Get A Grip On Arthritis
and other inflammatory disorders
The Inflammation Connection
Arthritis, gingivitis, heart disease and psoriasis are conditions that affect very different parts of the body, yet they all have something in common: inflammation. What's more, inflammation is now thought to play a role in dozens of other conditions, from allergies, asthma, bowel disease and autoimmune disorders like lupus to macular degeneration and memory loss.
Inflammation in Action
Inflammation is your immune system's first reaction against infection, and it is a very effective one. When a thorn cuts through the skin on your finger, damaging tissue and allowing invaders like bacteria into your body, your immune system goes to work immediately, sending out many different types of specialized cells, each with their own action. Mast cells - specialized immune cells - release histamine, along with other immune messengers known as cytokines, to alert your body to the problem. Histamine increases blood flow to the injured area, promoting redness and swelling. Macrophages (meaning "large eating cells"), found predominantly in connective tissue and the epidermis of the skin, then enter the fray; they also secrete immune messengers, destroy the bacteria and clean up damaged cells. Other immune cells travel to the area, intensifying the battle, and as the area is cleared, more cells arrive to begin the healing process.
The injured area often becomes hot, red, swollen and painful. The heat is produced by the increased blood flow to the injured area. Redness occurs because the battle and repair processes are underway. And the area usually becomes swollen because of all the fluid and immune cells at the site. Pain is often the first indicator of inflammation. It makes you to take notice and stop moving the affected area to prevent further injury. Think about your last sunburn: how your skin was hot to the touch, swollen and painful. Think about how your gums became inflamed when you flossed too aggressively. Or think about your body's response to an insect bite - these are all signs of inflammation that you can see.
Inflammation is an effective way of ensuring that invaders do not enter your body and create havoc, but when it becomes low-grade and chronic, your immune system's army stays revved up and damages healthy tissues in the crossfire. Scientists are realizing that this life-saving process, designed to ward off bacteria, viruses and parasites, creates disease when it's left unchecked. It leads to the painful and damaging inflammation that attacks joints, organs or arteries. Get a Grip on Arthritis and Other Inflammatory Disorders will help you find natural relief from the inflammatory process that is causing the pain and destruction associated with so many common diseases and help reverse that damage.
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