Inflammation and Your Health

Bottom Line:

 Researchers have identified inflammation as one of the most beneficial and harmful processes in your body. How is that possible? Well, acute inflammation is your body’s natural repair and healing response to an accident or injury. However, chronic inflammation is a different matter. Many major diseases, including coronary artery disease, diabetes, and cancer, have a common cause: chronic inflammation. 

Why it Matters:

 All the systems in your body are balanced and regulated by your hormones and nervous system. This balance, or intelligent design, can activate your immune system to fight a cold or heal after a fall.  However, if your lymphocytes keep producing antibodies, then this process can become very destructive. The key to good health and to reducing chronic inflammation is to make daily lifestyle choices that don't result in a constant state of stress, which is known to be a trigger for chronic inflammation.

•       Acute inflammation is your body’s natural healing process, while chronic inflammation is a destructive process linked to many chronic diseases.

•       Lymphocytes are white blood cells responsible for your immune system.

•       Making healthy decisions each day around your stress level can help your nervous system maintain a balance that reduces chronic inflammation.

Next Steps:

 The decisions you make now will determine your health later. Your body is designed to manage stress effectively; chronic inflammation only begins as the last resort. We want you to enjoy a healthy lifestyle and a high quality of life for decades to come. If you have questions about how you can reduce the stress in your life, ask! We are here to be your partners in health!

Science Source(s):

 Inflammation: A unifying theory of disease. Harvard Health. 2006.

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Dr. Ryno Tope is a Doctor of Chiropractic, a member of the New Zealand Chiropractic Association, and owner of Structural Chiropractic in Hastings, Hawke’s Bay. Dr. Tope focuses on an area of chiropractic called Structural Correction and has been in practice for 6 years. You can reach Dr. Tope at drryno@structuralchiro.co.nz or 06•651•1004. You can also follow the Structural Chiropractic Facebook page (www.facebook.com/StructuralChiropracticHB).

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Our modern diet and lifestyle have been linked to a variety of digestive issues. The overall health of your digestive system is closely tied to the food you eat, the exercise you get, and your overall stress levels. 

The Link Between Chronic Disease and Inflammation

Bottom Line:

Studies have shown that chronic inflammation is directly linked to many of the most common chronic diseases we encounter in our lives. Over 60% of people are affected with at least one condition associated with chronic inflammation. The number of people with heart disease, obesity, diabetes and cancer continues to soar as a result of the stress and dysfunction caused by chronic inflammation.

Why it Matters:

 The process of chronic inflammation begins with your body doing the right thing. Hormones are released due to injury, stress or your diet which causes your immune system to react. If the injury doesn't heal, the stress doesn't end or the diet doesn't change, this normally healthy process can turn into chronic inflammation and disease. If your immune system doesn't "turn off," a vicious cycle of tissue damage can lead to long term inflammation & future health issues.

•       Chronic inflammation results in an imbalanced immune response, which can lead to chronic disease.

•       When inflammatory mediators are overproduced, it can lead to tissue damage.

•       Taking a pro-active approach to your health now can lower your risk for developing chronic disease later.

Next Steps:

 A few of the most common risk factors associated with chronic inflammation include age, obesity, diet, smoking, hormone imbalances and sleep disorders. While age is something you can't control, nearly all the other risk factors can be altered with your daily habits. Be sure to attend our upcoming workshop - Don't Burn Out: The Truth About Inflammation - to get practical tips on how to reduce or eliminate chronic inflammation!

Science Source(s):

Chronic Inflammation. StatPearls. Pubmed. 2018.

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Dr. Ryno Tope is a Doctor of Chiropractic, a member of the New Zealand Chiropractic Association, and owner of Structural Chiropractic in Hastings, Hawke’s Bay. Dr. Tope focuses on an area of chiropractic called Structural Correction and has been in practice for 6 years. You can reach Dr. Tope at drryno@structuralchiro.co.nz or 06•651•1004. You can also follow the Structural Chiropractic Facebook page (www.facebook.com/StructuralChiropracticHB).

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Our modern diet and lifestyle have been linked to a variety of digestive issues. The overall health of your digestive system is closely tied to the food you eat, the exercise you get, and your overall stress levels. 

What is Inflammation?

Bottom Line:

If you've ever cut your finger or twisted your ankle, then you have first-hand experience with inflammation. The redness, swelling, pain and heat are all hallmarks of the inflammatory process. In some ways, this is the first step of the healing process as your body begins to repair the injured tissue. However, there is another side to inflammation that can be extremely damaging to your overall health…chronic inflammation.

Why it Matters:

Chronic inflammation occurs when the body is unable to complete the healing process. Your immune system may continue to produce white blood cells that create oxidative stress for months or even years. This long-term stress, or chronic inflammation, has been linked to diseases such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Some of the risk factors for developing chronic inflammation include smoking, obesity, poor diet, stress and sleep disorders.

·       Chronic inflammation is a long-term inflammation that can last for months or years.

·       Diseases such as diabetes, cancer and heart disease have been linked to chronic inflammation.

·       Reducing stress through exercise & diet can help reduce chronic inflammation and create a healthier you.

Next Steps:

You can reduce or eliminate chronic inflammation naturally with a few simple steps. Researchers have discovered that daily exercise and weight loss can cause a dramatic reduction in chronic inflammation. Additionally, reducing the stress on your muscles and joints through Chiropractic care may provide additional benefits on your way to curbing chronic inflammation.

Science Source:

 Understanding Inflammation. Harvard Health Publishing. 2019

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Dr. Ryno Tope is a Doctor of Chiropractic, a member of the New Zealand Chiropractic Association, and owner of Structural Chiropractic in Hastings, Hawke’s Bay. Dr. Tope focuses on an area of chiropractic called Structural Correction and has been in practice for 6 years. You can reach Dr. Tope at drryno@structuralchiro.co.nz or 06•651•1004. You can also follow the Structural Chiropractic Facebook page (www.facebook.com/StructuralChiropracticHB).

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Our modern diet and lifestyle have been linked to a variety of digestive issues. The overall health of your digestive system is closely tied to the food you eat, the exercise you get, and your overall stress levels. 

Feel and Function Better with Chiropractic Care

Bottom Line:

The first thought many people have when suffering with back or neck pain is “Better go to the Chiropractor,” because, as research shows, Chiropractic adjustments are one of the best ways to relieve that pain. However, research has also shown us that those same adjustments may be able to do much more – namely, positively impact your immune system and help it function at a higher level.

Why it Matters:

Relaxation of neck tension after an adjustment is common, which leads many to feel less stressed overall. That matters because when your stress response is lowered, your immune system can better fight off sickness. Here’s why…

-       Inflammation, the normal response of a compromised immune system, can increase sympathetic nerve activity.

-       Your sympathetic nervous system is responsible for your stress (fight or flight) response.

-       When your sympathetic nervous system is activated, it inhibits your immune system, meaning you aren’t able to rest and recover very well.

Next Steps:

Less pain. Less stress. Better overall function. So many of our patients tell us that since the start of their care, they get sick less often. If you know someone who seems to get sick quite often, share this information with them. It may be their first step towards a healthier immune system!

Science Source: Enhanced phagocytic cell respiratory burst induced by spinal manipulation: potential role of substance P. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. September 1991 | Spinal Manipulative Therapy Reduces Inflammatory Cytokines but Not Substance P Production in Normal Subjects. January 2006 | Interleukin 2-regulated in vitro antibody production following a single spinal manipulative treatment in normal subjects. Chiropractic & Osteopathy. September 2010 | Glucose Metabolic Changes in the Brain and Muscles of Patients with Nonspecific Neck Pain Treated by Spinal Manipulation Therapy. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2017

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Dr. Ryno Tope is a Doctor of Chiropractic, a member of the New Zealand Chiropractic Association, and owner of Structural Chiropractic in Hastings and Havelock North, Hawke’s Bay. Dr. Tope focuses on an area of chiropractic called Structural Correction and has been in practice for 10 years. You can reach Dr. Tope at drryno@structuralchiro.co.nz or 06•651•1004. You can also follow the Structural Chiropractic Facebook page (www.facebook.com/StructuralChiropracticHB).

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