Many disease states are as a result of chronic inflammation, such as rheumatoid arthritis, atherosclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and tuberculosis for example.  Chronic inflammation frequently results in chronic pain.  Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) are the number 1 over-the-counter drugs sold for inflammation and pain, but they are only a band-aid solution - they do reduce inflammation, but they don't get at the cause of what is creating the inflammation in the first place.  Therefore, rather than resolving the condition, the condition is being "managed".  Not only that, but NSAIDs are known to result in many adverse gastrointestinal issues including ulcers, GI bleeding, anemia, renal damage, and impaired wound healing. There are more deaths due to NSAID use than AIDS annually. 

Generally our current diets are HIGHLY inflammatory, so it is no wonder inflammatory diseases are so prevalent.   What would an anti-inflammatory diet consist of?  Eat no refined polyunsaturated vegetable oils (omega 6 fatty acids promote the Cox 2 pathway, which equals inflammation - why take Cox 2 inhibitors when you can encourage the Cox 1 anti-inflammatory pathway through diet?).  Consume low-mercury fish and shellfish frequently, or take up to 4000mg of omega 3 fish oils a day.  Make sure you eat some quality saturated fat (pasture-fed butter, whole milk or cream, eggs, meat or poultry) so that you can actually utilize the omega 3 fatty acids that you consume, and so you get adequate amounts of vitamin A. Green leafy vegetables are frequently high in magnesium, which may help to relax muscles. Get yourself metabolically typed so you know what ratio of fats, proteins and carbohydrates you should be consuming.  Sugar, and refined flour products are highly inflammatory because of the glycation they cause, and should be avoided at all costs.  Avoid caffeine.    Another cause of inflammation are the toxins found in processed food, such as MSG, textured vegetable protein, soy lecithin, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, pesticides, colourings, flavourings etc.  After getting your vitamin D levels checked and if you are low, spend some time in the sun without sunscreen, so that your body can synthesize vitamin D.  Sunblock also blocks vitamin D production, and low vitamin D levels are associated with inflammation.  Do NOT let yourself burn however, as sunburns raise your risk of skin cancer.  Getting adequate dark time each night increases melatonin levels which reduces inflammation, as melatonin is a free-radical scavenger.

There may be some deeper seated causal issues as to why someone may be suffering from chronic inflammation, including adrenal fatigue, food sensitivities, candida albicans, parasites, mold, and/or heavy metal toxicity which may need to be explored if improving diet, sun exposure and dark time don't work.

If, while searching for the cause of your chronic inflammation issues, you want some symptom relief without resorting to pharmaceutical drugs, try using tumeric and ginger.  Both these spices are natural Cox 2 inhibitors.  The herb bosweilla, although not a Cox 2 inhibitor, also has anti-inflammatory properties.  Kava Kava has muscle relaxation properties, and can be especially beneficial when mixed with magnesium.  Proteolytic enzymes containing enteric-coated trypsin and chymotrypsin combined with bioflavinoids and vitamin C seem to work as well as NSAIDs at controlling pain and swelling, as long as there is no underlying irritation in the GI tract.

Related tips:
Dealing with health issues
Essential Fats: Omega 3 to Omega 6 Ratio
Sugar - the disease generator
Processed food is taking over our supermarkets
Adrenal Fatigue


Chek, Paul, Oliver, Clifford, Remsen, Julie, Optimum Health and Fitness Through Practical Nutrition and Lifestyle Coaching Chek Institute, 2002.
Online at Inflammation - Wikipedia
Online at Chronic Inflammation - Wikipedia
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