We live in a society of "-itis's": osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, tendonitis, bursitis, colitis, dermatitis, etc. These should not be thought of as diagnoses but rather symptoms telling us that we are inflamed and on fire.

When functioning appropriately, inflammation is a normal and important body mechanism. Inflammation is necessary to remove damaged cells, eliminate toxins, fight invading microorganisms, and begin the repair process. Unfortunately, our modern lifestyle often causes the inflammatory process to create a raging fire in our bodies. Instead of being an effective and controlled process, many experience the inflammatory response as an unrestrained inferno, misdirected in the body resulting in chronic swelling and pain. If allowed to further continue uninhibited, progressive damage may ensue causing permanent injuries to the essential tissues and vital organs of our bodies. This contributes to the development of chronic degenerative diseases (such as arthritis, AlzheimerÕs disease, cancer, heart disease) and autoimmune diseases (such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis and systemic lupus erythematosis).

Typical signs and symptoms of inflammatory dysfunction

So, you may now be asking yourself, "How do I put this fire out, and how did it get this way in the first place?"

For the inflammatory response to function appropriately there needs to be a balance between the strength of the inflammatory response and the anti-inflammatory response. A diet high in arachidonic acid (land-animal fats, dairy products), high in refined processed carbohydrates (bagels, crackers, chips, cookies) and low in essential fatty acids (fish oils, flax seed oil, evening primrose oil, raw nuts and seeds) revs up the pro-inflammatory pathways, while the essential fatty acids found in vegetable and fish oils that support the anti-inflammatory pathways are deficient. In addition, other nutrients that are often deficient in the Standard American Diet such as antioxidants (Vitamin A, C, E, selenium), inhibit the production of pro-inflammatory agents and help extinguish the inflammatory process. Also, bioflavinoids, such as, quercetin (very high in onions) powerfully limit the secretion of histamine and other inflammatory chemicals.

Another cause of inflammatory dysfunction can simply come from excessive biochemical insults. By this I mean certain drugs, food additives (colorings, flavorings, preservatives, and emulsifiers), and environmental toxins either increase sensitivity to inflammatory reactions or directly cause inflammation.

Eat foods that are organically grown and have no chemical additives and with summer approaching limit your sun exposure or make sure you take plenty of vitamin E and other antioxidants when going outside for extended periods of time

Follow these quidelines to normalize the inflammatory response: