THE CAUSE OF INFLAMMATION -NOT SINGULAR, BUT PLURALMany factors contribute in the cause of inflammation, and quite a few are readily manageable.For starters, look to your bowel.
Over the half century, we are more likely to have DYSBIOSIS at times. This is an imbalance between our favorite intestinal germs and some of those less kindly disposed towards us. This can be tested for by stool analysis. The latest and greatest method for this is using DNA probes rather than trying to grow and identify the germs.
See Metametrix Clinical Laboratory site,
and see below. These unfriendly germs release poisonous materials. Our bowel is pretty good at keeping such material at bay, but the “mucosal barrier” can become compromised. The toxins then absorbed, are taken in the Portal vein blood to the liver. The immune system cells in the liver (Kupffer cells) react as though we are being invaded by living germs. They release chemical messengers such as interleukin 6 and a general alarm goes out to the body. Our body's immune system is now on red alert. This is one cause of inflammation tendency, or silent systemic inflammation, and therefore of inflammatory diseases. People now talk about this chronic activation of the innate immune system as responsible for lots of "degenerative" diseases, as well as the inflammatory ones.
The lining of our bowel, like our skin, is the first line of defense. This commonly becomes damaged (“LEAKY GUT”) by poisons, allergies, Monilia (thrush,) constipation and alcohol. These factors in the cause of inflammation, can all be managed (dealt with here in reverse order....)Apart from toxic materials from bacterial activity mentioned above, partly digested and undigested food fragments also enter the bowel wall, where specific antibodies against them form immune complexes with them. These immune complexes circulate in the blood stream and increase inflammation if they manage to leave blood capillaries and enter tissues, before the reticuloendothelial system removes them from our blood.
In one study1, the leaky gut took from 4 days to 2 weeks, to recover when alcohol was stopped.This was in people without cirrhosis or obvious malnutrition from their alcoholism, who... "almost invariably had higher intesinal permeability than controls."
At one time it was common practice in our society, to line everyone up once a week for a dose of castor oil or epsom salts. Mercifully this is out of fashion, but I expect was based on experience of benefit. Colonic irrugation and preparations such as Picolax are the modern equivalent. Severe constipation due to disease blocking the bowel, can lead to (“stercoral”) ulceration even. The bowel wall presumably becomes leaky with less severe blockage. ANY RECENT CHANGE IN BOWEL HABIT IS A REALLY IMPORTANT REASON TO GO TO YOUR DOCTOR. Long standing, chronic constipation is best treated without harsh purgatives – Leafy green vegetables, psyllium (Ispaghula) husks, pure water (not chlorinated) and extra exercise are good starters.
Candida albicans (Monilia) and C. glabrata can breach the bowel mucosal barrier, contributing another cause of inflammation. Candida has a very complicated relationship to our immune system, even leading to a non specific immunosuppression state (as in a great number of infections caused by viruses, bacteria, protozoa and fungi.) We are best doing without antibiotics when not dangerously ill. Antibiotics kill a lot of intestinal germs, leaving a good place to live (a“biological vacuum”) happily taken up by Monilia.
You can replace some of the thirty species of friendly intestinal germs. You will see names such as Lactobacillus, acidophilus and Bifidobacteria. I think OMX ( Ohhira mountain fruits extract ) is one of the best. Most probiotic supplements have 1 or 2 strains, but OMX has 12... Bifidobacterium breve ss. breve This reduces the concern that supplementing some of the 30 odd species of friendly bacteria, may muscle out some others. Another valuable option is Saccharomyces boulardii, a yeast rather than a bacterium. Recommended dose for leaky gut is 500 - 1000mg daily to start, reducing to half that. This comes under various trade names, SB FlorActiv in Australia.
Food intolerance can damage the lining of our intestine and even produce bowel symptoms (irritable bowel syndrome.)The damage happens when tiny amounts of undigested and partly digested food get past the mucosal barrier. They then meet cells of our body's immune system which are specifically sensitized to that particular food residue. This combining of food antigen and antibody or sensitized immune cell, is a cause inflammation locally in the bowel wall. The inflammatory process causes damage, which then allows bacterial endotoxin to cross the bowel wall and enter the portal vein circulation. A vicious circle can develop, as the damage allows more allergenic undigested food to cross the barrier, perpetuating the inflammation
Sorry, I meant medical prescription medications - just a slip of the tongue.This is a bit unfair really. They are very valuable if used as rescue medications for very short periods - a few days. Long term continuous use is madness. They very frequently cause silent ulceration of our gut, not just leaky gut. They are a factor in the cause of inflammation not settling down, at the same time as reducing some of it's effects. The COX 2 inhibitors aren't much better.
Hypochlorous acid, hypochlorite and chlorine are used by our white blood cells, to kill bacteria.Sodium chlorite acidified with citric acid is used to kill germs in our body. Chlorine in drinking water may increase inflammation in our body. See book.... “Coronaries/cholesterol/chlorine” by Joseph M. Price MD
There is growing support for the hypothesis that obesity is a pro inflammatory condition. Fat cells produce lots of adipokines (chemical messengers,) which induce activation of the immune system and so are another cause of inflammation in our body.Dr Garry Egger uses the term metaflammation (metabolically triggered inflammation. I have a personal theory on this, that the reason for this is toxins which are stored in fat cells because they are fat soluble.
That's a mouthful, of mashed potato perhaps - without the nuts. Almonds, pistachios or peanuts may save you. Eating a meal with nuts, lean meat or oil and vinegar, counteracts the effect of high glycaemic index foods in the meal. They slow the digestion down, so blood sugar and free fatty acids don't spike so high. The last mentioned spike can overwhelm our metabolic capacity, leading to oxygen free radicals being produced and inflammatory substances being released. Germs in joints or at least in body tissuesPCR tests have demonstrated DNA signatures of various germs in the synovial fluid of inflamed joints.The
Road Back Foundation
is a good resource for help on the use of antibiotics for inflammatory arthritis. Iron overload increases inflammationThis factor operates across a broad range of arthritides, from OA to pseudogout to RA.In testing, two figures are important - the ferritin and the transferrin saturation. Any male with rheumatics could well have iron studies blood test done. It is easy to treat - donate blood. Breakdown of oral tolerance, Th1/Th2 balanceOur immune system has a continual job throughout life, maintaining ability to recognize one's self v. invading foreign chemicals or organisms.Work with experimental arthritis in animals has shown feeding type 2 collagen can reduce the inflammation, by inducing oral tolerance. See the introduction and discussion parts of an interesting paper on this2. There are a number of "arthritis cures" available based on this work, but I have no experience of using them. T helper lymphocytes are involved in lots of inflammatory conditions. Imbalance can be caused by such factors as zinc deficiency, and can be part of the cause of inflammation. Australian Lifestyle Medicine AssociationThis organization will be a valuable resource. Watch this space.ALMA website - Online Health Tools coming soon
This testing is very much more delicate than the same test used for checking newborn children.Inborn errors of metabolism detected in neonates cause very abnormal levels, easy to measure. Here they are measuring concentrations in the normal physiological range, with very sophisticated liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry equipment. Here they are measuring many things, including the effects of abnormal germs in your bowel. It is a test that is likely to be of great value to anyone with any chronic illness, as well as sorting out the cause of inflammation in your joints. Metametrix were the pioneers in this field. More on cause of inflammation - your immune system.
1. Ingvar Bjarnason et al, The Lancet 28/1/1984 leaky gut alcoholism2. C Porporatto et al The biocompatible polysaccharide chitosan enhances the oral tolerance to type II collagen |
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