INFLAMMATION - SYSTEMIC (CHRONIC)

Systemic inflammation can wreak havoc in any part of your body.  Dr. Floyd Chilton of Wake Forest Baptist Health School of Medicine in North Carolina says, and I quote here, "If the haywire inflammatory process happens in the heart, you wind up with heart disease; if it happens in the joints, it's arthritis; in the brain, it might be dementia."  Widespread inflammation can be a symptom of lupus, an autoimmune, chronic inflammatory condition.  It is also widely believed by the medical community that chronic inflammation plays a significant role (either as a cause or effect) in many diseases such as type 2 diabetes, arthritis, Chron's disease, heart disease, cancer, and stroke.  The last three are America's top 3 killers.

It is recommended that we drink green tea daily.  Green tea is full of potent antioxidants that help stop inflammation.  If you suffer from arthritis, as an example, would you believe something as simple as a few cups of green tea daily could help you battle the disease?  That is a fairly inexpensive and simple medicine!

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PRODUCE FOR FIBROMYALGIA PAIN

I have lived with chronic pain most of my life.  I have several auto-immune diseases that cause this pain.  This started when I was in high school and has stayed with me all these years.  I have a prescription for pain medication that I do take occasionally but have found a lot of pain can be controlled by other measures.  Some types of exercise, ibuprofen, analgesic rubs, massage, etc all work well.  Another thing is diet.  While there is little scientific proof that diet can control pain, I believe it can.  I would suggest to anyone dealing with pain, especially fibromyalgia sufferers of which I am one, that they eat as many fruits and vegetables as possible.  Personally I do not care much for meat so that is an easy one for me.  If you are a carnivore, start to gradually replace a little of the meat you eat on a daily basis with some fruit and vegetables.  I am not talking about eating a steak that weighs a few ounces less and adding a few more french fries.  I am talking about real fruits and veggies!  Eat them raw when possible and cooking lightly by steaming or cooking just until tender.

Did you know that oxidative stess which is a cell-damaging process that takes place in the body- is usually higher in the bodies of people with fibromyalgia (a disease whose major indicator is pain) therefore it is thought to be a major contributor in the development of the illness.  Fruits and vegetables are loaded with antioxidants therefore doesn't it seem like a good idea to increase the fruits and vegetables in your diet if you suffer from fibromyalgia?  Give it a try and see what results you get.  And remember, food does not work like drugs.  You cannot expect results the same day you make a dietary change.  It can take weeks, even months, but it can be worth it to feel better!