Inflammation is the immune system’s response to harmful stimuli. This includes pathogens, damaged cells, toxic compounds, or irradiation, and the immune system acts by removing injurious stimuli and initiating the healing process.
Inflammation is therefore a defense mechanism that is vital to health. If our immune system is working well, we have a healthy level of inflammation, where damaged cells are cleared up and damaged tissue is repaired.
Our immune systems are truly amazing, any injury or invader is sensed, located and dealt with. An example of a healthy level of inflammation is a fever, where the body heats up to kill a virus or bacteria.
Sometimes the inflammatory process gets out of control, due to too much stimulation, and then an auto-immune condition may develop. As 70-80% of the immune system is based in the gut, a Naturopathic approach to inflammation can include repairing the gut and reducing inflammation from this angle. There are many ways to support a healthy inflammatory response naturally using nutrients, herbs, homeopathy.
Every day our immune system has to choose what to react to and what NOT to react to. We can support this process, and the innate wisdom of our cells to balance themselves. Lightening the load for the body on what has to be processed is another way to support our immune system. This would mean reducing the causes of inflammation going in.
Tissue damage and inflammation can be triggered by many things, one way is via our diet, for example sugar. Consuming excess added sugar and refined carbohydrates causes several changes in the body, which help explain why a diet high in sugar can lead to chronic, low-grade inflammation.
If the natural inflammatory response is suppressed with medication, this can have the effect of ‘stomping on the warning light’ and not addressing the underlying cause, thus creating a chronic inflammatory cycle.
