The Challenges That Inflammation Cause
Hello Again, and Welcome to Another Blog!
I hope you’ve enjoyed the previous blogs concerning inflammation, co-morbidities, and the COVID-19 virus. I’ve had a lot of positive feedback which is exciting!
For the past 15 years or so we have been discussing with our patients the importance of reducing inflammation and the deflammatory lifestyle. One’s inflammatory levels and their immune systems’ ability to respond appropriately is the key to good health and longevity. It’s really that simple. The doctors and staff of Paragon Chiropractic are always happy to talk with you about ways to deflame and achieve an appropriate immune response.
If one were to read through all the scientific research on not only COVID-19, but all diseases, and disorders (not the fear, nonsense, and hysteria), one would see that a body that is NOT under inflammatory stress, a body that responds appropriately to insulin (sugar and grains are major inflammatory foods) and whose immune system is right there to do its bit AND THEN SHUT OFF…, these are the people who have the best chance at a healthy and long life- regardless of what bugs are out there or coming down the pike!
This being said, I thought I might talk about an idea or a concept that might make some sense to you.
Recent health studies have come to the conclusion that if you have a body, you are an athlete. Interesting thought and one we can build on.
Throughout the day, a person is in training- much like an athlete. And much like an athlete, one’s body adapts to those forces, postures, and mechanical stresses and strains a person puts his or her body through hour after hour each day.
A person who practices a musical instrument in times develops a certain level of skill and talent for that instrument. Fingers that used to get sore have adapted and now the person can play that instrument longer and better.
Sportspeople who run or ride bicycles or train in some type of endeavor develop certain muscles, strides, and strengths to perform that endeavor.
Even the person who works out in the garden first develops blisters and in time calluses- another type of adaptation, and a blessed one. Nothing worse than blisters.
Here’s one. How about the person who sits at a computer all day and texts on a phone? That’s right, their athleticism is sitting, looking down with the thumbs going 100 mph! This is how they have trained their bodies, and those bodies have adapted so that even standing, walking, or noticing a world more than a foot in front of their faces is difficult.
With any type of athletic training, a certain amount is good, and too much is bad. Too much causes inflammation which in turn destroys the cartilage, bones, and ligaments of the affected joint(s). The pain associated with this destruction is adapted for and can develop compensatory neuro-pathways in the brain. That’s right, one trains the pain into the movement and then adapts with dysfunctional body mechanics which in time lead to more destruction and more dysfunctional adaptations. WOW!
Wow, so here we are once again with the inflammation stuff, right?
As I tell my patients almost anything a person does with their body is destructive- whether it’s participating in Triathlons, or sitting in front of the computer- it’s all destructive. BUT, this is good, because the body then builds itself back up and it adapts to the various stresses and strains- if given a chance with proper diet and rest. That’s the part most people leave out.
Now, this would be a great topic for another blog, or blogs and something that really cannot be emphasized enough- rest and time to adapt. Anything else is endless destruction, and dysfunctional neuro –pathways.
Think of walking with a sharp stone in your shoe. How many pain pills would a person take to not notice that stone? How will that person change the way he walks? How will the body adapt to those altered mechanics?
In time, even when the sharp stone isn’t there the person has a damaged liver and kidneys from the pain pills, a sore foot, and walks with a limp.
Simplest thing? Remove that stone and allow the foot to heal, and then gradually start to restore and work at the pre-stone gait.
Well, I’m going to leave off with that, and invite everyone to talk with us at Paragon Chiropractic. There is sooooooo much that we know, and sooooooo much that we can show you, and more importantly, there is sooooooo much you can do to help yourself and others to an incredible life!
Next blog, I’ll talk about what I set out to talk about in this blog!
Take Care,
Dr. Dave