Inflammation 101

Have you ever had a doctor tell you that you had inflammation?

The first few times I heard that word bandied about, I didn’t know what the doctor was talking about.

Inflammation?

What exactly did that mean?

Well, it turns out that inflammation inside your body is not much different from an inflamed wound on the outside of your body.

(Except for the fact you can’t see it).

You know how – if you cut yourself – the area around the wound becomes red and sore?

We recognize this as a sign that our body is trying to fight infection.

What’s surprising, though, is that you can have a similar kind of ‘injury’ inside your body – the equivalent of a bruise, or sore that has gone unchecked.

And just like anywhere else, your immune system kicks in and sends a bunch of fighter cells to the injured spot, to do their hard work.

Even more surprising, it turns out that 70% of your immune system is in your gut!

But because it’s inside, and you can’t see it, and you can’t necessarily feel it – you’re not at all aware that anything is wrong.

The symptoms are often subtle.

A headache, or stomachache perhaps. Fatigue, or an itchy rash.

(Truth is, it could be pretty much anything).

The thing is, in order for your body to become inflamed – something has to first trigger the immune system to react.

What kind of trigger?

Well, for starters, any food you’re either sensitive or allergic to would be a trigger.

If you have Celiac Disease or a Non-Celiac Gluten-Sensitivity that has gone unchecked, that would also be a trigger.

The exact foods that trigger inflammation differ, of course, from one person to the next.

That’s because your immune system is built to protect you – it’s what makes you unique and different from everyone else.

And no question about it, each and every one of us is unique!