history who have worked with foods, herbs, teas and
other natural remedies to assist the body’s own healing
energy.
Beginning in the 1970s investigators began explor-
ing physiological mechanisms of fever, weight loss,
and acute phase responses to acute and chronic infec-
tion. Research results from these studies began to
change the mainstream attitudes about disease patho-
genesis. Accumulating evidence linked proteins, pro-
duced by macrophages and other immune cells, not
pathogens, as formerly believed, to the cause of tissue
damage and disease syndromes in experimental ani-
mals. Thus the medical profession began looking into
original treatments for chronic diseases. Then in the
1980s, research showed that proteins, newly named
cytokines, and hormone-like substances, named pros-
taglandins and leukotrienes, revealed that they pos-
sessed pleiotropic biological activities that were either
beneficial or injurious to the bodies’ tissues.
From this research emerged the cytokine theory of
disease. The concept that cytokines produced by the
immune system, can cause the signs, symptoms, and
damaging after effects of chronic diseases. Change did
not occur until the measurement of C-reactiveprotein
(CRP), a marker of inflammation circulating in the
blood, was proposed as a method to identify persons
at risk of chronic diseases. As pioneering research
began to show that higher levels of C-reactive protein
was linked to heart disease, conventional thought
among the medical profession began. Originally dis-
covered by W. S. Tillett and T. Francis Jr. in 1930,
C-reactive protein was discovered as a substance
in the serum of patients diagnosed with acute inflam-
mation that reacted with the C-polysaccharide of
pneumoccocus.
Today, a growing consensus among medical pro-
fessionals is that inflammation is believed to play a
role in the pathogenesis of chronic diseases such as
heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and coloncancerto
name a few. Mainstream thinking is beginning to
accept that treating the underlying cause may amelio-
rate cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome,hyper-
tension, diabetes, andhyperlipidemia, inflammation
caused by visceral adipose tissue.
Description
Inflammation
Inflammation is a localized reaction of tissue to
injury, whether caused by bacteria or viral infection,
trauma, chemicals, heat or other phenomenon that
causes irritation. The ‘irritation’ causes the tissues
within the body to release multiple substances that
cause changes within the tissues. This complex
response is called inflammation. Inflammation is char-
acterized by such symptoms that include (1) vasodila-
tation of the local blood vessels resulting in excess
local blood flow, (2) increases in the permeability of
the capillaries with leakage of large quantities of fluid
into the interstitial spaces, (3) May include clotting of
the fluid in the interstitial spaces due to excess
amounts of fibrinogen and other proteins leaking
from the capillaries, (4) relocation of granulocytes
and monocytes into the tissue in large quantities,
thus (5) swelling of the tissue cells.
The common substances released from the tissues
that result in inflammation are histamine, bradykinin,
serotonin, prostaglandins, multiple hormonal substan-
ces called lymphokines that are released by sensitized
T-cells and various other reaction products of other
systems within the body. Many of these substances
activate the macrophage system, which are sent out
to dispose of the damaged tissue but also which further
injure the still-living tissue and cells.Conditions with chronic inflammation
Inflammation has been associated as a component
of, but not limited to, arthritis, heart disease, diabetes,
strokes, asthma, allergies, irritable bowel disease,Cel-
iac diseaseor other digestive system diseases,obesity,
chronic stress, sleep disorders such as sleep apnea,KEY TERMS
Inflammation:—Swelling, redness, heat, and pain
produced in an area of the body as a reaction to
injury or infection.
Chronic disease:—an illness or medical condition
that lasts over a long period of time and sometimes
causes a long-term change in the body.
C-reactive protein (CRP):—a marker of inflamma-
tion circulating in the blood has been proposed as a
method to identify persons at risk of these diseases.
Flavonoid:—refers to compounds found in fruits,
vegetables, and certain beverages that have diverse
beneficial biochemical and antioxidant effects.
Anti-oxidant:—A chemical compound or sub-
stance that inhibits oxidation. A substance, such
as vitamin E, vitamin C, or beta-carotene.Anti-inflammatory diets