Acute inflammation is a normal response to trauma. Chronic inflammation, which so many people have, is abnormal. Inflammation is probably the number one common denominator that involves so many health issues. Think about it - inflammation is a reason for a lot of pain; sometimes it is the only reason. Inflammation occurs when there is trauma (normal swelling), a functional illness (digestive trouble), or a pathological illness (tumor). But how quickly to you "recover" from an injury? Does the swelling seem to take forever to go away - or has it never gone away? Dealing with inflammation is so very important, yet everyday we promote inflammation with the foods we eat and the way we live.

Foods such as ginger, turmeric, citrus peel, garlic, and onion have powerful anti-inflammatory effects. Certain digestive enzymes, such as protease and bromelin, when taken on an empty stomach, can help fight inflammation too.

The high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) is an accurate blood test to check for inflammation. Normal ranges should be under 1.0mg/dl. Levels over 3.0 indicate a significant amount of inflammation. Consider having yours checked at your next physical.

From here, head to the section on hydrogenated fats under Health Topics. Fatty acid metabolism is your best friend when dealing with inflammation. After that, go to the Athletes section and learn about exercising aerobically. There are also two good "Inflammation Information" articles that I wrote in the Articles section of this site. The articles will expalin why trans fats are so bad for you and why NSAIDs many times only make inflammation worse. You can also read more about inflammation and how to take steps in defeating it in my e-newsletter by clicking here.