Inflammation-The Real Culprit
By Donna DiMarco, CN, LNC.
Everyone is familiar with the inflammatory response. At some time in our lives we’ve had a sprained ankle, an insect bite, a cut or sprain. Typically, we would notice a red area, maybe some swelling, and it might be warm to the touch, as well as painful. This is the body’s way of protecting itself. White blood cells are activated and sent to the area, muscles may stiffen to prevent movement that might injure further. These are all inflammatory reactions. Nerve endings in the affected area respond (pain) to make us aware of the assault so that we might take better care. Our response might be to wrap or bandage it, put ice on the area, elevate it, possibly use a topical antibiotic or anti inflammatory like hydrocortisone, and these remedies would be appropriate. As healing takes place, the symptoms subside and we gradually restore full function to the affected area. Inflammation is a normal part of the healing process. It is a good thing.
But what do you do if the inflammatory healing process goes awry? What if the body’s method of attack turns on itself? Unfortunately, this scenario is all too common nowadays. Research has documented what many of us had known all along, that the inflammatory process is a key factor in cardiovascular disease, arthritis, cancer, psoriasis, kidney problems, in fact, many diseases. This is the basic cause of many autoimmune diseases. If the body attacks the nerves, we call it multiple sclerosis, if it attacks the digestive system, we call it Crohn’s or Irritable Bowel Disease, if it attacks the connective tissue, we call it Lupus, if it attacks the mucous membrane, we call it Sjorgren’s Disease, if the joints are attacked, we call it Rheumatoid Arthritis. The list goes on and on. In these and other autoimmune diseases there is a common factor, the body attacks itself or stimulates an inflammatory response inappropriately.
Some of these diseases manifest symptoms that signal a problem, but this is usually after a long time of enduring an inflammatory response. When the pain or symptom occurs, we go to a doctor and ask for a medicine to make the pain subside. And it works! We get allergy relief if we take the right allergy pill. We get pain from arthritis if we take the appropriate NSAID (Non steroidal anti-inflammatory) like aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen, etc. If we stop the medicine the symptoms return. That’s because we are not getting at the cause as to what causes the inflammation initially.
What if the inflammation occurs inside your body in a place with few pain nerve sensors? You wouldn’t feel pain or see the swelling or redness. How would you tell if there is inflammation if you don’t feel or see it? This is the case behind most cardiovascular disease. Inflammation of the veins and arteries stimulate a protective mechanism (plaque, fat or calcium deposits) to protect the injured vessel from further damage. As a result, it lines the vessel in an effort to insulate the injury. This inappropriate protective response can lead to narrowing of the blood vessels causing high blood pressure, stroke and cardiovascular disease.
Well, fortunately, there are now simple blood tests available that should routinely be performed by your practitioner that can help you make wise decisions to act preventively before an autoimmune or other disease takes hold. Here’s a few:
CRP (C-Reactive Protein) is a special type of protein produced by the liver that is only present during episodes of acute inflammation. CRP rises as a nonspecific response to tissue injury and inflammation.
Those with an elevated CRP have a 2-3 times greater risk of stroke, an increased risk of cancer and are three times more likely to get Alzheimer’s Disease or suffer from dementia. They are also more likely to develop macular degeneration.
Homocysteine, although not really an inflammatory indicator it is an important test. It is a by-product of protein metabolism and is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. It is produced when protein is eaten and the necessary nutrients of B-12, folic acid, and B-6 are missing. These nutrients are necessary for the homocysteine to be transformed into a harmless form. If these vitamins are missing, homocysteine would not be rendered harmless and could promote aging and calcification of the blood vessels. Dr. Kilmer McCully found that supplementation with B-6, B-12 and Folic Acid can prevent the elevation of homocysteine, and can lower these levels in a relatively short time. This is a great reason to make sure you are taking a high quality, high potency B vitamin daily.
Interleukin -6 Elevated IL-6 serum or plasma levels may occur in different conditions including sepsis, autoimmune diseases, lymphomas, AIDS, alcoholic liver disease, and in patients with infections or transplant rejection. But a person with an elevated IL-6, regardless of the cause, is more likely to develop diabetes, especially if there is also an elevated CRP. Thus, we can now conclude that there is a definite relationship between inflammation and diabetes. If these indicators are corrected early, maybe a life of insulin shots would be prevented. Lack of sleep can cause a 40-60% rise in IL-6
TNF (Tumor Necrosis Factor-a) Tumor necrosis factor is a cytokine which is involved in the inflammatory process. Cytokines are chemical substances which deliver messages between cells in the body.
TNF- serum or plasma levels may be elevated in sepsis, autoimmune diseases, various infectious diseases and transplant rejection. TNF elevation may be indicative of Rheumatoid Arthritis, Systemic Lupus Erythmatosis, and Systemic Sclerosis.
Sed Rate (Sediment Rate) has a lot of names. It is also called Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate; ESR; Westergren Sedimentation Rate but it is all the same thing. It is a measure of the how quickly red blood cells set in a tube over a given period of time. It use to be the most popular test for inflammation but now CRP has taken over that slot.
ANA- stands for Antinuclear Antigen and is measured in dilutions. A positive result is more common in older women. It is an indicator of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Sjogren’s Syndrome and several other disorders. The bottom line is it measures inflammation and inflammation is behind all these disorders.
I suggest you have your doctor check these levels at your next visit. It is NOT routinely done, even though it is helpful in preventing disease, so don’t be afraid to ask for them. If they are abnormal, make sure your doctor will do something to correct the underlying problem. On my insistence, a friend of mine asked her doctor for these tests and when the results came back abnormal he didn’t know what to do for her so he told her they just won’t test for them anymore. She was just released from the hospital where they diagnosed her with arteries in her brain, legs and arms so severely occluded that a pulse or blood pressure couldn’t be found on her limbs. Her doctor just offered an apology since the vessels are too far gone to be stented or by-passed.
In the mean time, stay away from over-cook and processed food, foods high in polyunsaturated oils, high in sugar and an over consumption of meat and dairy. Stay away from fried foods. Be sure to get sufficient sleep. Take some melatonin or 5 HTP if needed, but please be supervised. Take a good quality omega-3 fish oil with each meal. It is well documented to reduce inflammation, as is antioxidants like vitamin C and E. Green Tea, Nettle and Turmeric are anti-inflammatory. The herb Stephania works to reduce IL-6. The amino acid, N-acetylcysteine not only helps fight infection, but gets rid of toxins, which are generally the cause of the inflammation in the first place. Other nutrients that fight cytokines are: DHEA, a precursor to many hormones, Vitamin K, the clotting factor, GLA (Gamma Linolenic Acid). Be sure to drink pure water, never tap water. Eat organic as much as possible. Have your teeth filled with composite fillings instead of mercury, which is a known cause of inflammation. Stay away from pesticides and chemicals in cleansers and plastics. Pay attention to your body and it will serve you well.
Donna