I read a new book called The Inflammation Spectrum by Dr. Will Cole. I learned so much that I NEEDED to share it with everyone!!! Below is basically a summary of the whole thing hahaha. Enjoy ;)
All health problems are inflammatory in nature
And we have a lot of health problems.
60% of Americans have one chronic disease and 40% have two or more chronic diseases.
50 million Americans have an autoimmune disease, and almost half the population in the US has either prediabetes or diabetes.
Yet, America spends more money than any other country on healthcare. But why is our life expectancy shorter, and obesity more widespread?
Because we are "in the age of inflammation," as Dr. Cole puts it. The food we are eating is inflammatory. The things we are doing are inflammatory.
And inflammation OBVIOUSLY takes a toll on our bodies...
All of the health problems above are caused by some degree of inflammation. and this doesn't happen overnight. Our bodies are so smart, they have many defense mechanisms put in place to deal with disease before it develops. Unfortunately, chronic inflammatory food and lifestyle choices will catch up to you.
The good news is, you have a choice! Everything you do and eat is an opportunity to calm inflammation or exacerbate it. Below I explain how we can avoid inflammation.
What exactly is inflammation?
"Inflammation is your body’s natural defense response. In its acute response, it is the redness, swelling, and pain you get at the site of an injury. The immune system causes a rush of pro-inflammatory cells to keep out bacteria, viruses, and infections. This is how your body heals." - Dr. Will Cole
However, when inflammation gets out of control is when we have issues. When the body mistakingly responds to something that is not actually an invader it can trigger many kinds of symptoms in different areas of the body. The inflammation can continue for long periods, at low levels, causing chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation causes a lot of damage because your body is constantly working to protect itself with no relief.
Inflammation tends to develop in 8 primary systems
Brain and nervous system
Symptoms present as:
forgetfulness
loss of motivation
increased anxiety
difficulty concentrating
unexplained mood swings
sensory issues
Digestive system
Symptoms present as:
bloating or gassy often
diarrhea that is difficult to control
constipation often
frequent heartburn
chronic bad breath
nausea and cramping after eating certain foods
uncomfortable stomach symptoms when experiencing extreme emotions
Liver, kidneys, and lymphatic system (detoxification)
Symptoms present as:
retaining water easily
weight fluctuating more than 5 lb every morning
history of mold toxicity, Lyme disease, or chronic viral infections
yellowish tint to eyes or skin
right upper abdominal tenderness
dark urine
unexplained itching, flaking, or rashes on hands/feet
Blood sugar and insulin system
Symptoms present as:
cravings for sugary or starchy foods after eating meals
increased appetite or thirst
blurred vision
tired after getting enough sleep
fatigue that is relieved by eating
getting lightheaded, dizzy, shaky, jittery, or irritable, when you haven’t eaten for a few hours
waist girth is equal to or greater than your hip girth
difficulty losing weight
fasting blood sugar greater than 100
A1c greater than 5.7%
Hormonal system
Symptoms present as:
fatigue and or headaches in the afternoons, then get a second wind in the evening, which causes you to stay up late
dizziness when standing up suddenly
craving salty foods
hands and feet are often cold even when your environment is warm
sleep excessively or feel as if you could sleep all day and still sleep at night
outer thirds of eyebrows thinning or missing
low sex drive
irregular, painful, or unusually heavy periods
Muscles, joints, and connective tissue
Symptoms present as:
Joints hurt periodically constantly or in flares, unrelated to injury
double jointed joints
accident-prone, clumsy
joints constantly, pop, crack, or snap
wake up with stiff and or aching joints or muscles, but relieve with movement only to find that returns at the end of the day
chronic neck or back pain, tightness, and tension
pins and needles or numbness in hands and feet
massages are painful
Immune system
Symptoms present as:
extreme reactions to certain foods
intolerant to cold or heat, hands or feet turn bluish-gray when they’re cold
skin, mouth, and eyes are dry
family history of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, celiac, disease, inflammatory, bowel disease, Crohn’s disease, or Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
joint pain and swelling
numbness and tingling
unexplained rashes
chronic acne or reoccurring boils
extreme, unrelenting fatigue, that cannot be relieved by sleeping
unexplained muscle weakness
foot droop or dragging
Polyinfalmmation
Moderate inflammation in 2 or more of the above systems
How to lower inflammation
By eliminating inflammatory food and lifestyle practices.
This is root-cause medicine. Finding the direct cause of symptoms and eliminating it. No supplements, no medications. Just elimination. This is where you start! Sure you can add in supplements and herbs and whatever else to help speed up the process but you will never fully heal until you eliminate the root cause.
Diet-wise, the 4 foods that cause the highest inflammatory reactions for most people are grains, dairy, sugar, and vegetable oils.
Grains include wheat, rye, barley, rice, corn, oats, spelt, quinoa
Dairy includes milk, yogurt, ice cream, cheese, coffee creamer
Sugars include cane sugar, corn syrup, agave syrup, even maple syrup, honey, date syrup, coconut sugar, stevia, monk fruit, sugar alcohols (xylitol)
Vegetable oils include corn, soy, sunflower, and grape-seed oils, as well as trans fats aka 'partially hydrogenated'
Lifestyle habits that cause disastrous inflammation include prolonged sitting, staring at screens too much, toxin exposure, negative thinking, monkey mind, emotional eating, social isolation, and lack of higher purpose.
Dr. Will Cole has an awesome elimination guide in his book. The book contains an inflammation quiz, a tool kit for each system, recipes, and a customizable 4-week and 8-week elimination plan, as well as how to reintroduce those foods back into your life.
I highly recommend it if you identified with a lot of the symptoms above!! I will definitely be using this book for myself and as a reference for my future clients :)
References:
Cole, W. (2022). The inflammation spectrum: Find your food triggers and reset your system. Avery.
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