You probably heard that inflammation is the root cause of over 90% of chronic conditions and diseases.
I should emphasize that it’s slow, low-grade inflammation that is unhealthy. This type of inflammation is called chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation may continue for months and years (it might be quiet without you being aware of it).
On the other hand, when you cut yourself or get a sore throat, you experience acute inflammation. Acute inflammation is healthy. It’s usually short in duration – minutes or days. And it’s more pronounced, red, swollen skin after getting sunburnt, for example.
If you suffer from recurring headaches, rash outbreaks, aching joints or frequent colds, it means that there is some low-grade chronic inflammation is going in your body.
Chronic inflammation is bad because unlike acute inflammation, it also destroys healthy cells and tissues. Essentially, your body overprotects itself by making your immune system working harder than it should. It destroys not only real threats like bacteria or malfunctioning cells but good bacteria or cells as well. For example, the immune system destroying articular cartilage which leads to joint deterioration, and hence pain, and we know it as arthritis.
Arthritis, high blood pressure, allergies, acne, dementia, and many other all have chronic nature and caused by your immune system being confused and overprotective.
Generally speaking, in order to reduce your chances of developing a chronic condition or getting sick a third time during a flu season, you want to reduce the level of inflammation in your body. How do you do that?
Things in your daily life that cause inflammation
First of all, let’s see what causes inflammation. It can be the food you eat, the water you drink, the stuff that you put on your body, the stuff you clean with.
Let’s look at the diet factor. Below I’m listing just several examples:
- Genetically modified food
- Produce grown with pesticides
- Cattle and poultry raised on hormones and antibiotics
- Synthetically flavoured and dyed food
- Synthetically preserved food
The cleaner and more plant-based your diet is, the less inflammation happens in your body
Cleaner diet in general
When you decide to eat cleaner in general (e.g. no junk food and dining out 99% of the time) you automatically bring the level of inflammatory responses in your body down.
For example, hydrogenated oils in chips are a source of free radicals, which heavily promote inflammation.
Whole food diet
If you decide to eat only a whole food diet (no processed and pre-prepared food), you further reduce inflammation happening in your body.
Food laden with preservatives and wrapped in plastic further contributes to inflammatory load in your body.
Vegan diet
If you decide to eat only plant foods, you are paving yourself a road towards even less total inflammation in your body.
Unfortunately, animal protein – meat, dairy, eggs – is only partly digested by humans (about 60%). The undigested part (about 40%) is viewed by your body as foreign and is dealt with.
{ However, animal fat such as cow butter is a bit different and relatively safe. That’s because animal fat is not protein. Your immune system is more sensitive to proteins than fats. Raw, organic, pastured butter is the best if you choose to eat it sometimes. }
Raw vegan diet
Now, if you wish to eat mostly raw plant foods, you are setting yourself for minuscule amount of chronic inflammation, if any.
That’s because amino acids, fatty acids, and other building blocks when cooked at high temperatures lose their original structure and are viewed by your body as foreign.
Plus, heat destroys some enzymes and other nutrients which help you deal with any chronic inflammation going in your body.
The main point of this post?
Eating more clean, whole, raw plant foods and herbs shrinks the level of inflammation in your body. And, hence, guards you from developing a chronic condition. As a result, this improves the quality of your life as well as extends it!
Main references:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/248423.php\
https://drjockers.com/chronic-inflammation/
http://drplechner.com/relationship-oxidation-free-radicals-inflammation/