Inflammation is essentially the process by which the body’s white blood
cells attack bacteria and viruses. White blood cells, when detecting a pathogen,
leave the blood vessel and release chemicals directed at the foreign object.
In some cases, the immune system triggers an inflammatory response even in
the absence of a pathogen, usually because of the body’s already less than
optimal health (obesity, diabetes, even old age). In such situations, the
body causes damage to its own tissues. Autoimmune diseases like multiple
sclerosis generally involve this kind of self-inflicted damage. A number of
scientists theorize that Alzheimer’s occurs when the body tries to attack
plaque formed by beta-amyloid proteins. The body’s defenses ultimately attack
healthy tissue and do little to remove the targeted plaque. The result is a
decline from the brain’s optimal health, leading to cell death and memory loss.
A similar process occurs in individuals with heart disease and can, in the
presence of other factors, result in a heart attack.
Chronic pain is another major product of inflammation. Arthritis and chronic
back pain, the latter the number one reason for visits to the doctor, can be reduced
with the aid of dietary supplements that act as anti-inflammatory agents. Antioxidant
dietary supplements as readily available as vitamin C, or dietary supplements like
DHEA, will often lead the way back to optimal health. In Belgian studies, Vitamin C
suppressed inflammation due to its antioxidant properties, and people with the
lowest intake of vitamin C generally had the most serious inflammation. In addition,
these same properties allow vitamin C to promote healing. DHEA has proven even
more effective in a number of studies. Although the anti-inflammatory properties
of DHEA require further explanation, scientists are certain that DHEA can
inhibit both chronic and acute inflammation and help promote optimal health
by improving hormone levels in older individuals.
Often our very diets are guilty of making our lives more painful. Trans fat from
hydrogenated food and protein that remains undigested due to stress or the use of
antacids invariably result in the production of pro-inflammatory compounds, inflaming
joints and muscles. The use anti-inflammatory dietary supplements can also reduce the
pain that accompanies infrequent exercise. At the very least, increasing the amount of
antioxidants in the body, whether through food, exercise, or otherwise, can aid a great
deal in countering some of the consequences of inflammation.
