Is Inflammation Just a Buzz Word?

rachypeachy • Sep 19, 2017

I feel sometimes the word ‘inflammation’ gets thrown around a lot. I mean, a lot, a lot. However, with the increasing number of people being diagnosed with chronic and autoimmune diseases or even the number of people who are just struggling with indecipherable and confusing symptoms that just won’t resolve, I would have to agree that inflammation is a “thing.” In my wellness practice I would say that almost all of my clients are struggling with some kind of chronic inflammation.

So, what exactly is inflammation? Inflammation is your body’s response to injury. It is a healthy thing for your body to become inflamed when injured because it signals your immune system to heal the inflamed part and the pain is a reminder to rest so it can heal itself. Now, in a perfect world where we all ate healthy foods, exercised regularly, slept enough and didn’t experience overwhelming stress, inflammation would most definitely be a positive thing all the time. But when you consider that we are bombarded from every angle (body, mind, spirit) with constant factors that contribute to bodily injury (think toxins in food/air, hair/body products we use, alcohol/drugs we take) and combine that with lack of sleep, chronically high stress levels and generally poor eating habits, you can imagine that the level of inflammation in your body is pretty high! When you deal with multiple inflammatory triggers your body can become overwhelmed and you can develop inflammation that is actually damaging to your body.

Think of it this way – Put a rat in a maze (the rat is your immune system and the maze is your body and put a green light above the tunnel that marks the way to the end (which is great health)! Now imagine that that that rat knows that following the green light will bring it to the end of the tunnel. But then suddenly the lights start blinking green and then yellow and that rat starts getting confused. Add in a third flash of red. Between the red, green and yellow lights the rat is confused and has lost its way. It starts looking at the maze walls itself and thinks that maybe if it eats or burrows through the walls it might be able to get out. That is kind of what happens to the immune system – it starts attacking the body rather than following the specific signals because there are too many signals and it is overwhelmed!

So, you might be asking, “Why is this relevant to me?” Because the majority of people in our day and age struggling with some kind of chronic inflammatory process.

How do I know this?  Because most people I chat with answer one or more of the following questions in the affirmative:

  • Do you suffer from digestive issues such as chronic bloating, heartburn, irritable bowel or ongoing food sensitivities?
  • Do you suffer from acne, eczema, dermatitis or other chronic skin conditions?
  • Do you struggle with a diagnosed autoimmune condition?
  • Do you suffer from a diagnosed disease of any organ or body system?
  • Do you experience joint pain, tendinitis or muscle pain on a regular basis?
  • Do you take medications on a regular basis to manage a health issue?
  • Do you experience regular colds/coughs, sinus infections or flus?
  • Do you deal with chronic insomnia, low energy, poor concentration?
  • Do you feel anxious or depressed on a consistent, long-term basis?

If you answer ‘YES’ to ANY of the above questions you are most likely suffering from chronic inflammation!

Chronic inflammation is a nasty and insidious thing that can overtax your immune system and lead to the diagnosis of chronic diseases or cancer later in life.

It does not need to be like that though! With some lifestyle changes and the help of an experienced professional you can start your way to better health!

To find out how you can begin to deal with inflammation keep an eye out for my upcoming blog post.

If you suffer from chronic, complex or on-going symptoms that have not resolved in spite of lifestyle and diet changes you may need to work with a health coach or other health professional who can help you on your healing journey. 

Hiring me as your health coach has 4 advantages:
  1. As a Registered Nurse I am knowledgeable about health and disease and understand how medications affect your health. I know what our medical system has to offer people and can help empower you to advocate for yourself when visiting your GP or specialists.
  2. As a Holistic Nutritionist I know how to identify vitamin/mineral and dietary deficiencies and can provide supplement suggestions based on your individual needs. I am able to create nutritional plans that match your specific health needs, whether it be detoxification, regulating and managing hormones, reducing inflammation, healing the gut, reducing bloating, balancing blood sugar, etc.
  3. As a Homeopath I have a unique perspective of seeing how important it is to look at the whole person (mind, body, spirit) when dealing with health issues. Using this gentle, all natural medicine we can restore balance to your body and strengthen your immune system, and actually get to the root cause of your health issues.
  4. As a health practitioner in both conventional and alternative health systems I am able to identify where you will receive the maximum benefits from each system and I can help you find the answers you are looking for or provide answers that you didn’t know where even possible! Obviously, this is your health journey so it is up to you how much you engage with traditional or alternative methods.

To book a free 20 minute consultation to see how I can help you email: Rachel.vanhalteren@gmail.com

To the best you!

Rachel

Read my own story of how I used homeopathy and nutrition to treat my chronic inflammation!

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