by Mike Westerdal, RKC, CPT
& Injury Specialist & Kinesiologist Rick Kaselj, MS
In its role as a facilitator of the healing process, inflammation is generally either in ‘attack’ mode or ‘heal’ mode. In the attack mode, inflammation recruits the immune system to protect the body from an injury and to mitigate infection.
In the heal mode, inflammation works to re-grow damaged tissue as it facilitates the healing process.
With this knowledge in mind, it is easier to understand the difference between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ inflammation. Acute inflammation—which occurs immediately after an injury and is almost always short-lived—would be considered ‘good’ inflammation.
In contrast, chronic inflammation—which is an unhealthy inflammatory over-response is ‘bad’ inflammation because it can linger for weeks, months or even years.
In addition, chronic inflammation can be linked to a number of dangerous diseases. In fact, a growing number of experts believe that chronic inflammation may very well be the underlying root cause of a multitude of diseases and life-threatening health conditions.
Systemic inflammation is also considered bad inflammation. Systemic inflammation is generally thought to be caused by a massive release of cytokines that spreads throughout the entire body.
Left unchecked, systemic inflammation can result in organ failure and even death in some cases.
Now that we know the difference between acute (good) inflammation and chronic (bad) inflammation, the next step is to understand some of the causes of chronic inflammation and the steps we can take to prevent it.
You can get your CRP levels checked at your doctor’s office, but if you’d like to try something right now….. Ask yourself the following question and mark down how many of them you respond “yes” to:
If you answered “yes” to any of the above, there is a very good chance that there is a fire inside of you and you have signs of chronic inflammation.
Environmental variables such as stress, smoking, certain chemicals or substances and certain foods have all been shown to support the onset of chronic inflammation. These are all factors we can—for the most part—reduce or eliminate from our lives (e.g., learn to manage stress, don’t smoke, reduce exposure to harmful chemicals, etc.). And of these, diet is the single most important controllable factor in regards to whether or not an individual experiences chronic inflammation.
Food is the most important element because this is of course how our bodies obtain the nutrients necessary to support life. Food also sets the stage for the functioning of the body’s metabolic systems. Healthy diets support healthy metabolic system functioning and likewise, unhealthy diets result in unhealthy metabolic system functioning—and the onset of illness, disease and conditions such as chronic inflammation.
Man-made trans fats and hydrogenated oils, otherwise known as Franken-Fats, are laden with artificial ingredients and they are the ones to be avoided—not the naturally-occurring fats. They are some of the most chemically altered foods you can consume.
It is these kinds of “Fake” fats that you need to be afraid of because they are the culprits creating chronic inflammation in your body.
Touted as the “healthier” alternative to butter because it is made from vegetable oil instead of animal or dairy products, Margarine has made its way into every grocery store in the country.
Unfortunately, it is comprised of hydrogenated oils and it’s very high in trans fat versus good old fashioned butter which consists of sweet cream and salt. In most varieties of margarine you will find up to 15 ingredients and usually only 2-3 in REAL butter.
2 – Nondairy CreamersFor coffee lovers and enthusiasts everywhere, nondairy creamers have become an integral part of the day. Over time, however, they will also add a considerable amount of trans fat to your diet.
Don’t be fooled by the “low-fat” and “non-fat” varieties since they still have partially hydrogenated oils as the second or third ingredient listed.
It’s these kind of foods that are the real ‘ninjas’ in the food war that’s inflaming your body on a regular basis. They sneak their way in quietly leaving you susceptible and vulnerable to attack.
If you drink a lot of coffee and typically use products like this to flavor it, you can be contributing to chronic inflammation and pain without even knowing it.
3 – Microwave PopcornPopcorn has been around for years and was always considered a healthy snack alternative compared to sugary things like cake, cookies and ice cream. Sure, popcorn or “popped” corn is something natural and by itself can be healthy, however, that’s not how most people consume it anymore.
Now super convenient microwave popcorn has been loaded with gooey toppings like processed cheese and caramel flavors. There’s no telling what has been added to what was once a smart decision. Those sneaky trans fats
have now made your healthy treat a potentially harmful snack.
Inflammation—especially when it affects the joints—can limit mobility and be very painful. When the pain is severe, it can bring strength training or weightlifting to a screeching halt.
There are however, steps you can take today to reduce the likelihood that you’ll suffer from chronic joint inflammation and pain. Getting started is as easy as incorporating anti-inflammatory foods into your diet. Fortunately, the list of foods that fight the effects of chronic inflammation is long—and tasty.
Not surprisingly, these are foods that are rich in vitamins, antioxidants, flavonoids, phytonutrients, minerals, proteins, healthy fats or complex carbs. Here’s our Top 3 from our new publication, 101 Superfoods that Fight Pain & Inflammation.
1 – Green TeaGreen Tea is one of the world’s most popular beverages. It is loaded with antioxidants and nutrients that have powerful effects on the body, including improved brain function, fat loss, a lower risk of cancer and inflammation-fighting providers.
Green tea is also the least processed of all the predominant types of tea: green, black and oolong. (page 40)
2 – PistachiosA 2009 study study found that bioactive compounds in pistachio, and molecules present in pistachios, have anti-inflammatory properties.
Pistachio oil decreases levels of an inflammatory marker known as “lift-2.” Pistachio are nutrient dense providing protein, fiber micronutrients, plant sterols, gamma-tocopherol and other phytochemical compounds, including flavanoids and phenolic compounds. Overall, they are an excellent weapon in the war against chronic inflammation. (page 36)
3 – KiwiThe Kiwifruit is a small fruit approximately 3 inches long and weighing about four ounces. Kiwi provides your daily intake of antioxidants such as polyphenols and carotenoids which help fight damage caused by oxidative stress and free radicals.
Kiwifruit is also known to assist in wading off the effects of stress, inflammation and attack from viruses and bacteria. (page 29)
Inflammation is a condition where your body attempts to protect itself and heal the pain caused from an injury or infection. Some of the common symptoms of inflammation that may occur are swelling, irritated skin, severe pain and loss of function or full movement of that particular body part.
Chronic inflammation, however, harms rather than heals, because the immune system attack never stops. It’s like being shot by “friendly fire” during a perpetual war raging inside the body, says Dr. Schauer.
That’s exactly why we’ve teamed up to share a break-through guide called, 101 Superfoods That Fight Pain & Inflammation.
Do you love grilled steak? Great news… find out how it can help you battle inflammation and pain.
Guarantee #1: We are so confident and believe in this publication that we are taking all the risk. If you are not 100% satisfied with your $9 investment in “101 Superfoods That Fight Pain & Inflammation” after trying it within the 60 days of making your purchase, simply email our support team and you will get a no questions asked refund.
Guarantee #2: If you eat the foods from the book and do not start feeling and moving better and think we didn’t delivered on our promise, then we will pay for your next program by allowing you to pick from one of our other products. We are committed to helping you and want you to achieve success at the highest level.
This collection of natural remedies is a holistic approach to dealing with pain in your life. Instead of trying to deal with the symptoms one by one, you can focus on fixing the body as a whole.
Most of us are living with pain on some level and many of us have spent years dealing with chronic pain. If you are interested in reducing that pain and want to begin eliminating pain medications (and their side effects) from your life, 101 Natural Remedies for Pain Relief can be your ticket to freedom.
By incorporating several of these natural, healthy alternatives into your life, you will feel more rested, less stressed, more energetic, confident and alive allowing you to do the things you love.
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About the Authors: For the past ten years Rick Kaselj has specialized in exercise rehabilitation and fitness. He works in one-on-one and group rehabilitation settings, educating and training people who have been injured at work, in car accidents, and during sport activities.
Rick has combined his rehabilitation experience and passion for research to develop a variety of courses and presentations for fitness professionals, Kinesiologists, and healthcare providers.
Although health care professionals can assist you with your health, ultimately your own health is your responsibility. In this guide Mike Westerdal of Critical Bench and Injury Specialist Rick Kaselj, MS have teamed up to give you a complete resource guide that uses 101 foods to assist the body with it’s natural healing process.
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