Inflammation is a natural processIt is triggered when body tissues are damaged due to physical trauma or injury. The inflammatory response facilitates the removal of debris and pathogens and is also essential for the repair process.
My inflammation class focuses on the damage caused by acute inflammation inside the body.
Here are some tips to manage inflammation due to injury on the outside of the body.
Symptoms of acute inflammation include:
- pain (due to swelling caused by fluid build-up which places pressure on nerve endings)
- redness (due to capillaries which are filled with more blood)
- immobility or loss of function in the inflamed area
- heat due to increased blood flow
The inflammatory process starts with the production of inflammatory chemicals like histamine, kinins, prostaglandins, and lymphokines. These promote dilation of small blood vessels at the site of injury and increase the permeability of capillaries. This facilitates the delivery of immune cells to the site that destroy pathogens; stimulates local blood clotting which creates a physical barrier to the spread of infection throughout the blood stream, promotes tissue repair, and removes debris from the site of the injury.
So, if inflammation is a natural response to injury or trauma, and it is needed for healing, what happens if a person takes an anti-inflammatory drug such as an NSAID as soon as an injury occurs to reduce inflammation, swelling and pain?
A recent research study reveals the answer to this question and also offers some insight as to why some people who are injured have long-term chronic pain while others recover and have no residual pain.
The authors of the study reported that patients who had lower back pain along with higher inflammation levels were more likely to experience resolution of pain within three months than patients who had lower levels of inflammation. The researchers reported that blocking the inflammatory response with medication can prolong musculoskeletal pain.
This same result was found in mouse studies. Blocking inflammation with dexamethasone (a steroid drug) or diclofenac (an NSAID) relieved pain within the first week but resulted in more sustained pain over time. Mice given a saline control or pain medications that did not lower inflammation levels had pain resolution in a significantly shorter period of time than mice that were treated with anti-inflammatory drugs.
People all over the world reach for anti-inflammatory drugs when they are injured to relieve pain, and most people think all inflammation is bad. Doctors reinforce this idea by prescribing drugs for inflammation and pain in response to injury. But there is a difference between acute inflammation due to injury and chronic inflammation that is due to poor health. Acute inflammation plays a role in healing, while chronic inflammation contributes to disease onset and progression.
The next time you have an injury – due to a fall, a car accident, bumping into something – it’s best to just let it heal. Pressing through and dealing with the discomfort now is the best chance of not having chronic pain in the future.
Alejandro Manjarrez PhD. "Early Inflammation Protects Against Chronic Pain, Study Finds." The Scientist May 12 2022.
Pam Popper, Wellness Forum Health
The objective of Nurture Your Health is to learn how to remain or become a healthy person, rather than to remain or become a sick patient. Most people do not pay attention to their health until they are sick. It is important to prioritize learning about health and investing time and resources in adopting the right diet, engaging in the right exercise, and paying attention to other factors that lead to optimal health. Make learning about health interesting and fun. Use this information to take control of your health and make better and informed decisions about what you eat, which lifestyle choices you make, and the medical care you receive.
This information is not a substitute for medical advice.
Liz Fattore
Nurture Your Health
Licensed Food Over Medicine Professional
Are you getting your rest?
I just returned from the Shenandoah mountains of Virginia. It was a restful week, with some hiking and trail riding, good dinners and great conversations with my daughter, and some time to read, journal and reflect on life. The picture is my view of the evening sunset during the week.
I won't lie, I brought my laptop, fully intending on doing some writing, planning, and tweaking of classes. I am so glad that God had other plans. So, I wrote some notes in my calendar (yes, I brought that as well) and put it away.
Do you find it difficult to stop and let go of the "have-tos"? I love what I do and love the planning and tweaking but had to admit that I do need to stop and look up at times. Even though I make a point of taking a weekly sabbath, I am not on a "full stop." There are still things swirling around in my head that I need to put away in order to get the restful sleep that I need.
When we are to the point of having foggy brain and soul fatigue, and just plain tired, then we need to actively work on soul rest, which facilitates mind rest, which in turn, facilitates body rest. We were created with this connection: body, mind, spirit. Rest in one area impacts the others.
In her book "Rest Girl", Jamie Amerine says "When our minds feel defeated and we live a restless existence, that is what we see and experience." She states that more than sleepless nights and busy schedules, the source of exhaustion has more to do with our deep-seated beliefs and our mindset based on those well-intended beliefs, and that fear is the thief of real rest.
What are you thinking about when your head hits the pillow? All of those what-ifs are basically fears of the unknown. Then you make the mental to-do list and wonder what you forgot or should have done. Then, when you finally do get out of bed in the morning, the weight of it all bears down on you, causing you to feel defeated before you even start.
Practicing mindfulness and spirit rest is a worthwhile endeavor and helps us bear the weight of life's challenges. Emotional and mental weariness can be harder to overcome than physical tiredness.
"Have you considered the difference between soul rest and self-care? These two concepts often overlap. When we need rest, we tend to think about self-care or even self-comfort solutions. Self-care has to do with caring for our physical, mental, and emotional needs. Soul care happens when we trust Christ with our needs, relying on his presence and help to sustain us." (Ginger Harrington)
Escaping by binging Netflix is not soul care. It might be a quick fix, but not a solution. Rest is important. The bible mentions it 548 times!
Here are practices that you can try:
1. Do a daily "soul check". A journal is a handy tool for this. Ask yourself, what are my burdens? What am I carrying that does not belong to me? Can you release it and trust God? What is the worst that can happen if something doesn't get done? Address your barriers.
2. Close out your day. Before bedtime, write down anything on your mind, what did not get done, what needs to be done the next day, who needs what, who you need to call, etc. Then close the calendar. Close the book on it!
3. Plan everything but be flexible. I have found that using my calendar with nice size blocks facilitates tracking what I need to do. I write down everything! Appointments, calls, classes, errands, exercise times, etc. It is much better than using your phone calendar.
4. Connect with others. Conversations with close friends and like-minded, positive people encourages and builds our strong values and ethics. Connections with others is a component of optimal health.
5. Inhale some essential oils before bedtime. I like Lavendar, Cedarwood and Orange.
6. Practice breathing exercises. We have taught this in some of our classes.
Mindset and habit change facilitates building new pathways in the brain as you develop new and better habits for yourself. I will be scheduling the Forming and Maintaining Optimal Habits class soon, so stay tuned. This class will give you more tools to learn how to strategize your daily habits.
Remember to breath, rest and not be hard on yourself because you are worth it.
Liz
You are probably familiar with the term "autoimmune". You might have seen the social media posts stating, "I just wish more people understood what an autoimmune disease is." It is true that most people do not display symptoms, and those with autoimmune issues have a difficult time expressing how they feel. It is also true that if you have been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, such as Multiple Sclerosis, Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Crohn's, Celiac, Sjogren's, etc., you will most likely prone to having more than one.
This is a subject that I have been researching for years, ever since being diagnosed with crohn's disease in the 80's, and why I do what I do.
So, what is it exactly? Autoimmune means that the body has an immune reaction to substances naturally present in the body. In other words, the immune system attacks “self.” This can happen in most tissues in the body and, accordingly, there are more than 80 autoimmune diseases that have been named and described, the root being increasing inflammation in the body. Many autoimmune diseases are rare and have been the subject of very limited research but as a group, are common, affecting 7-10% of the population, with women being more affected.
Autoimmune diseases can be extremely difficult to diagnose and often present with vague, nonspecific symptoms like fatigue, odd pains, or skin rashes. Given the prevalence, along with the lack of scientific understanding and the vague symptoms, autoimmune diseases have become something of a “catch-all” in the public mind. If an illness goes undiagnosed, is composed of a collection of nonspecific symptoms, people might naturally wonder about “autoimmune.”
Autoimmune disease is extraordinarily complicated. There are several intertwined factors that may affect risk of autoimmune disease:
- Genes (especially celiac and ankylosing spondylitis)
- Infections
- Environmental factors (including diet, sun exposure, and tobacco use)
- Gut health (which includes the bacteria living in your intestine and their activity.
Leaky gut is a condition that always accompanies any autoimmune disease and treatment with probiotics has been shown to improve outcomes for patients. Having a healthy colony of beneficial bacteria is crucial for your immune function, your ability to absorb nutrients from food, and your ability to keep the intestinal barrier healthy so that partially digested food and other pathogens and bacteria don't get into the bloodstream.
There is no "cure" for autoimmune diseases, unlike what I thought years ago when the crohn's went into remission then returned with a vengeance, culminating in having a foot of my colon removed. At the time of diagnosis, there was no internet where I could play online doctor. The doctor treating me at first never took the time to educate me and continued to prescribe multiple medications. When I asked him what foods I should eat or not eat, he told me that food had nothing to do with this. By the time there was internet, I was too sick and tired and had resigned myself to thinking that this was my way of life. My story goes deeper, and I usually share more with whoever wants to hear. But I need to share the most important part of my journey: how finding the RIGHT resources and learning how changing my diet and lifestyle enabled me to be in remission and stay that way.
It is not just diet, but there is evidence that psychological factors can be a trigger. There are two ways in which our thoughts and emotions can impact GI health. First, we have a nervous system in our GI tract called the enteric nervous system that operates independent of our autonomic and central nervous systems. Also, there are psychological profiles of people who are more inclined to develop and maintain irritable bowel, even when they do all the right things to fix it.
I love sharing and teaching and go into more detail and depth regarding these conditions in my classes. Taking the steps to control your health is the best thing you can do. Keeping informed is the best way to make choices and there are many opportunities to learn.
1. Sign up for the newsletter if you haven't already.
2. Check out the classes on my website. Most are available through zoom.
3. Schedule a health assessment and find out which program will work best for you.
4. Email me to learn about the healthy food offerings.
5. Email me to learn about becoming a member of Wellness Forum Health for more learning opportunities and exclusive content. (It's the best thing I ever did!)
Liz Fattore
Licensed Food Over Medicine Health Professional
Resources:
Thomas Campbell, M.D.
Pam Popper, PhD, ND
Your Wellness Lifestyle Starts HereIt is estimated that our bodies are 60% water, making it important to stay hydrated for good health. Every day, our bodies lose approximately 10 cups of water through perspiration, urination, bowel movements, and breathing. Water needs to be replaced through a combination of food and the water we drink. Water in food varies, so we need to make sure we drink at least 64 ounces daily.
Water contains electrolytes and important minerals such as sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and iron, which are all essential to good health. Water also carries nutrients and oxygen to every cell, assists in removing waste products and toxins from the body, and helps to control our internal temperature.
Most people, however, live in a state of chronic dehydration. Signs of dehydration include fatigue, poor skin condition, constipation, fluid retention (because the body thinks it is in a drought situation), dry eyes, and worsening of allergies and asthma symptoms.
Dehydration can also cause much more serious problems. A research group looked at the association between fatal coronary disease and intake of both water and other fluids for over 20,000 men and women between the ages of 38 and 100. Subjects who consumed more than 5 glasses of water per day had a lower risk of fatal heart attack than those who drank fewer than two glasses per day. The development of coronary artery disease increased with higher intake of fluids other than water. The researchers stated that the reason is that whole blood viscosity, plasma viscosity, hematocrit, and fibrinogen (independent risk factors for coronary heart disease) are influenced by hydration status. They wrote that one of the reasons why coronary events tend to take place in the morning is that people do not drink water while sleeping and are the most dehydrated in the morning on waking.
A good rule is to assume that you are dehydrated if you are drinking less than 8 cups of water each day. You also need more water if you exercise and/or if you spend time outdoors when it is hot.
Water is what our bodies need; juices and other fluids are not good substitutes. Water is absorbed through the stomach walls, which allows it to reach cell tissues quickly. Flavored water (adding limes or lemons) takes significantly longer to be assimilated into the body for hydration.
It is better to drink water in-between rather than with meals, since drinking water with (or immediately after) a meal can dilute stomach acid, making digestion more difficult. Avoid drinking water or other fluids with meals unless you are thirsty and hungry at the same time.
Children should be taught to make water their first choice of drink at an early age, with water the primary beverage after weaning. Water needs for children are lower than for adults, so they should consume 50% of their weight in ounces daily.
References: Informed Health/Wellness Forum Health
The Bone Broth Craze
One of the biggest promoters is The Weston Price Foundation and its followers. The organization features a section called “Broth is Beautiful” with many unsubstantiated health claims and recipes. Health claims include that fish broth helps boys to grow into strong men; can make childbirth easier and is a cure for fatigue. The website says that Americans need healthier fast food, and suggests that “brothals” in every town would be the answer to this need. The Foundation also states that some of the best ingredients for making bone broth are hooves, feet, and heads because they are the most gelatinous parts of animals. [1]
A new book by Weston Price disciples Sally Fallon and Kayla Daniel called Nourishing Broth provides even more folklore and is advertised as including the science behind broth’s unique ingredients, and how broth can heal pain and inflammation, improve digestion, reduce allergies, cure Crohn’s disease, help people with eating disorders, and even improve outcomes for cancer patients. [2]
People have been making broth for centuries, but it seems that only recently, and at the prompting of groups like the Weston Price Foundation, that magical properties have been attributed to it. Fallon and Daniel claim that boiling animal and fish bones, skin, cartilage, tendons, and ligaments results in a gelatinous liquid that promotes the growth of collagen and builds strong bones. They also claim that bone broth is a great source of two key amino acids – proline and glycine – which are important for maintaining collagen and healthy tissues.
There are several problems with these claims, one of which is that eating collagen does not promote collagen growth. Collagen, like everything else we eat, is broken down into many things, including its constituent amino acids, and the body uses them to make many things like enzymes and hormones, as needed. Furthermore, many other nutrients are needed to make collagen, and plants are much better sources of those nutrients than bone broth. Additionally, cystine and proline are non-essential amino acids which means that they are synthesized by the body and do not need to be consumed in food.
Fallon and Daniel state that part of the value of bone broth is that it is made at home from scratch, that home-made bone broth is better than store-bought broth, and that food prepared at home is generally always better. We all agree. However, there are much safer and more nutritious things to make at home that broth from the heads of dead animals.
Safety is an issue. While the nutrient content of bone broth varies, it can be quite high in both fat and protein from animal sources. I looked at several recipes online and protein per serving was as high as 16-20 grams, and fat content was as high as 50%. Research is quite clear that diets that include copious amounts of animal protein and fat increase the risk of diseases like coronary artery disease, diabetes, and cancer.
A significantly bigger concern is the potential for lead contamination as a result of consuming bone broth. Animal bones have been shown to contain high quantities of lead, and broths made with those bones have higher concentrations of lead than the water from which the bone broth was made. [3] The deleterious effects of excess lead exposure are well-known, which provides another reason to avoid bone broth.
[1] Weston Price Library
[2] Nourishing Broth
[3] Monro J, Leon R, Puri B. “The risk of lead contamination in bone broth diets.” Med Hypothesis 2013 Apr;80(4):389-390
Do you have leftover rice?
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