INFLAMMATION – A VITAL FACTOR INFLUENCING YOUR HEALTH

You might wonder why an orthodontist and TMJ dentist is interested in inflammation. In my eyes any practitioner who is not holistic is lacking. Everything that goes on in our bodies is related to the rest of the body.

If you have habits that create inflammation, your life can be at risk and any responsible person in the medical profession should be aware of this. So many of the medical specialties are so specialized that they treat the just what relates to their work, not taking into account what is happening to the rest of the patient. Sure, sinus inflammation can affect the shape of the mouth, but that is not what primarily concerns me.

Cancer, diabetes, depression, heart disease, arthritis, Alzheimer’s and even your child’s recurrent sinus infections all have a common denominator: inflammation. Normally, inflammation is part of a healthy response of the immune system which brings in cells and chemicals that fight infection, or heal an injury.

The problem is there are hidden forms of inflammation which bring in an endless source of immune cells that interfere with the body’s healthy cells and tissues. Even worse, most people don’t know this is going on. The World Health Organization lists chronic inflammation as the number one cause of death.

There are many sources of this chronic inflammation, from the effects of obesity, to smoking and general poor health habits. In this issue I will address one of the most common sources of chronic inflammation: inflammatory foods. The following list includes the most common enemies of health:

• Sugar:  Since I entered the field of dentistry I always thought that if sugar rots your teeth, what else is it destroying?  A Coke equals 10 sugar cubes. In nature, sweet foods are usually good for you, but man has learned how to make the sweet flavor. High fructose corn syrup is doubly bad. You not only get the glycemic effects, but fructose produces liver fat creating cirrhosis.
• Cooking oils: High Omega 6 levels in vegetable oils promote inflammation. Polyunsaturated vegetable oils, such as grape seed, cottonseed, safflower, corn and sunflower, are all high in Omega 6 and low in Omega 3 and when used in cooking can easily become trans fats.
• Trans Fats: Fat is an essential factor in causing food to spoil. Our wonderful industry has found that by changing to trans fats through hydrogenation, the shelf life of a food can be increased. Partially hydrogenated oil, such as margarine and vegetable shortening, are inflammatory foods. Deep fried foods are loaded with trans fats when cooked in vegetable oil.
• Dairy Products:  Researchers have found that the ability to digest milk after infancy is abnormal. Milk is a common allergen which triggers the inflammatory process resulting in gastric distress, rashes, acne and respiratory problems such as asthma.
• Commercially Raised Grain Fed Meats:  These animals are fed a diet high in Omega 6 fatty acids. Due to the cramped living conditions, they gain excess fat and contain high saturated fats. To make them grow faster they are given hormones and antibiotics. An inflammatory food is the result.
• Red Meat & Processed Meat: A chemical exists in some red meats called Neu5Gc. The body can produce an antibody to this molecule that creates a low grade inflammation that persists for long periods of time. There is a high correlation between colon cancer and the consumption of red meats.
• Alcohol: Regular consumption can create inflammation in the esophagus, larynx and liver. Small amounts can be tolerated, but heavy use is a killer.
• Refined Grains: Over-refining of grains causes this food to become a similar inflammatory agent to sugar (a practically empty calorie with a high glycemic index). Even whole grains can be responsible for Celiac disease (an immune reaction to eating gluten. Over time, this reaction produces inflammation that damages the small intestine’s lining and prevents absorption of some nutrients) and have been found to be responsible for early aging of the skin.
• Artificial Food Additives: Eating fresh is the answer. Processed foods contain flavor enhancers such as MSG, high fructose corn syrup and Aspartame, as well as preservatives such as BHA and BHT. Corn syrup has been found to stimulate ones appetite so our ever loving bread producers are adding this financial nutrient to improve their health.
• Any Food You To Which You Are Sensitive:  If a food makes you feel uncomfortable you should check into it. Some of the more common suspects are gluten, milk, eggs, legumes and nightshade related vegetables (eggplant, green peppers and tomatoes). Medical tests are not always conclusive, home tests are available.

The extreme importance of inflammation as a cause of dangerous diseases is relatively new to medicine. The quality of your life can depend greatly on its control.