Is Your Body Secretly on Fire with
Inflammation?
A Simple Blood Test Can Tell
By Extraordinary Health Writers
 In
his article about the burning fires of inflammation, Mark Hyman, M.D.,
asks his readers, “Could something as quick and easy as a blood test
save your life?” He answers with a resounding yes and unveils just what
this important blood test is and why it’s so significant.
What the good doctor (and many others) is talking
about is a C-reactive protein (CRP) test that measures hidden
inflammation in your body. He says it’s important to find out if your
body is burning up with this elusive inflammation because nearly every
facet of health can be adversely affected by it.
Now that’s not to say that all inflammation is bad;
it’s not. In fact, inflammation is a natural response of the immune
system, which occurs when the body’s white blood cells and their
chemicals move in to protect the body from infection and foreign
invaders like bacteria and viruses.
This natural and healthy form of inflammation is
necessary and can actually save us from further infection or injury. In
short, good inflammation is one of our body’s first lines of defense and
takes its cues from our immune system, the body’s commander-in-chief
against invaders.
It’s when the body’s inflammation responses go
overboard that trouble can begin. Sometimes, this usually protective and
innocuous immune system/inflammation response—good inflammation—can go
into overdrive and become persistent, pervasive and potentially
devastating.
In fact, the raging fires of prolonged burning,
systemic inflammation can cause all sorts of bodily damage and adversely
affect bones, joints, tissues, blood vessels, blood sugar, cells and
bodily organs such as the heart, lungs, kidneys and intestines—to name a
few. This kind of damaging inflammation can go undetected, too, as many
organs don’t have pain-sensitive nerves, and there are virtually no
outward signs of the fires within.
Unrelenting chronic inflammation can even create
atherosclerosis—a process by which fatty deposits develop in the
artery linings—and can weaken artery walls, cause plaque rupture, prompt
thrombus formation and embolize the heart’s blood vessels. All of these
developments can increase the risk for an unhealthy heart and overall
unhealth.
What might add fuel to the fire, so to speak, is that
most people aren’t even aware that they’re walking around with unhealthy
levels of inflammation—and it’s difficult to effectively deal with
something if you don’t even know it’s there.
That’s how a simple, inexpensive blood test may
help.
Indicators like C-reactive protein, which is produced
by the liver during these excessively fiery times, can be easily noted
with this kind of blood test. The truth is that inflammation levels
are effectively checked through a C-reactive protein test since CRP
levels increase during the inflammation process.
Dr. Hyman points out that, in addition to checking
your C-reactive protein levels, you may want to take these steps to
quell the burning within:
- eat a whole foods diet high in
inflammation-cooling foods
- exercise regularly
- maintain a healthy weight
- manage stress
- get adequate sleep
- supplement your diet to balance inflammation
See the Wobenzym N for healthy inflammation response.
What about you? Are you burning up on the inside and
not even aware of it? The answer’s in your blood. Maybe you should check
it out.
Additional Resources:
Product:
Wobenzym N – Healthy Inflammation and Joint Support
Article:
Joint Restoration, Pain Relief & Reducing Inflammation beyond
Traditional Glucosamine & Chondroiton Supplementation
Article:
Inflammation: A Serious Warning on the Dashboard of our Body
Article:
A Partnership in Anti-Aging & Wellness through a Balanced Inflammation
Response
Article:
Controlling Inflammation & Increasing Endurance for Athletes & Workout
Enthusiasts
The statements contained in this article have not been
evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The information contained
here is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Suggestions and ideas presented in this document are for information
only and should not be interpreted as medical advice, meant for
diagnosing illness, or for prescriptive purposes. Readers are encouraged
to consult their health care provider before beginning any cleanse,
diet, detoxification program, or any supplement regimen. The information
in this document is not to be used to replace the services or
instructions of a physician or qualified health care practitioner. |
