When it comes to inflammation, people usually ask three things. First, what is it? Next, they want to know why is inflammation bad, and in addition, what can be done to stop it?
Inflammation is what happens when the bodies immune system reacts to a stimulus - viruses, cuts, pollutants etc. A host of white blood cells and chemicals are sent to the infected area to isolate and get rid of the problem. This often results in redness and swelling in the surrounding area. It is our first line of defense against disease and we would die without it.
Ok, so why is inflammation bad?
Have you ever heard the expression "too much of a good thing." The inflammatory response has one chief goal. Destroy the infection in the damaged tissue. If something does not tell the immune system to stop, it will keep fighting the problem even after it is gone. This means it starts attacking healthy tissue.
Put another way, a hyperactive immune system is one that is radically out of balance. Why is inflammation bad? Too much of it leads to heart, joint, visual and brain problems. If we survive all that, it also results in premature aging.
How does this happen?
First, a little background. There are two main types of omega fatty acids that keep our immune system in balance. They are the omega 3s found in fish oil, grass fed beef, leafy greens and nuts. The other set are called omega 6s. They come from vegetable oils, processed foods, fast foods, certain dairy products and a host of other sources.
A perfectly balanced immune system has omega 3s and omega 6s in a one to one relationship. When the body reacts to a cut and heals it, the omega 3s slow and eventually stop the process. This means that the infected area does not have millions of extra white blood cells and chemicals with no place to go. Think of a group of teenagers with too much time on their hands. Nothing good will come of this.
Reread the food sources of the omega 3s and 6s that I mentioned earlier. Most of us in the West eat a lot more processed foods and vegetable oils than fish or grass fed [not grain fed] beef. The actual ratios work out to around 15-to-1 in favor of the omega 6s.
Result - the body will use heavy artillery even if a flyswatter is all that is needed.
How do we solve this?
Change your diet as much as possible but in reality, the best way to balance the omegas is with omega 3 fish oil supplements. Consumers are grasping this, which is why the supplement market is expanding so rapidly.
The F.D.A. and others believe that around 2-3 grams per day is a good amount. Here is the problem. In amounts of this size, you do not need inferior products with ocean toxins and chemical additives in them.
The original question was why is inflammation bad? There are ingredients in mediocre fish oil that are downright scary. With some of these products the cure is worse than the disease. This is why it is important to stick with the quality companies. Look at their websites for independent lab reports [sometimes called certificates of analysis] that demonstrate both purity and freshness.
My website can provide additional information.
Author Resource:
Get my free five-part mini course on the benefits of omega 3, including critical information on why you should take omega3 fish oil .
To sign up for the course and get more tips on the importance of omega 3, visit my website: http://www.omega-3-guide.com/
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.look4articles.com/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.look4articles.com/images/rss.jpg "XML Feed For RSS")