Chronic Inflammation and You
Inflammation is normally a natural and healthy process within the body in which the white blood cells protect us from foreign invaders like bacteria and viruses. Inflammation is also why we swell when our bodies are traumatized – blood rushes to help us heal. When our bodies are in balance, the inflammatory response is triggered when it needs to be, it does its job, and then it ends.
But not so for most Americans whose bodies are out of nutritional balance. Long ago, Americans switched from a diet centered around animal fats (which used to contain omega-3s) and fish, to a diet that high in vegetable fats, which contain pro-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids.
This dietary imbalance means that our bodies are chronically inflamed. And we are beginning to see the health effects, including chronic joint pain and swelling, and increased incidence of inflammatory conditions like arthritis.
What can we do about inflammation?
The short answer is: Start taking an ultra-purified and concentrated omega-3 fish oil supplement.
Inflammation in the joints can be caused by a dietary deficiency in omega-3, an essential nutrient that our body needs but cannot make. Because of the American diet, almost every one of us is currently omega-3 deficient, and we are therefore at risk for joint pain and arthritis.
A protein made by our immune system, CRP (C-reactive protein) stimulates inflammation in our bodies. The higher levels of CRP in your blood, the more likely your body is in an inflammatory state. Omega-3 has been proven to reduce the amount of CRP in the blood, decreasing inflammation in the joints, skin, and heart.
Additionally, we can take steps to decrease the amount of vegetable fats in our diet (soybean oil, corn oil, and canola oil), and we can increase our intake omega-3 rich fish, olive oil, and nuts such as almonds. Any little bit that we can bring our body back into balance is going to ultimately result in a reduction in inflammation.