The inflammation is a common root of many chronic diseases. Oxidative stress influences the beginnings of inflammation.
Types of Inflammation
Types of inflammation are:
- Normal inflammation
- Abnormal inflammation
Normal Inflammation
Normal inflammation occurs when body healing system reacts to localized attack or injury. The process happens in one area. It starts here, maintained here, and finished with healing here.
Inflammation could happen when the sudden injury to the skin from impact or burn affects the particular area.
There are changes which occur together one by one. The heat and redness show the influx of blood to the affected area. The swelling happens because small blood vessels allow plasma go to tissues. The pain follows. The immune system participates in the healing process. It takes time, but the inflammation disappears when problem resolves. We can be disappointed when we have pain and redness or swelling. Fortunately, it takes a short time and restricted area of inflammation.
Abnormal Inflammation
The abnormal inflammation differs in space and time. When normal inflammation starts in one place and ends in the same are, abnormal inflammation can attack the whole body.
What is worst that inflammation lets immune system attack all cells. These powerful immune killer cells go after affected cells and healthy ones.
How Do They Work These Killers Cells?
The immune system has the best army in the world. Immune cells have different tasks in the body and act 
according to the situation. There are enzymes which could destroy cell walls and digest vital components of cells and tissues.
Usually when normal inflammation occurs, the body able to control process. It deals with consequences of impact or invasion in one place. When healing ends, the body stops the control over inflammation process because there is no need to take care of it.
What Is Wrong With Abnormal Inflammation?
The abnormal inflammation not controlled by the body. It spreads over all tissues and does not quit easily. Immune system participates in healing. Unfortunately, when it does not get the command from the body what to target and when to stop, it could lead to autoimmune disorders.
What Does It Mean?
Autoimmune disorders occur when the immune system attacks cells without the difference. Sick or healthy cells suffer from powerful killer cells. It can lead to:
- Discomfort
- Disability
- Failure of organs
- Irreparable damage to important structures
For example, type I diabetes is autoimmune from the start:
- Immune system starts abnormal attack triggered by unknown cause
- The beginning is early in the life
- Insulin-producing cells in pancreas destroyed
Rheumatic fever, rheumatoid arthritis, and systemic lupus erythematosus are autoimmune disorders.
What Does Trigger Autoimmune Reactions?
There are some origins such as:
- Infection
- Toxic injury
- Stress
- Environmental issues such as air, water, food pollution
New Findings Are Of Causes Of Disorders
Dr. Andrew Weil states that doctors have a consensus about triggers of some diseases. Asthma, atherosclerosis, Alzheimer’s, ALS, and Parkinson’s disease have components of abnormal inflammation.
Irritable bowel syndrome(IBS) can start from the microinflammation. It can be seen just with microscope examining damage to the GI tract tissue.
Previously, other triggers were to blame. For example, cholesterol was responsible for atherosclerosis. Now doctors think that the damage was done at first by inflammation. Later on, deposits of cholesterol can be a response to protect damaged areas covering defects.
First, the abnormal inflammation occurs. Second, the body attempts to heal affected areas.
Regulation of Inflammatory Process
Before digging into this inflammation topic, I thought that hormones are mostly for growth and fertility. Nope. Hormones take a respectable place in our body’s metabolism.
What Does Control Mechanisms of Inflammation?
Prostaglandins and leukotrienes were responsible for the control of inflammation process. Hormones work synergetically. Imagine a swinging pendulum. When you do not move it, the swing stays in one place. The balance achieved. Hormones work in the same way in the body. They interact and make sure what processes would not go wild.
Some of the hormones increase inflammatory activity, some of them dampen it. These hormones must be in equilibrium.
What is interesting that the same hormones which increase inflammation can trigger cells to proliferate. Other hormones which decrease an inflammation can cease the abnormous division of cells.
What Does It Mean?
It means that disrupted balance in the hormonal activity can trigger inflammation and lead to nasty diseases.
Is Here An Escape From This Misery?
Yes, it is. The education is the first thing which would help us to make right choices. Second, the fit lifestyle is a way to avoid significant problems and consequences from it.
Do you see a connection here?
According to Dr. Andrew Weil:
food choices we make can determine whether we are in a pro-inflammatory state or an anti-inflammatory one.
Hormones prostaglandins and leukotrienes synthesized in the body. The body uses polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) which are essential nutrients. We do not make these vital nutrients. We must get them from food.
There two types of PUFAs:
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- Omega-6 fatty acids
The demand for these fatty acids is constant and vital one.
Hormones made from omega-6 acids intensify inflammation and hormones produced from omega-3 fatty acids downregulate it.
Sources Of Fatty Acids
Omega-6 fatty acids come from the fat of grass-fed animals, oil-rich seeds and vegetable oils extracted from them.
Omega-3 fatty acids found in :
- Leafy greens
- Walnuts
- Flax seeds
- Hemp
- Soy oils
- Canola oils
- Sea vegetables
- Salmon
- Sardines
- Herring
- Mackerel
- Black Cod
- Bluefish
- Fat from grass-fed animals
Nutritionists think that in the past the balance between the consumption of omega-6 and omega-3 was stable. Nowadays when processed food takes over, especially in Western countries, this balance is disrupted.
You know about fattening of animals and birds with hormones and antibiotics keeping them in the confined places. Vegetable oils heated. Snack foods provide omega-6 fatty acids. There is no place for omega-3. So what, you would ask?
Omega-3 fatty acids dampen inflammation. Period. If you do not get enough these acids, yours or mine body cannot produce right hormones which regulate the process of inflammation. You see how it goes? It is a chain reaction. One thing leads to another.
Processed food disrupts the balance of hormones. It leads to inflammation. Inflammation is the root of diseases. No fun? Yes, I agree.
Again, there are words from Dr.Andrew Weil:
In a nutshell: you can reduce the risks of abnormal inflammation and diseases associated with it and shift your body from a pro-inflammatory to anti-inflammatory state by increasing your intake of omega-3 fatty acids, decreasing your intake of omega-6 fatty acids, and excluding from your diet the kinds of fat known to promote inflammation.
Are Fats Only To Blame For Inflammation?
I am sorry, but carbohydrates are responsible for inflammation too.
The chemical reaction’s name is glycation when proteins and sugar react with each other. Glycation produces pro-inflammatory compounds. They called advanced glycation end products (AGEs).
For me, it correlates with aging. AGEs promote inflammation through deformation of proteins cross-linking them.
The glycation could be measured. Doctors check blood levels looking for hemoglobin AIC. It is a form of glycated hemoglobin.
To know numbers of glycation is essential.This process affects proteins and generates AGEs.
Do We Need To Be Afraid Of Glycation?
Typically people have low levels because body’s defense mechanisms protect us.
How To Choose Wisely Carbohydrate Sources?
Learn about glycemic index and glycemic load
- Eat foods with low glycemic index and glycemic load. Change snack foods with whole grains, beans,
sweet potatoes, and other vegetables. Eat more temperate fruits compared with tropical fruits such as pineapple, mango or papaya. - Consume less processed food
- Avoid fast food
- Eat fewer products made with flour of any kind
- Skip products made with high -fructose syrup.
Conclusion
Normal inflammation benefits body. At the time of impact, the body pulls all helpers and starts to take care of confined are at the particular time. When consequences of injury or invasion removed, inflammation disappears.
Abnormal inflammation occurs when the body can not control the immune system, and defense mechanisms start to attack own cells.
The quality and origin of diet have the strong influence on inflammation evolution. Watching the menu and changing lifestyle could make an enormous impact on the quality of our lives.
If you have questions or would like to leave a comment, I would be glad to answer it.