Causes of inflammation

As we discussed last week, atherosclerosis is ultimately caused by inflammatory damage to the lining of the arteries. In this week’s column we will examine the most significant causes of inflammation and discuss the most important treatments for removing those causes and restoring health to the cardiovascular system.

Nutritional Factors

The most significant dietary factors include trans fats, hydrogenated oils, deep fried foods, smoked meates, cured meats, grain-fed red meats, foods containing oxidized cholesterol, excess sugar consumption, chemical preservatives, artificial flavours, artificial colours, and other chemical food additives.

Another key factor is food allergies. Food allergies create inflammation throughout the body and are one of the most important things we can test for. Food allergies not only cause digestive issues they can also lead to inflammatory damage and diseases of other tissues like the skin, joints, liver, and arteries. Food allergy testing identifies foods that initiate a chronic inflammatory response from the white blood cells.

Once these foods have been identified and removed from the diet inflammation decreases and symptoms usually improve or resolve. Not all foods allergies are permanent. While some allergies are a life-long condition others may be due to over-consumption, inadequate digestion, or damage to the intestinal lining. These types of allergies often resolve after a 3-6 month avoidance of the offending foods.

 

Smoking

Smoking is inflammatory and causes free radical damage not only in the lungs but throughout the body. Cigarette smoke contains thousands of chemicals and many of these can damage the lining of the arteries.

One of the most well-known substances in cigarettes that can cause damage to the arteries is a heavy metal called cadmium. If you are a smoker, previously smoked, or have been exposed to high levels of second-hand smoke it may be important to test for cadmium and other heavy metals. In next week’s column we will investigate chelation, the most effective treatment to remove heavy metals from body and treat atherosclerosis.

If you are a smoker and are interesting in quitting there are effective natural treatments available. I find that a combination of acupuncture, nutritional counselling, and supplementation provide the most effective help. These therapies can be done in conjunction with medications like Champix and Wellbutrin or can be offered as an alternative.

 

Overweight

Excess body fat, especially abdominal fat can lead to inflammatory damage in the cardiovascular system. Abdominal fat cells produce hormone-like chemicals called adipokines. Adipokines can damage the integrity of the arteries and contribute to nerve damage associated with diabetes.

We store many toxins in body fat. When a person is on a weight loss plan and losing weight there will be a breakdown of contents of the abdominal fat. It is very important to support the liver, kidneys, lungs, bowels, and lymphatic system during a weight loss program in order to ensure proper elimination of fat-soluble toxins from body fat.

However, be weary of many cleanses and detox programs because they often contain mostly herbal laxatives that get you to go to the bathroom more but don’t really support the function of the liver, kidneys, lungs, bowels, and lymphatic system.

 

Diabetes and Unstable Blood Sugar

Chronically elevated blood sugar causes inflammatory damage to the lining of the arteries. Elevated sugar in the blood stream binds with other molecules to create harmful substances called advanced glycosylated end-products (AGEs). AGEs decrease circulation, inflame arteries, contribute to cataract formation, and are associated with diabetic neuropathy.

The most important test for blood sugar is haemoglobin A1c. It provides information on your average blood sugar levels over the course of a few months. The higher the haemoglobin A1c the more likely a person is to have elevated AGEs. For many people, it is very important to evaluate insulin sensitivity. Before, diabetes develops there is a period of years to decades where blood sugar remains relatively stable but insulin levels fluctuate significantly.

Catching blood sugar and insulin dysregulation early makes treatment much simpler and effective. Whether a person has diabetes, is pre-diabetic, or has slight blood sugar and insulin instability dietary and lifestyle treatments are most effective. There are also a number of supplements including chromium, bitter melon, and alpha lipoic acid that can help stabilize blood sugar and reduce inflammatory damage.

 

Environmental Toxins

There are countless toxins in the environment that cause inflammation in the human body. Basically, anything that irritates the immune system will initiate an inflammatory reaction. Heavy metals like lead, cadmium, aluminum, and mercury can be significant factors leading to inflammation. In next week’s column we will investigate chelation, the most effective treatment to remove heavy metals from body and treat atherosclerosis.

If you are concerned about inflammation, atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, or are interested in an evaluation for the cardiovascular system it is important to seek professional advice from a physician who will evaluate all the possible causes of cardiovascular disease and provide holistic treatment that does not solely rely on the use of medication.

 

If you are interested in more information or would like to schedule a consultation please visit my website at www.drbrentbarlownd.com or contact by office at 250-860-8855.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.