Medical, alternative healthcare professionals and the media all assure us that the inflammatory process is the cause of all disease. Yes it’s true, inflammation and illness go hand in hand and there are no chronic health challenges behind which you won’t find some degree of this important biological phenomena.
Still, to say inflammation is the cause of disease is to misunderstand what inflammation is all about. To put it simply, inflammation is a protective response. The body initiates inflammatory chemistry under conditions of duress at the level of the cell. In other words, when cells are damaged or under attack by microbes, toxins, allergens and especially oxidized oils, they will secrete chemicals that mobilize the molecules of inflammation, which will act to open up blood vessels, directing immune biochemicals, fluids and fibers to affected areas to wall them off.
In this way inflammation acts like a biochemical airbag, segregating the healthy from unhealthy bodily components. The net effect of these inflammatory airbags is disruption of ordinary biochemistry, blocking of nutrient and oxygen delivery to cells and accumulation of toxicity within them, leading to more breakdown, more inflammation and ultimately the manifestation of disease.
The key to anti-inflammation is keeping cells healthy and nourished with the mighty 90 essential nutrients, especially vitamin C, E and omega-3 fatty acids, avoiding toxicity from drugs, sugar and processed fats and, most importantly, eliminating problem foods, maintaining digestive and intestinal health and using probiotics to keep bad bacteria fungus and viruses in check.
