During my Mesology training, I became curious about the topic of low-grade inflammation that I had not heard of before at the time. There appeared to be a lot to find in the scientific literature on the subject. This “condition” is also described as the constipated killer. It links chronic/low grade inflammation to diseases such as alzheimer’s, cancer and heart attacks. The message is often the same; chronic inflammation may well be the cause of many, if not all ‘diseases of civilization’.
"The Silent Impact of Low-Grade Inflammation: How to Recognize Them and What Can You Do?"
During my cohorts, a patient came for consultation with recurrent inflammatory symptoms. After the intake, it turned out she had been suffering from various inflammations for some time. When this patient came my way, I started to wonder why the inflammation kept coming back to her and why some people were experiencing inflammation and others had no obvious inflammatory sign, even though it could be low-grade inflammation.
Low grade means inflammation of lower intensity in which the classic symptoms such as heat, pain, redness, swelling and functional impairment are not evident. From a historical perspective, classic inflammation is seen as the natural response to a stimulus while low-grade inflammation is a sign of persistent inflammation maintained by an overactive immune system.
This does not contribute to the healing process, but is harmful to the organism because the inflammatory mediators are directed against the body’s own tissue. Only if low-grade inflammation lasts long enough, visible tissue damage occurs. Complaints such as fatigue, pain, chronic cavity inflammation and forms of allergy can indicate low-grade inflammation. Thus, it is particularly useful to detect and resolve them.
Some causes of the development of chronic (low-grade) inflammation:
Metabolic syndrome
In metabolic syndrome (type II diabetes, obesity, hypertension), there is greatly increased inflammation/inflammation. This seems to be mainly due to metabolic active (visceral) fat.
Stress
Stress in general causes aggravation of all kinds of conditions, ranging from eczema, rheumatism, hypertension, to asthmatic bronchitis. Increased inflammatory activity probably plays a very important role in this, in addition to the hormonal effects that stress has, such as the rise of cortisol levels in the blood. With this, the body protects itself from unwanted inflammatory effects.
Food allergy
Food allergy can also be the cause of chronic low-grade inflammation. With symptoms such as; sinusitis, heartburn, fluctuating bowel movements, fatigue, smelly stools, menstrual complaints, abdominal pain, asthma or hay fever, the likelihood of having a food allergy is high.
Infections
When the immune system is not in good condition, due to stress or inadequate nutrition, for example, it sometimes cannot recover properly after an infection. As a result, the excess free radicals cannot be neutralized, causing the free radicals to attack and damage the body’s cells. The damage is noticed by the body and the body then starts another defense/repair reaction. This again creates free radicals, some of which cannot be neutralized. In this way, chronic inflammation can develop as a kind of vicious cycle.
Some things that may indicate chronic low-grade inflammation
- Slight increase in temperature
- Increase in inflammatory levels in the blood
- Vague complaints of pain
- Unexplained fatigue
Prevention of low-grade inflammation: what you can do
- Eat plenty of healthy and fresh food, preferably organic
- Eat as few artificial additives as possible
- Drink plenty of water
- Exercise daily
- Get a good night’s sleep
- Eat varied and not too much
- Do not eat products for which you have a food allergy/intolerance
- Avoid artificial sugars
- Eat fish/fish oil, monounsaturated fatty acids olive oil with some regularity
- Eat foods with a low glycemic index
- Stop smoking and be very moderate with alcohol consumption
For longer-lasting complaints, even so-called “vague” complaints, investigate where the cause may lie. Even if you cannot identify the cause so quickly, there is always a cause. The body never ‘just’ starts an inflammatory reaction. If you can’t figure it out, visit a practitioner who can provide more insight into the possible causes.
The approach should focus on preventing inflammation and restoring the balance of the immune system, allowing inflammation to be repaired by the immune system.