Reducing Inflammation for Optimal Wellness
The leading causes of death and disability worldwide are chronic degenerative conditions. Cardiovascular disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and type II diabetes are increasing globally at a dramatic rate. This is happening in every region and in all socioeconomic classes. Importantly, this was not always the case.
To understand why these conditions are now so widespread, we have to ask if there’s any shared mechanism that underlies chronic degenerative diseases as a group. In a word, it’s inflammation. All of these conditions represent a consequence of increased levels of inflammation within the body.
Food, Probiotics & Fiber
Forward-thinking healthcare providers are dialing in to diets that are designed to reduce inflammation. These are diets that emphasize whole foods from natural sources, low sugar and refined carbohydrates, primarily plant-based with an emphasis on providing adequate amounts of healthy fats. The lining of the intestinal wall represents a powerful line of defense, keeping the rest of the body isolated from various gut related chemical compounds that can aggressively increase inflammation. Inappropriate food choices, medications like antibiotics, exposure to pesticides and herbicides can ultimately play out as increased permeability of the gut lining.
Gut bacteria, specifically Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus rhamnosus play important roles in maintaining and even reducing intestinal permeability, this is why these two species are important components in probiotics supplements. Our gut bacteria also thrive when they are nurtured by foods rich in prebiotic fiber as well as polyphenols. Prebiotic fiber, is the type of dietary fiber that nurtures our good bacteria, allowing them to produce their metabolic products that ultimately provide health benefits. Supplements containing acacia gum and baobab fruit derivatives are also a terrific source of prebiotic fiber.
Polyphenols contribute to gut the health by further enhancing the growth of beneficial bacteria while helping to suppress the growth of potentially pathogenic organisms. In addition, polyphenols are actually antioxidants in and of themselves and help reduce inflammation. Foods rich in polyphenols include apples, blueberries, peaches, raspberries, broccoli, spinach, black beans, almonds, flax seeds, cinnamon, coffee, dark chocolate, olives and olive oil, and red wine.
Sleep
Quality sleep remains incredibly underrated in terms of its importance for health and disease resistance. It’s been estimated that a full twothirds of American adults do not get adequate amounts of restorative sleep. This very much plays into risk for chronic to generative diseases as lack of restorative sleep directly enhances inflammation. This may well explain in part, why sleep disorders are associated with increased risk for cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease and type II diabetes. Even one night of non-restorative sleep has consequences the very next day not just in terms of inflammation, but in other areas like hormone balance and blood sugar regulation.
Some helpful tips to foster a better night’s sleep include stopping caffeine after 2 PM and minimizing screen time in the evening (blue light from computers, tablets, phones, and TV, can inhibit the hormone melatonin and make it more difficult to fall asleep). Try to make your bedroom as dark as possible. You might even consider lowering the temperature by a degree or two.
Stress
Stress is one of the most obvious toxins that has become virtually ubiquitous in our modern world. Stress, leads to an increased production of the hormone cortisol. Chronic elevation of cortisol, a manifestation of chronically being exposed to a stressful environment, causes important changes to happen in the gut. Changes occur not only in terms of the various species that are represented, but in addition, cortisol acts directly on the gut wall to increase permeability, which, as noted above, powerfully enhances the production of inflammatory chemicals throughout the body. So, it is through this mechanism that we are able to understand a relationship between our stressful modern world and the ever-increasing rates of chronic degenerative diseases.
We can offset the damaging effects of stress in our lives include meditation and exposure to nature. Meditation, even for as little as 12 minutes each day, has been shown to lower cortisol, reduce inflammation, balance the immune system and even improve empathy and compassion. Exposure to nature has similar effects. Essential oils that are secreted by trees increase our sense of wellness. Nature exposure has been shown to dramatically reduce cortisol levels, this occurs after just a few minutes. Measurable benefits have been demonstrated by simply being around a plant. One recent study demonstrated reduced stress in individuals in a hospital waiting room when there was a plant present.
Conclusion
Inflammation plays an important role in helping combat infections, and recover from injuries. But, when the fire of inflammation continues to smolder over a long period of time, it ushers in any number of chronic degenerative conditions. The good news is our lifestyle choices can make a huge difference in terms of keeping inflammation in check and as such, help us live long and healthy lives.
Dr. Perlmutter is a Board-Certified Neurologist and four-time New York Times bestselling author. He serves on the Board of Directors and is a Fellow of the American College of Nutrition. His collaboration with Garden of Life supplements produced their Dr. Formulated product line, designed to nourish your microbial “garden of life.”
