Keys to Wellness: Inflammation

Considering how much I’ve been taught and experienced, it’s a little bit embarrassing that it took me this long to figure out how much inflammation in the body impacts everyday wellness, what causes it and then, most importantly, to DO something about it. From simpler things like lowered energy levels to digestive problems, to things as extreme as allergic and anaphylactic reactions, inflammation can cause long-term irritation and damage in the body, but there are ways you can help soothe your system relatively quickly. My entire life (yes, since childhood), I have struggled with inflammation. It showed up as severely dry skin, chronic constipation, perpetual red cheeks, stomach pain, ulcers and even migraine headaches beginning at age 10.

Migraines: Severe throbbing pain or a pulsing sensation, usually on one side of the head. It's often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light and sound. Migraine attacks can last for hours to days, and the pain can be so severe that it interferes with your daily activities.

Triggers often include stress, alcohol, too much caffeine, bright lights, weather changes, aged cheeses and salty foods, aspartame, too little or too much sleep, hormonal changes.

As I moved into my teen years I alternated between constipation and diarrhea, developed severe acne on my chest plus everything else above that I have already mentioned. My weight often quickly fluctuated between being between five pounds under or over weight (according to the extreme ends of my Body Mass Index or BMI). I always had rashes and irritated skin, all food seemed to upset my stomach and cause me pain. I was consistently deficient in Iron and B Vitamins even though I regularly ate meat.

Homeopathy and Traditional Medicine

Eating as many whole, un-processed foods as possible supports a body seeking to reduce inflammation. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains and even meats in moderation can support this goal.

Hint: It doesn’t always have to be a salad! Try soups, stews and “roasting” your veggies and fruits as you would meats for a new flavor and texture. Beans are a great protein alternative too, either on their own, or as part of a hearty dip.

In my early 30’s, on a hunch, I visited a new-in-town homeopath named Jason that had set up an office only a few blocks from my house. After meeting with me for over an hour and me filling out a few pages of detailed questions on personal and family history we started with what he called an Elimination Diet. I wasn’t there to lose weight and the word diet actually just means literally, what you eat. He explained that the Elimination Diet over a course of 4-8 weeks helps you to figure out which of the top allergenic foods are causing you problems by eliminating all of them, and then slowly introducing them back into your diet to see how you feel in a system that has removed a potential source of irritation and inflammation and to see if they cause a reaction. Here are the top most common food allergies:

1. Cow’s Milk & Cow Dairy Products

2. Eggs

3. Tree Nuts & Peanuts

4. Wheat

5. Soy & Sesame

6. Shellfish/Fish

Jason also encouraged me to work in tandem with my regular medical doctor to arrange for allergic testing, to confirm anything to be especially concerned about. Severe nut allergies run in my family although I didn’t ever seem to have trouble with them personally. The testing with my doctor at the time (this was in the early 2000’s) confirmed moderate allergic reactions and an inflammation response to dairy, wheat and shellfish. I’d actually already had one very scary episode with shellfish in my early 20’s that resulted in difficulty breathing, hives all over my body, vomiting and diarrhea. The Elimination Diet at that time was challenging for me. I had milk, eggs, wheat and fish products pretty much daily. But my discomfort level was so high, I was willing to try anything. Low and behold, the elimination diet truly helped, and the doctor testing combined with the homeopathic approach confirmed each other.

Something More

Mild to moderate gut issues are often the first signs that something is out of order in the body. The last two decades have seen huge increases in diagnoses of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Celiac Disease, Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Ulcerative Colitis, Dicericulitis, Peptic Ulcer Disease, and the list really does goes on.

Sometimes, we can change our course before these things set-in, or assist with alleviating discomfort once there has been a diagnosis. (And sometimes not.)

But since that time, I’ve continued to struggle mildly, moderately and at times, severely. What else was going on? In my mid-thirties I had an "episode” I’ll call it where I felt so unwell that I ended up in urgent care. The main symptoms were that I had painful and itchy red rashes all over my body, I lost seven pounds in three days and seemed to have a fever that came and went. My doctor suspected at that time that I might have Celiac Disease or another autoimmune condition and started asking me about what I was eating. Since learning about the wheat and milk allergy, I had mostly eliminated them from my diet. I say mostly because I would still have the occasional ice-cream, cheese or slice of toast. The gluten-free product availability at that time was not then what it is now and alternative products tasted terrible. I also didn’t realize the full impact of what I was doing. Long story short: it took seven more years to conclusively diagnose me with Celiac Disease. What many people don’t realize is that Celiac can be quite serious. Yes, you need to avoid wheat which seems easy enough right? Just don’t eat the bread. But it’s complicated because wheat gluten is found in many products because it’s a binder. I’ve seen it in chips (pringles), sauces and dips (soy sauce - a double whammy if you’re soy sensitive, which I now am also), and main course dishes at restaurants (the coatings they use for fish or other proteins, even salad dressings at times). Truly, the list is endless where you can potentially find wheat gluten and since it damages your small intestine it does everything from blocking nutrient absorption from the food you eat, to predisposing you towards heart disease and bowel cancers (if left untreated). It is an inflammation of the small intestine, leading to discomfort and pain. So for everyone who says, “can’t you just have a bite or a little bit?”, it’s a really, really bad idea. As the celiac.org website reveals, even ingesting tiny amounts of gluten, like crumbs from a cutting board, can trigger small intestine damage.

Gluten isn’t just found in breads.

It’s common in sauces, dressings, chips, snacks, soy sauce and many restaurant recipes in some way. It’s not at all about simply avoiding bread or thinking a little bit will be just fine.

Inflammation Station

We now know from science that chronic inflammation is the culprit behind almost every single disease on the planet. There is a difference though in terms of acute inflammation and chronic inflammation. Acute inflammation is the redness, heat and swelling around tissues and joints that happens when you hurt yourself (like cut your finger or bang your knee). When the body has an injury, your immune system sends out a rush of white blood cells to surround and protect the area that has been injured. This kind of inflammation is good in the sense that it helps to protect an injured body or, fight off invaders like influenza, pneumonia and the like. Chronic Inflammation often initially affects the stomach, but eventually it becomes systemic and can affect nearly every organ in the body. The same reaction as in acute inflammation takes place except now the white blood cells flood the problem area and end up attacking nearby healthy tissues and organs too. Not a good scene.

So let’s fast forward now to the recent past, the fall of 2020. After 7 months of the pandemic lock down, I, like many others seemed to have put on about ten or so pounds. I felt sluggish, I knew I was drinking too much wine and rewarding myself with too many “once-in-a-while foods” like sweets and snacks on a more regular basis. Even though I worked out almost daily, I wasn’t as active as when I was going too and from work each day in general and let’s face it, the stress of 2020 with one upsetting event after another raised everyone’s blood pressure and stress factors to the limit. Stress DOES play a big part of how much inflammation you have in the body too by the way (and yoga and mediation are a great way to help reduce that kind of inflammation!)

So, what are the biggest inflammatory causing things that affect most bodies that we can control?

Alcohol, Caffeine and Sugar

Processed Meat and Refined Carbohydrates

1. Sugar, High-Fructose Corn Syrup, Caffeine & Alcohol

2. Processed Meat (sausage, bacon, ham, smoked meat, beef jerky)

3. Refined Carbohydrates (candy, bread, pasta, pastries, cookies, cakes, soft drinks & some cereals)

4. Artificial Trans Fats (fried food, margarines/shortening, packaged or processed foods containing hydrogenated vegetable oil)

So I made a decision. I wasn’t as concerned about the weight as I was about how I felt. I was concerned that I was developing habits that weren’t healthy and that my long-term health might be seriously impacted if I didn’t make a change. So based on everything I’d experienced before in my life, what I knew now and combined with both doctor and alternative health testing and counseling from my past, I did the following for about three months:

1. No alcohol

2. No coffee (in fact, I’d stopped drinking coffee daily about a month into the pandemic, but now, eliminated it totally)

3. No cows milk products, no processed meat, no refined carbs or trans fats (to be honest, these aren’t really part of my diet anyway)

4. I still had sugar in the form of fruit, maple syrup in my morning tea and the occasional bit of dark chocolate

5. No refined carbohydrates at all, but I did have sweet potatoes and yams and sparingly, brown rice, quinoa and white potatoes.

6. Daily movement in the form of yoga, walking, running or strength training for a minimum of 30 minutes

Here’s What Happened

Better skin. Better sleep.

Lost inches. Gained clarity.

First off, what helped was working out as much as possible, staying hydrated, planning good meals and getting a good sleep. I started reading a lot more, just for pleasure. After the first week, I didn’t get a single headache. I normally get at least one headache per week and several migraines per year.

Second, I lost about five pounds.

Third, while I didn’t lose a lot of weight, I noticed that my clothes fit better and things that had become too tight in the last year suddenly fit again. As the overall inflammation in my body went down I did lose some pounds, but mostly what I lost was INCHES (i.e. a bra size, a pants size). My waist became more defined again and the persistent breast pain I’d developed in the last few years has DISAPPEARED.

I also want to be clear here that I’m not advocating for weight loss or inches loss. A thinner body does not equate to a healthier body any more than a bigger body is supposed to signal that something is wrong. While BMI has long been regarded as the gold standard, even it has been criticized as flawed when it comes to different types of bodies and being unable to distinguish between muscle mass and fat mass and different body types. My purpose here is to investigate inflammation, and how reducing chronic inflammation helps the body, regardless of your weight or size.

Alcohol

Many of you may know this, but the radical difference of a good night’s sleep without alcohol is second to none, and although that first week was really hard and I wanted my nightly glass of wine more than anything, after two weeks it was totally fine and I didn’t really think about it anymore. Sparkling water became my best friend along with non-caffeinated teas. Now, I do allow myself a glass or two on weekends if I really want one, but not at all during the week. I’m considering cutting that back too, maybe only to special events or occasions or even giving it up altogether or only indulging as a rarity. Also, red wine makes me flush, sneeze, get congested and even sometimes cause a mild headache within just half a glass! I can start to feel the difference in my body very quickly now, it’s an inflammation alert and that tells me it’s either time to stop, slow down, or choose something else.

All The Rest

Since I don’t usually eat a lot of sugar, drink a lot of caffeine or processed meat, refined carbs and trans fats regularly, I don’t think their elimination from my routine made a huge difference, but overall I felt so much better than I had in months and if you DO eat them regularly, I would encourage you to try a few weeks without. Eating foods in as close to their natural form as possible continues to be reinforced as an optimal way to achieve health and balance. I recently tasted some beef jerky and was horrified at the taste and salt levels that my tongue could now detect.

My energy levels were higher and the longer I kept at it, I slept better and better, and I’ve always been a terrible sleeper. Combined with movement, meditation and eating simple, wholesome foods without a lot of sauces, I learned to taste my food better and eat more mindfully. I eat a lot, I’m a tall person (5”11) with a lot of muscle mass, so I get hungry. I didn’t starve myself at all. I eat when I’m hungry. The best thing I discovered again during this time was Oatmeal. Yes, oatmeal! Full of fiber and antioxidants, oats are very nutritious, make you feel full, help with constipation and it pairs nicely with fruit, chia and my favorite: nut butters. I could write a song about the beauty of oatmeal, but I’ll spare you. Another tip? If you really struggle with constipation as I have my whole life, try a natural supplement called Triphala. I was introduced to this about four years ago and I now take it daily. It’s a life changer. Another tip? I’ve found Ayurvedic Brands who often have a commitment to sustainable, organic and fair trade practices work much better than store or generic brands.

The gaining of wisdom and the aging process is one that

I support and respect wholeheartedly, even though it can

be challenging to see the changes happening in the

mirror everyday.

Reducing inflammation helped me to look and feel better AND embrace the parts of me that are evolving in new ways.

Lastly, I have to say that this experiment also renewed my skin. As a woman in my 40’s, I’m watching the gray hairs come in, my skin is changing rapidly and my waist has started to expand. This is not strictly about aesthetics and there is a certain beauty in embracing all of that as part of the inevitable in some ways, the wisdom and aging process is one that I wholeheartedly support. However, I also noticed that my skin improved quite dramatically. I lost a couple of inches on my waist. I saw less redness, more even tones. I noticed overall less dryness and flaking, more smoothness and softness. And my teeth? Well, if you’re not drinking coffee or red wine, they sure look a lot brighter too. But truly, it was the difference in my clarity of thought, my ability to concentrate, and how GOOD I felt. My main reason for writing all this out is to show how from the inside-out, your mind and your body are truly amazing at what they can do when they work together. So I’ll close with a few summary thoughts about what I learned, in the hope that it encourages you too:

Feeling good is possible.

You can be your own cheerleader and say nice things to yourself.

Asking for help is also a good idea sometimes.

Taking care of your mental health is a priority.

Being honest with yourself about your habits and whether they are healthy or not is important.

Love and learn from yourself through all the ups and downs.

Get comfortable with asking: how do you really feel, from moment to moment?

You’re a beautifully imperfect and fledgling human being who deserves all the love anyway.

Learn new things and have fun doing those new things.

Laugh at how many times it took you to absorb the lessons you kind of knew all along.

Taking care of your mental health is a priority.

Being honest with yourself about your habits and whether they are healthy or not is important.

Love yourself anyway.