Naturopathic Medicine

Inflammation: Good, Bad or all Hype?

August 2nd, 2007
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Man Decides Between Cake or Grapes

We all know the golden rule of real estate: location, location, location. In naturopathic medicine, the rule is inflammation, inflammation, inflammation. In its beginning stages, inflammation is the body’s healing response to an injury, irritation or microbial invasion. For instance, if I catch a cold, my body creates inflammation in the form of a runny nose, sore throat, and cough. As annoying as these symptoms are, they are signs of a healthy body healing itself. However, when the inflammation we can’t see—inside our bodies—becomes chronic, it ultimately causes degeneration of our tissues and leads to disease. Simply put, it ages us. Chronic inflammation is thought to be the root of many diseases, including heart disease, obesity, dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, osteoarthritis, diabetes, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, and more.

You can see why naturopathic doctors focus so much of our attention on the treatment and prevention of chronic inflammation. I have made some simple suggestions to help you in the process of reducing inflammation in your body. I won’t bore you with the science behind each of these recommendations, but know that together these suggestions build a true foundation of health. Now, some of you might be thinking, “I’m too old for all of these changes.” Hogwash! You are never too old to improve the quality of your life. Here they are...

  1. Eat plenty of healthy, anti-inflammatory foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fish (good for omega-3 fatty acids), nuts and legumes. If you want more information, anti-inflammation diet books are available and can be a great resource for grocery shopping and recipes. I recommend The Anti-Inflammation Diet by Jessica Black, ND.
  2. Avoid inflammatory foods such as processed foods, sugar, high fructose corn syrup, trans- and hydrogenated fats, alcohol and caffeine.
  3. Try an elimination diet to check for food allergies or sensitivities. This is a biggie. Many people have this problem and don’t even know it! Food allergies and sensitivities can lead to many problems in the body. Start by avoiding the following foods for one month: wheat products, dairy products, soy, tomatoes, potatoes, corn, peanuts, peanut butter, citrus fruits, pork and shellfish. What’s left to eat? Plenty! Explore your grocery store. When the month is up, add these foods back into your diet one at a time. Wait three days between foods and see how you feel. If a food is aggravating your body, you should eat it in moderation or avoid it altogether.
  4. Enhance the health of your digestive tract by doing two things. First, supplement your diet with probiotics. These are the healthy bacteria which live in our digestive tract. The two most common are L. acidophilus and L. bifidus. You can purchase these at your local health food store. Second, stimulate more effective digestion with this old trick: Mix ½ teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in ½ cup of water and drink it 20 minutes before meals. The better you digest your food, the less inflammation you will have. This trick can also be helpful for heartburn and reflux.
  5. Eat anti-inflammatory spices such as turmeric, garlic and ginger. Did you know these herbs have been used as medicines for thousands of years? It’s hard to believe medicine could taste so good!
  6. Ask your doctor to do lab tests to check for chronic inflammation. I recommend C - reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). If these tests determine you have inflammation, the next step is for you and your doctor to figure out why and stop it.

OK, there you have it: your foundation of health. Making these changes can be challenging, but well worth the effort. The result is feeling healthier, younger, and more vibrant. In future postings I will expand on these recommendations and explore other avenues to healing. I’m looking forward to it!

Take care of your (whole) self—

Amy Bader, ND

Want more expert tips for leading a natural healthier life? Visit Tips for Healthy Living.

Posted in Anti-inflammation Diet, Healing Through Diet, Naturopathic Medicine, Naturopathic Medicine: Amy Bader, Nutrition, Senior Health, Tips for Healthy Living

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4 Responses to “Inflammation: Good, Bad or all Hype?”
  1. Glenda Glass Says:

    Excellent article. So many of the chronic inflammatory diseases seem to have their root cause in digestive tract damage from food allergies (leaky gut syndrome). In addition to the vinegar before meals, I might also suggest eating something with a bitter flavor. The bitterness stimulates reflexes up and down the digestive tract that get it ready to digest food.

  2. Amy Bader, ND Says:

    Thank you for your comment, Glenda. You’re right, bitter foods can be extremely helpful in stimulating better digestion and healing the gut. I often prescribe a bitter herb called Gentian (Gentiana lutea) to be taken before meals. Gentian has been used for thousands of years in many cultures to enhance digestion. Not only does it stimulate bile and pancreatic enzymes, it also helps the gastrointestinal system to heal by boosting its immunity.

    In addition, a variety of bitter foods in your diet such as brussels sprouts, cabbage, spinach, kale, mustard greens, radicchio, and dark chocolate support healthy digestion—and are rich in nutrients.

  3. Is Obesity Linked to Cancer? | Gilbert Guide Blog Says:

    […] So is obesity linked to cancer? The simple answer is yes, and research suggests that the link is called inflammation. The good news is that you can take precautionary measures to minimize your risk. Altering your diet to embrace anti-inflammatory principleswill help curb obesity and reduce overall body inflammation. In turn, this small change will support the body’s efforts to prevent and combat illness. […]

  4. The Skinny on Type 2 Diabetes: Part 2 of 2 | Gilbert Guide Blog Says:

    […] In addition, over time, cortisol contributes to weight gain around the belly and insulin resistance. Do you remember the other reasons cortisol will rise? Stress and inflammation! Think of inflammation as biochemical stress. This is why diabetics have a more difficult time controlling blood sugar levels when they are stressed out—cortisol is running amok. You might be saying to yourself, “type 2 diabetes is genetic.” You are right in that it is an inherited tendency. However, think of your body as a chain. Your genetics determine which links are weakest. Now add some stress to that chain and guess which links break. Since we can’t change our genes, change the amount of stress. […]

  5. Mark Says:

    Hi, I recently had an endoscopy done on my stomach to check for ulcers. The Dr. took a couple of biopsies and it was determined that I have chronic inflammation of my esophagus. The Dr. prescribed me some Prilosec and I have been taking for about 3 weeks. I am wondering what the causes of this inflammation are. I have had a lot of stress in the past few years. I went through a painful divorce 4 years ago, I have been through 2 job layoffs which put a lot of financial stress on me, and I have had a lot of general anxiety over my health, as I have had a huge fear of developing cancer, as my mother has been battling cancer. To cope with my stress, I have been an on/off marijuana smoker for the past 4 years, however I quit 5 months ago and have taken steps to make this permanent. What would you suggest I can do to make some general changes that will reduce this inflammation in my esophagus and other areas that I am not even aware of?

  6. Emma Says:

    I would appreciate knowing where a person can eat out when on the Elimination Diet in Portland. The only restaurant I’ve found that has food I can eat is Old Wive’s Tale.

  7. Amy Bader, ND Says:

    Dear Mark,

    Thanks so much for your email. It sounds like you have endured some tremendous stresses in the last four years. Sometimes our stomachs physically tell us when enough is enough. As a doctor, I often see stomach problems in patients who are going through tough times. It is as if your body is telling you it doesn’t want to swallow what life is throwing at you anymore.
    From a purely medical perspective, the reason you have inflammation in your esophagus is because your stomach acid is bubbling up, damaging it and creating inflammation. Anything you can do to reduce stress emotionally, mentally, and physically will help. Regarding the inflammation, you have already taken the first (and incredibly important) step of quitting smoking marijuana. Congratulations. The lifestyle decisions you make everyday determine how much inflammation you create in your body. The next step is choosing the right foods for your body. I have written about foods and inflammation in this posting, but additionally, I recommend the book The Anti-Inflammation Diet and Cookbook by Jessica Black, ND. I would encourage you to do this type of eating plan for at least a couple months. The third step is to consider supplements and medicinal foods which reduce inflammation, such as fish oil, turmeric, and probiotics (read my blog posting What’s Bugging You? The One Supplement You Can’t Do Without.)

    Take care,
    Amy

  8. Amy Bader, ND Says:

    Dear Emma,
    In general it is a little more difficult to eat out when doing an elimination diet. However, we are fortunate to live in a city which has many, many great restaurants. In any restaurant worth it’s salt, asking for your order to be changed or substituted in some way should be no problem. If a restaurant will not honor your requests, you probably shouldn’t eat there anyway. You should be able to order fish, chicken, or organically raised meat with vegetables from almost any restaurant. (Remember to tip your wait staff generously for taking good care of you.)

    A few restaurants to consider in addition to Old Wives’ Tale are Nutshell, Hawthorne Fish House, Andina, Corbett Fish House, and Grolla.

    Take care,
    Amy

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