the american lifestyleis chronically activated, it leads to a continued release of chemical
compounds by the body originally meant to be of short duration
that can cause chronic tissue damage and the aforementioned dis-
eases.^19 Excess calories, chronically high blood sugars, low nutri-
ent-dense diets, overweight conditions, and sedentary lifestyles all
increase inflammation. We need to reverse these conditions on a
daily basis to reverse or slow chronic disease problems. We need
to create an anti-inflammatory lifestyle.^20
Key components of an anti-inflammatory lifestyle, which we
will discuss in detail in the “How To” of the TRIAD Wellness Pro-
gram, are:
- Eating whole unprocessed foods, especially plant foods, with
or without small amounts of foods from animal origin - Eating lots of nutrient-dense unprocessed plant foods
- Avoiding foods to which we are sensitive
- Controlling blood sugar (and insulin)—eating low glycemic
foods - Staying lean
- Getting daily physical activity
- Reducing and/or blending with chronic stress
The Bottom Line
Chronic inflammatory diseases plague Western industrialized
societies and are now becoming prevalent in developing coun-
tries, straining economies and workforces and taxing the health-
care budgets of the world community.^21 Food is the major cause
of inflammation. Chronic inflammation causes chronic diseases.
Change the types of foods you eat and you can reverse inflam-
mation and chronic diseases individually, locally, nationally, and
worldwide. When I collectively look at medical studies, success-
fully aging cultures, and years of experiencing diseases improved
by diet change, it is easy for me to say that “food is the most power-
ful medicine there is!” Two other important causes of inflammation