Is What You're Eating Keeping You in Pain? :

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When I say “inflammation,” thoughts of painful joints, muscles, swelling and loss of mobility probably come to mind. But did you know recent research shows chronic inflammation in your body can lead to serious diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, some cancers and Alzheimer's, just to name a few?

The amount of inflammation in our body varies and is dependent on circumstances like activity level, amount of sleep or stress in our lives and even the foods we eat. These factors are all accumulative, and as the levels increase, the risk for disease increases. Early in life these levels can be so low you would not even know you have any inflammation in your body, and that's because our bodies do a fair job of controlling the inflammation -- at least for awhile. Then one day you wake up and you are in your 40s, and something is just not right. The fear sets in and you think to yourself: What did I do wrong or what can I do right now to help myself?

The first step is to get your C-Reactive Protein levels tested. You will need to ask your doctor for the test and may even have to demand to have the test done. All it takes is a blood sample. The doctor or registered dietician will evaluate the test to help you formulate a care plan because our diets can play a large part in achieving optimal health.

If you have pain from inflammation you may choose to take the traditional “medical” path for inflammation such as taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), steroids and even joint replacement surgery in severe cases. The good news is that there are more natural ways to fight inflammation, and they do not have the undesirable side effects caused by many typical medical treatments.

What You Eat Makes All the Difference
The food we eat is a critical piece of the puzzle when it comes to controlling inflammation. The average American diet consists of high fat, high sugar, loads of red meat and a frightening amount of processed foods. These are all likely to increase inflammation, not to mention contribute to obesity, yet another high-inflammatory culprit. By switching to an anti-inflammatory diet plan made up of healthy, whole foods , you can actually decrease inflammation and, in turn, ease the pain and discomfort associated with it.

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