. (2012). Chondroprotective potential of bioactive compounds of Zingiber cassumunar Roxb. against cytokine-induced cartilage degradation in explant culture. Journal Of Medicinal Plants Research, 6(39), 5204-5213. http://dx.doi.org/10.5897/jmpr11.1633 [25] Shacter, E., & Weitzman, S. (2002). Chronic Inflammation and Cancer | Cancer Network | The Oncology Journal. Cancernetwork.com. Retrieved 5 December 2017, from http://www.cancernetwork.com/colorectal-cancer/chronic-inflammation-and-cancer [26] Singh, D., Gupta, M., Kesharwani, R., & Misra, K. (2013). Comparative docking and ADMET study of some curcumin derivatives and herbal congeners targeting β-amyloid. Network Modeling Analysis In Health Informatics And Bioinformatics, 2(1), 13-27. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s13721-012-0021-7 [27] Szalay, J. (2015). Inflammation: Causes, Symptoms & Anti-Inflammatory Diet. Live Science. Retrieved 6 December 2017, from https://www.livescience.com/52344inflammation.html [28] ToxTutor - Systemic Toxic Effects. (2017). Toxtutor.nlm.nih.gov. Retrieved 6 December 2017, from https://toxtutor.nlm.nih.gov/03-003.html [29] Udomlak, S., Prapassorn, R., Putthita, P., Sopida, C., & Vichien, K. (2009). Chemical Composition and Physical Properties of Oil from Plai (Zingiber cassumunar Roxb.) Obtained by Hydro Distillation and Hexane Extraction. Kasetsartjournal.ku.ac.th. Retrieved 5 December 2017, from http://kasetsartjournal.ku.ac.th/kuj_files/2010/A1003081306505000.pdf [30] Viscosupplementation, H. (2017). Hyaluronic Acid / Viscosupplementation | Patient Education. Patient Education. Retrieved 5 December 2017, from https://cartilage.org/patient/about-cartilage/can-i-be-treated-without-surgery/hyaluronicacidviscosupplementation/ Recommended Reading/Websites: https://alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/what-is-alzheimers/brain_tour https://www.alzdiscovery.org/news-room/blog/inflammation-the-driver-of-alzheimers-disease https://www.news-medical.net/health/Inflammation-and-Alzheimers-Disease.aspx https://thevaccinereaction.org/2017/11/chronic-inflammation-in-alzheimers-disease/ https://sanescohealth.com/alzheimers-disease-and-inflammation/ https://bodyecology.com/articles/alzheimers-and-inflammation/ As we saw last week, acute inflammation is the body's natural immune reaction to heal injuries, combat pathogens, and to protect itself. This week, we'll look at what chronic inflammation is, some of its causes, and how it affects the body.
Chronic inflammation means swelling that continues for an extended period of time. Tendonitis is an example of chronic inflammation. A tendon attaches muscle to bone. Overuse with repetitive motion, or injury like a strain or tear, can cause the tendon to swell. When that swelling persists (even though the injury itself has healed), the doctor may diagnose tendonitis. In such a case, the swelling may not be outwardly visible, but there is heat, pain, and limited range of motion. The example above tells us that overuse of a body part can be one cause of chronic inflammation. There are several more potential causes -- some that are understood, some partially understood, and some that have not yet been discovered. Genetics, aging, injury, infection, auto-immune disease, exposure to chemicals/pollution, smoking, poor diet, obesity, excessive use of alcohol, and chronic stress can all be contributing factors to and/or direct causes of chronic inflammation. However, two people could experience the exact same contributing factors, but only one of them develops chronic inflammation. Scientists are still trying to understand how and why that happens. What we do know more about is the effect chronic inflammation has on the body. Because chronic inflammation can last for years, it can harm rather than heal the body. If it's in one or more joints, it can cause further damage to soft tissue (i.e. cartilage). Inflammation that continues for many years, will eventually cause cell damage, scarring, and possibly DNA damage. If left unchecked, it can cause diseases like diabetes, asthma, heart disease, OA, RA, atherosclerosis, some types of cancer, autoimmune diseases, Crohn's, UC, Psoriasis, Nephritis, Myalgias, MS, FM, Colitis, and neurodegenerative diseases (example: Alzheimer's Disease). Many of these diseases then cause more inflammation, and the cycle starts to spiral out of control. The list goes on, but you're starting to see that chronic inflammation plays a role in the development of many of the diseases we encounter as we age. This list looks scary -- and it is. The good news is that there are steps we can take to reduce chronic inflammation and hopefully, avoid its ravages on our bodies. We'll look at these steps in two weeks. Before that, I want to show in more detail exactly how chronic inflammation impacts our bodies. So, next week, I'm going to focus on one of the above diseases from the list - Alzheimer's Disease - and show how chronic inflammation is a key contributing factor in the onset and continuing degeneration of the brain. Resources: 1. PPT Health, Diseases Caused by Chronic Inflammation, 2019, https://www.ppt-health.com/inflammation-relief/diseases-caused-by-chronic-inflammation/, Accessed May 5 - 7, 2019 2. Santos-Longhurst, Adrienne, Understanding and Managing Chronic Inflammation, Healthline, July 27, 2018, https://www.healthline.com/health/chronic-inflammation, Accessed May 5 - 7, 2019 3. Nordqvist, Christian, Everything you need to know about inflammation, Medical News Today, Last updated Nov. 24, 2017, https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/248423.php, Accessed May 5 - 7, 2019 |
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February 2021
CategoriesAuthorKaren Dragoo |