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Chronic
Inflammation:
The Elephant in the Room of Our Health
Most Americans know that health
risks such as high blood cholesterol and blood sugar are important
to monitor, but a growing number of researchers believe that
other major factors with far-ranging effects on heart disease
and cancer should be getting more attention. One of these "big"
factors is inflammation, and it’s easy to look past it as
we focus on smaller health targets. Basic healthy lifestyle choices
are the key to fight inflammation, but we need to beat the epidemic
of excess abdominal obesity to take the most powerful anti-inflammation
step of all. |
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A recent study in the Journal
of the American Medical Association showed that among 500 adults
with diabetes, medical treatment reduced blood sugars to near
normal levels, but markers of inflammation, present in all subjects,
were not reduced. Researchers suggest that this may help explain
why several large studies of heart disease among patients with
type 2 diabetes did not show any lower risk of heart disease
despite intensive blood sugar control. Reducing high blood sugar
is crucial to limit small blood vessel damage in the kidney and
eye caused by diabetes, but it does not appear to be enough to
stop the heart disease-diabetes link.
Our body’s ability to respond
to infections and injury with inflammation is an immediate response
crucial to health. But chronic, low-grade inflammation seems
to damage body tissues in ways that lead to and accelerate development
of chronic health problems linked with age. Scientists now consider
atherosclerosis ("hardening of the arteries") an inflammatory
process, and inflammatory cells have been found in the fatty
plaque that builds up in blood vessels. Inflammation may also
promote cancer development by damaging our genes, increasing
cell turnover and increasing development of blood vessels that
allow cancer cells to grow and spread.
A variety of lifestyle changes
can reduce or prevent this chronic, low-grade inflammation. Studies
show lower levels of markers of inflammation in those who don’t
smoke and those who exercise regularly. One recent study showed
that several inflammation markers dropped within weeks among
women in a smoking cessation program. Good dental care that prevents
the gum inflammation known as gingivitis may even help to reduce
overall body inflammation. Moderate exercise like walking seems
to directly reduce signs of inflammation, even after adjusting
for its impact on weight control.
A plant-based diet with plenty
of vegetables, fruits and beans also seems to decrease inflammation.
Studies link a more "Mediterranean-style" diet with
lower levels of an inflammation marker called CRP. Scientists
emphasize that it is the impact of the overall diet and whole
foods that supplies interacting antioxidant and anti-inflammatory
phytochemicals (like carotenoids and flavonoids) with vitamins
like vitamin C that provide protection, rather than just a single
compound. A Mediterranean-style diet is traditionally higher
than the typical American diet in omega-3 fat, found especially
in fish. A healthy balance between omega-3 and other fats reduces
production of hormone-like substances that stimulate inflammation.
While all these lifestyle choices
impact inflammation, research suggests that obesity may be the
single largest influence on inflammation. Fat cells secrete
certain proteins (such as interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor)
that stimulate inflammation throughout the body. Fortunately,
even a modest seven to ten percent weight loss as part of a healthy
lifestyle is enough to reduce markers of inflammation.
Chronic underlying inflammation
can be measured by blood tests such as "high-specificity
C-reactive protein" (hs-CRP), which is produced by the liver,
and IL-6 and TNF-alpha, secreted by other cells. But since these
tests can’t identify where the inflammation is or which
of many potential causes is responsible, for now it may be best
to simply recognize that making changes to improve health habits
and weight will have far-reaching, positive health effects. |
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