Inflammation is the body’s natural response to injury, infection, or harmful stimuli. It is a protective mechanism that helps the body to remove harmful agents and begin the healing process. The key features of inflammation include redness, heat, swelling, pain, and loss of function. When inflammation becomes chronic, it indicates that there are underlying issues that need attention.
There are two types of inflammation:
- Acute Inflammation: This is a short term response that lasts for a few days or weeks. It is characterized by redness, heat, swelling, and pain, and is usually caused by injury, infection, or toxin exposure.
- Chronic Inflammation: This form of inflammation can last months and years. Symptoms are far less obvious, but can include pain, fatigue, and loss of function. This is usually caused by chronic infections, long-term exposure to toxins, hormone imbalances, emotional stress, poor nutrition, etc.
When the body detects damage or harmful agents, it triggers an inflammatory response involving:
- An increase in blood flow to the affected area, causing redness and heat.
- Blood vessels become more permeable, allowing immune cells, proteins, and fluids to reach the injury or infection site, resulting in swelling.
- White blood cells and other immune cells migrate to the affected area to fight off pathogens and begin the healing process.
- The body releases chemicals like histamines, prostaglandins, and cytokines to coordinate the inflammatory response.
Inflammation is an incredibly important mechanism the body uses to heal itself. However, when it becomes chronic, health issues like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer can begin to develop. This is because chronic inflammation can lead to persistent tissue damage, disrupt normal cellular function, and alter immune responses. Over time, this can cause the body to remain in a state of constant alert, leading to a cascade of negative health effects, including:
- Cellular mutations
- Cancer development
- Atherosclerosis
- Hormone imbalances
- Immune system dysregulation
- Insulin resistance
In addition to infections and toxin exposure, chronic inflammation is very closely associated with low thyroid function. Dr. Ray Peat, a biologist and health researcher, suggested that the two are intrinsically linked because the thyroid is essential for proper energy production.. If the body does not have proper thyroid and energy production, the body cannot heal and gets stuck in the inflammatory state. Many of the thyroid-antagonizing hormones can contribute to inflammation when they are imbalanced. Some of these include:
- Cortisol
- Estrogen
- Prolactin
- Prostaglandins
- Histamines
- Serotonin
- Parathyroid hormone
What drives inflammation?
The body produces these hormones in response to stressful stimuli. Some stressors include malnutrition, chemical exposure, negative thoughts, stressful relationships, etc. Once they are produced, they further suppress normal cellular and thyroid function. This can create a chronic cycle and lead to disease. Many metabolic conditions are therefore associated with inflammation. Addressing stressors and increasing energy production is crucial for breaking this cycle of inflammatory hormones and restoring balance to the body’s systems.
Signs of Chronic Inflammation:
- Fatigue
- Joint pain
- Blood sugar instability
- Frequent infections
- Weight gain or loss
- Anxiety
- Allergies and asthma
- Insomnia
- Digestive issues / constipation
- Skin conditions
- Muscle pain
- Bloating and swelling
How to decrease inflammation:
Healing chronic inflammation is a longer process than healing acute inflammation. It generally requires a holistic approach and giving the body the energy it needs to rebalance itself. One of the most effective ways to decrease the inflammatory hormones is through diet. This includes reducing inflammatory oils, processed foods, and chemicals, balancing blood sugar, and eating to support digestion. Relaxing the nervous system by deep breathing, positive thinking, and spending time outside are also important for digestion so that the body has enough energy. Other helpful tools include thyroid, progesterone, or pregnenolone supplementation and aspirin as anti-inflammatory.