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Do the Foods You Eat Keep You in Pain?
What’s Causing Your Pain?
When I say the word “inflammation,” it’s likely to evoke thoughts of painful joints and muscles, swelling, and a loss of mobility. But did you know that recent research shows that chronic inflammation in your body can lead to serious diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, some cancers, and Alzheimer’s disease, to name just a few?
The amount of inflammation in your body varies and is dependent on a number of factors including your activity level, the amount of sleep you get, the degree of stress in your life, and even the foods you eat. What you have to realize is that these factors are cumulative — meaning they build up over time. And the more that any or all of these factors get out of whack, the higher the risk for disease.
Early in life, these levels can be so low that you might not even be aware that you have any inflammation in your body. That’s because our bodies do a fairly decent job of controlling the inflammation — at least for a while. Then one day you wake up and you’re in your 40s and something is just not right. That’s when the fear begins to set in, and you think to yourself, What did I do wrong? or, What can I do now to help myself?
The first step is to get your C-reactive protein (CRP) levels tested. CRP is produced by the liver, and it rises when there is systemic inflammation in the body. Ask your doctor about this test (you may have to demand having it done). All it requires is a blood sample that will be evaluated by your doctor. And because diet can play a large role in how much or how little inflammation you have, you may want these levels looked at by a registered dietician who can help you formulate an appropriate eating plan.
Healing Herbs from the Amazon Part 1: Uña de Gato (Cat’s Claw)
In this time of tremendous global change, one of the greatest opportunities we have is the increased possibility for sharing among the peoples of the world. The technological innovations of our culture, combined with the profound understandings of unity and ecological attunement of the indigenous cultures of our world, provide the “raw material” for a powerful and unprecedented synergy that can uplift all of mankind.
