The shocking truth that stress and inflammation, not your genes, control your destiny!
Proven Tips and Strategies to STOP IT!
Diet and exercise control something called inflammation, which stems from stress. Now, if there is no stress in your life, then you don’t have to read the rest of this article.
Where do you know that inflammation is the possible cause of 80 – 90% of diseases in the body? Another way of saying this is to say that the body’s reaction to undirected and unfocused chronic stress is synonymous with inflammation. This low grade inflammation that many people think, know, is the demise of our health!
Stress or inflammation can lead to diseases as common as Alzheimer’s, allergies, arthritis (yes, all 100+ types), heart disease, multiple sclerosis, cancer, IBS, ulcers, eating disorders, etc. skin, migraines, and the list goes on.
Theories have been postulated as to where inflammation begins, from dendritic cells, eosinophils, B cell development to CD4 and CD8 effector cells and then what systems mediate and keep the inflammation process revved up, including: immunoglobins, prostaglandins, chemokines (interleukin-1, or IL-2, or IL-12, or IL-17, or IL-23 in Autoimmunity). Whoops!
All of this research points to one simple fact: the medical/research community is baffled by the entire process of inflammation.
This article is not to give you a hard-hitting chemistry lesson, but rather to reassure you that one of the most profound answers to 21st century healthcare is much simpler than you might think. Well, in that simplicity, ultra-complexity is revealed!
From my research and my own experience of surviving cancer, autoimmune disorders, arthritis, and multiple surgeries and infections from those surgeries, I am here to tell you that nothing… Nothing… will ever help you heal and get back to health more than training the mind/body with exercise or movement-based therapies being the easiest.
Genes are not your destiny!
In fact, if you have a disease, you can guarantee that inflammation from stress plays a major role in its development and/or exacerbation. And no, you can’t blame your genes anymore. Genetics plays less than 20% of your disease. Genes are not your destiny…!!!
Emotions, diet, exercise (or lack thereof), and stress control your destiny!
In other words, your mind… or your reactions to your internal/external environment, processed by the mind, are your destiny.
Movement is key to a healthy mind and body. Bodhidharma, back in the 5th and 6th centuries, discovered this when the monks he was trying to teach to become enlightened through meditation could not hold a single thought because their bodies were so deconditioned. Your body is designed to move, work and then rest and relax or meditate – a Yin/Yang balance.
The life history of inflammation
A brief summary of how inflammation begins and continues in the body:
· Stress causes increased production of cortisol from the adrenal glands which fuels inflammation.
Lack of sleep puts stress on the body with the inability to recover from the stressors of the day before.
Too much fat, sugar, preservatives, fast and processed foods, sodas and energy drinks, as well as disproportionate amounts of fatty meat.
An imbalance of organisms in your gut causes your immune system to overreact. H pylori is a bacteria in the stomach that contributes to inflammation and the development of ulcers. H pylori is present in 50% of adults over the age of 60 and in 20% of adults under the age of 40!
Leaky Gut: An increase in the permeability of the intestinal lining can cause toxins to leak out of the intestine and lead to inflammation.
Low-grade chronic food allergies or food sensitivities that may cause few symptoms.
· Toxins from food, water, your environment and personal care products. Most people never think about products being rubbed into the skin, but a lot of it can be absorbed into the blood.
Food sensitivities or intolerances and food allergies cause low-grade inflammation.
· Obesity: The body’s fatty tissues secrete hormones that regulate the immune system and inflammation, but in the case of an overweight person, this can get out of control.
Dehydration worsens inflammation.
So what can we do?
Well, start by including the following foods.
10 Great Foods to Fight Inflammation
Long grain rice (basmati, jasmine, etc.) is really good at helping to calm inflammation and is a great alternative to the huge amount of wheat products we consume.
· Wild-caught salmon, not farm-raised salmon, is another way to get beneficial omega-3 fatty acids. You can also try other oily fish like mackerel and sardines.
· Tart cherries can reduce inflammation ten times better than aspirin! Tart cherries or cherry juice help reduce the risk of heart disease. Tart cherry juice is also good to drink for bladder infections and urinary tract infections.
· Walnuts are often mentioned, but I have found many people allergic to this nut. A better option is roasted chestnuts.
· Onion and Garlic. Onions are high in quercetin, a potent antioxidant that can help your body fight inflammation. Be careful with onions if you have irritable bowel. Garlic has long been a popular remedy for colds and illnesses, and its anti-inflammatory properties are spectacular. Again, be careful not to eat too much at one time until you know your tolerance. Also, fresh garlic needs to be crushed so that it becomes biologically active with its anti-inflammatory properties.
· Fermented foods and liquids like organic Keefer, yogurt, and raw milk are good for the gut. If the gut is happy, your body is happy!
Spices: ginger and turmeric
Turmeric is a widely used spice in other cultures, and for good reason. Contains curcumin, a substance that actively reduces inflammation.
Ginger works in a similar way to tumor to reduce inflammation and has been shown in some studies to reduce pain associated with arthritis.
Next… TAKE IT A WALK!!!
Yes… this is the oldest form of exercise and probably the best and always will be. Take your dog for a walk and then pet him – all have been shown to reduce blood pressure and the inflammatory response!
For more information on real practical solutions on how to reduce inflammation/stress, visit http://www.realstresssolutions.com