Inflammation.  Most people think of inflammation as bad for the body; however, there are two types of inflammation: acute and chronic.

Acute inflammation occurs when the body experiences an injury or an infection.  In order to kick-start the healing process, the body utilizes acute inflammation.  In other words, acute inflammation is a necessary process in the body.  Acute inflammation heals and repairs the body.  This is a short-term response and can result in swelling and tenderness around the area of injury or infection.  Some examples would be joint swelling after twisting a knee or an ankle.  Another great example would be sore lymph nodes when fighting the common cold.

When inflammation lingers over longer period, then it is problematic.  Chronic inflammation can cause several different issues.  This can include pain, diabetes, and is also associated with heart disease, stroke and auto-immune conditions.   This is the type of inflammation that needs to be controlled and can be done via lifestyle, supplements and maintaining a healthy body composition. 

Let’s begin with body composition.  Body composition is the ratio of skeletal muscle to fat and to dry body weight (i.e. bone).  It has been shown that higher percentages of body fat, particularly abdominal or visceral fat, are good predictors of higher levels of inflammation.  Therefore, maintaining healthy body fat levels can help control chronic inflammation.  Although age plays a factor, for women, a generally healthy body fat level is between 21-33%.  For men it is between 11-25%.  Body composition can be controlled through diet, and a combination of resistance training and cardiovascular exercise.  In other words:  lifestyle.

By increasing your activity level, your body naturally burns more calories.  You can also burn more calories by increasing your muscle mass which in turn changes your muscle-to-fat ratio and increases your metabolism.  This is accomplished thru resistance training or weightlifting and an experienced personal trainer would be the perfect individual to help you develop a proper program to suit your needs and goals.

Cleaning up the diet is also especially important to maintaining good body composition.  We all know that eating too much promotes an increase in body fat; but, did you also know not eating enough also slows down your metabolism and causes it to hold onto fat?  It is crucial to eat for your ideal body mass.  Speaking with a holistic nutritionist or a dietician would be a health way to learn about eating properly rather than relying on fad diets and social media.

It is also important to note that what you fuel your body with, also affects your inflammation levels.  Focusing on increasing your vegetables and fruit intake can help you control not only your caloric intake but also control your inflammation.  Lifestyle is the foundation for controlling inflammation.

Supplements can also help but, it should be noted that you cannot “out-supplement” poor lifestyle choices.  There are certain herbal formulas that can assist us with controlling inflammation. The following are ones we carry in the clinic:

Designs For Health Inflammatone

• a combination of herbs, nutrients and proteolytic enzymes for modulating the inflammatory response.  The ingredients provide natural support for a healthy inflammatory response and help protect against oxidative stress.

• Capsule format and includes turmeric, ginger and Boswellia

 Metagenics Golden Fusion

• Source of Curcumin, with enhanced plasma bio-availability for use as an antioxidant for the maintenance of good health. Provides antioxidants that help fight against (the cell damage caused by) free radicals. Helps support skin and nail health.  Includes collagen.

• Powder format.  Mix with warm milk, plant-based milk or water.  Based on ayurvedic golden milk formulas.

Your family doctor can order blood work to test for chronic inflammation levels.  The options stated above are for prevention but not treatment.  When it comes to spinal health, inflammation may play a part in your ability to stabilize and will affect your pain levels.  For more information please make an appointment with one of our doctors at (250) 334-2262 or (250) 286-4929.

B. Thorand et al. / Atherosclerosis 184 (2006) 216–224

Designs for Health Canada

Metagenics Canada