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THE
LIFE
JOURNEY:
STEP
FIVE
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The
Anti-Inflammatory Page
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IMPORTANT, BEFORE CONTINUING:
Please click this link to go to the page bottom links and read the
TERMS OF USE
Personal Note From the Owner
In this day and age, with all the law suit crazy people in this world, we here at TWJ must needs put the above information in it′s place for everyone′s protection.
Yes, it has become a sad state of affairs when doing such becomes not only necessary but also the norm.
Too, you will see the above Important, Before Continuing information repeated on each and every page where we are endeavoring to provide help to our neighbors.
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All information provided by this website within the Appendix Passage, especially in this section called A Wayƒarer′s Quill Strokes is free for any and all to access.
This means that in exchange for providing the information presented here in The Quill Strokes (and/or elsewhere within The Appendix Passage), this website will never ask for a membership fee, nor a purchase price, nor barrage the readers constantly with the requests for donations.
Furthermore, this website′s readers will never find any of the pages on this website cluttered with commercial advertisement, because this website is maintained commercial free, with the goal of benefiting the common good for mankind.
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The Life Journey Step Five,
Anti-Inflammatory
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Anti-inflammatory refers to the property of a substance that reduces inflammation.
There are several ways that we may acquire anti-inflammatory products which include through
(1) drugs,
(2) foods, and
(3) supplements.
These three ways are the topic of the next three section. However, first will be discussed the how the body uses inflammation and then what happens when the process goes astray.
The prostaglandins (PG) are a group of hormone-like lipids, some of which are manufactured at sites of tissue damage or infection for the sole purpose of causing inflammation, albeit, as part of the healing process.
High levels of PG are produced in response to injury or infection and cause inflammation, which is associated with the symptoms of fever, pain, redness and swelling; all of which are important parts of the body′s normal healing process.
In regards to inflammation, different types of PG are known to both cause inflammation and to decrease inflammation in the body.
The type of prostaglandin that promotes inflammation is called thromboxane, while another type called prostacyclin is an anti-inflammatory prostaglandins which the body uses to turn off the inflammation at the right time.
Too Much Prostaglandins
However, this natural response of the body can sometimes be triggered into excessive production of inflammation promoting PG, resulting in chronic, systemic and ultimately unwanted inflammation, which thereafter will contribute to a wide variety of diseases.
This chronic production is often turned on with the eating of foods containing components that are known to trigger PG production and the resulting inflammation. To read more about this, go to
Chronic Inflammation
Triggers in are compounds, mostly in foods, that cause the production of the inflammation causing thromboxane prostaglandin in the body.
Many foods have these triggers which can be found in all beans,
whole grains, legumes, peanuts and even some vegetables. These components are the recently discovered anti-nutrients which are plant compounds that reduce or prevent entirely the body′s ability to absorb essential nutrients from the food.
The list of antinutrients includes: amines, chaconine, glucosides, gluten, isoflavaones, lectins, lignins, non-protein amino acids, oxalates, phytic acid (phytate), salicylates, saponins, solanine, tannins, and trypsin inhibitors.
How to Lower the PG Level
There are different approaches to lower the inflammation causing PG. Three in particular we will look at on this page are Drugs, Foods and Supplements.
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The Life Journey Step Five, Anti-Inflammatory:
Drugs
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Anti-inflammatory Drugs
Anti-inflammatory drugs make up about half of the analgesics. Anti-inflammatory drugs remedy pain by reducing inflammation as opposed to opioid drugs, which affect the central nervous system to block pain signaling to the brain.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, (NSAID), alleviate pain by counteracting the cyclooxygenase (COX) enzyme. On its own, COX enzyme synthesizes prostaglandins, creating inflammation. In whole, the NSAIDs prevent the prostaglandins from ever being synthesized, reducing or eliminating the pain.
The most common NSAIDs are aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen.
Side effects of NSAIDs are gastric erosions, which can become stomach ulcers and in extreme cases can cause severe hemorrhage, resulting in death.
While the medications that you can take will lower your PG levels (for example, the NSAID aspirin), it should not be done too frequently because most drug are accompanied with side effects, which in many cases are worse than the symptoms.
Almost in all cases, it would be better to lower them naturally by changing your diet by eating specific foods that have inflammation lowering compounds, avoiding other foods containing triggers and even taking supplements.
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The Life Journey Step Five, Anti-Inflammatory:
Foods
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Incorporate Anti-inflammatory Foods in your Diet
An anti-inflammatory diet includes fewer foods that create inflammation-causing thromboxane prostaglandins (PGE2) in the body, and more foods that create anti-inflammatory prostacyclin prostaglandins (PGE1 and PGE3).
Anti-inflammatory foods include most colorful fruits and vegetables, oily fish (which contain higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids), nuts, seeds, and certain spices, such as cayenne, garlic, ginger, and turmeric.
The Short List of Anti-Inflammatory Foods
Extra-virgin olive oil has oleocanthal, a chemical that acts similarly to ibuprofen.
Garlic and onion both contain allicin, an active ingredient that works like anti-inflammatory medication blocking PG production. In addition, these foods have been shown to display antimicrobial, anti-tumor, anti-thrombotic and anti-arthritic properties. Include both garlic and onion in every meal, either fresh or powdered.
Ginger displays anti-ulcer, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Add ginger to your meals daily, using ginger in curries, marinades, sauces and stir-fries. Steep ginger in hot water to make ginger tea.
Green tea will lower PG levels in your body. The polyphenols in green tea have antioxidant properties that reduce damage to cells caused from free radicals.
Mangosteens are a tropical fruit, native to Thailand and used medicinally for years. Studies have shown that this fruit inhibits the production of inflammation causing PG.
Pineapple, the only food source that contains an enzyme known as bromelain. This enzyme has been shown to reduce levels of PG by inhibiting PG production.
Pomegranates are a tasty fruit filled with tiny edible seeds having a high concentration of phytochemicals, which have been shown to lower the levels of PG.
Tomatoes contain high amounts of a carotenoid called lycopene. This is an antioxidant known for preventing prostate cancer, cardiovascular disease and reducing inflammation. However, tomatoes are high in lectin so it is better to limit the amount of tomatoes eaten.
Turmeric (curcuma longa) is most common known as an ingredient in curry powder. It contains a compound called curcumin, which has been shown to inhibit the production of PG. In addition, turmeric has been shown to reduce pain and inflammation related to osteoarthritis. Use turmeric in scrambled eggs, roasted vegetable, rice dishes, even blend into a smoothie. Simmer turmeric root in boiling water for five minutes, strain and drink the tea several times a day.
A complete list of the best foods for lowering the PG level and other foods good for an anti-inflammatory diet, go to
Living Food section of the Appendix Passage.
Change Your Lifestyle
1. If you have a personal physician, speak with your doctor prior to making any dietary changes, especially if you are seeking to manage or treat a health condition.
2. Write a meal plan that will in each meal, incorporate a variety of anti-inflammatory food found in the Living Food list above. Choose a variety to include over your entire week.
3. Try new recipes which include many of the anti-inflammatory spices: garlic, ginger, onion, and turmeric.
4. Check the recipes in the
Cook Pot section on this site.
5.
Download the printable files that show the Living Foods and Foods to avoid and refer to them often.
Avoid Food that Cause Inflammation
If one wishes to following an anti-inflammatory diet regimen, besides choosing the above anti-inflammatory food in meal choices, it is critically important to avoid as much as possible, all the foods that cause inflammation.
For a list of those foods which cause inflammation, go to
Foods To Avoid page of the Quill Stroke.
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The Life Journey Step Five, Anti-Inflammatory:
Supplements
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Anti-inflammatory Supplements
The following health supplements are reported to have anti-inflammatory. If the supplement has a blue link, click on the link for additional beneficial qualities:
Black seed oil
(Nigella sativa) has shown anti-inflammatory effect due to its high thymoquinone content. Black seed oil is emerging as one of the best antifungal compound against dermatophytes, mold and yeast. Benefits include cancer prevention and treatment, liver health, prevent both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, aid in weight loss, restore hair loss, heal skin disorders, and kill MRSA infections.
Bromelain
from pineapples (Ananas comosus) is used to reduce swelling, especially on the nose and sinuses. Bromelain helps digestive disorders, decreases joint pain, supports weight loss and fights allergies and asthma. Bromelain is a protein digesting enzyme which is composed of several endopeptidases and compounds like phosphatase, glucosidase, peroxidase, cellulase, escharase and protease inhibitors.
Cannabichromene,
a cannabinoid, also has anti-inflammatory effect. However, the plant, cannabis is also psychoactive, a drug which can cross the blood-brain barrier. This means these substances can act on the brain and alter the way we think. To an extent, cannabis and it′s main ingredient THC are hallucinogenic because it can distort a user′s sense of time, spatial distance, and cognition.
1
Curcumin
is extracted from turmeric root has powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which may offer protection against certain cancers, treat arthritis, benefit those with inflammatory bowel disease, reduce blood sugar, and help prevent Alzheimer′s disease.
Honokiol
from Magnolia inhibits platelet aggregation, and works as an inverse agonist at the CB2 receptor. Because of its diverse range of actions, honokiol has become an important integrative adjunct in the treatment of cancer, chronic inflammation, anxiety and much more.
St. John′s wort
(hypericum perforatum) chief constituent, hyperforin, has been found to be a potent COX-1 and 5-LO inhibitor, with an anti-inflammatory effect several times that of aspirin.
We hope to soon include more anti-inflammatory supplements on site.
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Thank you for visiting
The Wayƒarers Journal.
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See Ya above the Treeline!
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This Page Last Updated: 31 January 2025
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