Finding the root cause of
inflammation for better health.
The likelihood of experiencing inflammation at some point in life is pretty substantial. Inflammation is a very common condition that can impact numerous body parts and functions within humans. It is caused by the immune system and is a very normal part of a body’s function and protective mechanisms.
Inflammation can be linked to a vast array of bodily processes, including infection, injury, allergies, toxins, autoimmune diseases, chronic stress, and cancer. It has the potential to be chronic or acute as well as systemic or localized to a specific body part or organ. Dr. Allison Wildin, DO, rheumatologist at MU Health Care Capital Region Medical Center knows all about inflammation as it is linked to rheumatology and how it affects patients in different ways.
“Acute inflammation is a response to an injury or illness,” Dr. Wildin says. “Chronic inflammation may have no symptoms or can manifest with symptoms that reflect where the inflammation is.”
Acute inflammation can present a lot of different symptoms like pain, swelling, redness, warmth, fever, and/or chills. In some situations, inflammation can get overwhelming and can turn into a serious condition like sepsis, but much more commonly, acute inflammation resolves on its own. On the other end of the spectrum of inflammation, chronic inflammation tends to be more closely linked to diseases such as cardiovascular issues, cancer, and/or dementia. Allergies and asthma can fall somewhere between acute and chronic, depending on the severity and symptoms they present.
“Chronic inflammation may have no symptoms or can manifest
Dr. Allison Wildin
with symptoms that reflect where the inflammation is.”
Exposure to toxins and environmental factors can also influence and worsen inflammation. This can boil down to things that are present in the house and workplace or something more manageable such as what people choose to use — like cigarettes, alcohol, cleaning chemicals, etc.
“Obesity and periodontal disease are other major sources of chronic inflammation,” Dr. Wildin says. “In addition to these various triggers, one that tends to get overlooked more often is chronic stress. Chronic mental stress increases stress hormones, which may interfere with the body’s ability to regulate its own immune system and inflammatory responses. This has been proposed as one of the theories behind the development of mood disorders, dementia, autoimmune disease, gastrointestinal disease, and cardiovascular disease among other illnesses.”
Dr. Wildin tends to see a lot of different inflammatory disorders due to the body trying to target healthy tissue, which in turn causes inflammation and tissue damage. A good example of this is rheumatoid arthritis, which causes inflammation in the joints.
There are some tests that check for inflammation, but the tests are not necessarily reliable and cannot pinpoint where the inflammation is located. Additionally, indicators of inflammation tend to be much higher in women than in men, and indicators may increase over time with age. The most common tests are ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate) and CRP (c-reactive protein). There are some things that can cause these tests to be elevated, however. People should also take into account their general health, family history, and other predictive factors in determining inflammation and linked diseases.
“Maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking, having an active lifestyle and/or
Dr. Allison Wildin
exercising regularly, incorporating healthy foods and limiting unhealthy foods,
good oral hygiene, and regular doctor visits can all help a person
stay healthy and reduce chronic inflammation and risk for chronic disease.”
Dr. Wildin mentions that some of the top ways that people can combat inflammation naturally are to incorporate a healthy diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids and plant-based fats and to partake in relaxing hobbies. Many people can also utilize things like prayer, meditation, restorative sleep, and regular socialization. A fun fact for people who fancy themselves as wine enthusiasts is that studies show that light consumption of red wine is healthy and reduces inflammation. In the end, however, the best way to monitor inflammation (acute or chronic) is to schedule appropriate checkups and speak regularly with a primary physician about which evaluations would be most beneficial.
“Maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking, having an active lifestyle and/or exercising regularly, incorporating healthy foods and limiting unhealthy foods, good oral hygiene, and regular doctor visits can all help a person stay healthy and reduce chronic inflammation and risk for chronic disease,” Dr. Wildin says.
What are Polyphenols? Polyphenols are naturally occurring compounds in plants that help protect the body from inflammation. People can get polyphenol from foods like coffee, tea, dark chocolate, nuts, olives, fruits, etc. Try diets that incorporate whole foods like the Mediterranean diet, which is known for providing rich sources of polyphenols. When preparing meals, include colorful plant-based foods, whole grains, and fresh herbs and spices.