by Dawn Siglain, ND, LAc
What is inflammation? Inflammation is the natural way that your body reacts to an injury or an infection. It is part 
of being human, and it helps us manage life. It’s important to remember that we need a healthy balance of inflammatory as well as anti-inflammatory responses going on in our bodies. However, there any many aspects of our food, environment and lives that tend to put us at risk for inflammatory states.
Let’s walk through this process. There’s external inflammation, which occurs on the outside of your body, and it’s pretty easy to see. You get a cut, it bleeds, it hurts, it gets red, and then it heals. Bravo! Inflammation working in your favor. There’s also internal inflammation, which occurs in the tissues of your body, right down to your organs. This is the inflammation that I want to bring to your attention. Just because you can’t see this type of inflammation doesn’t mean it’s not there—because it could be. If you are one of the many affected, it robs you of your health. The good news is that it is reversible and you can restore your own health.
The sooner you catch the issue of inflammation, the better off you are. Any day is a good day to make a positive change. So remember, it’s never too late!
Here are some of the warning signs:
- Fatigue
- Pain
- Feeling of heat
- Swelling
- Poor circulation in your extremities
Is everyone susceptible to inflammation? Living in this day and age, we can all fall victim to an inflammatory condition. I say this because of poor food quality and toxins flooding our environment from the air we breathe to the water we drink. Chronic inflammation is one of those issues that creeps up slowly and can vary from one individual to the next. Inflammation is a way of warning us that there is something that we are doing in our lives that is causing an inflammatory state. Chronic inflammation is in fact the root cause of disease. By tackling the inflammation, you can ward off a disease that may be lurking in your body just waiting to cause havoc. Go to a doctor you trust and get some testing done.
Chronic inflammation is a state of health that needs our attention right now. There are things you can do every day to help ward off inflammatory states. Eating healthy, exercising, meditating, laughing and mild detoxing daily are some ways to fight the battle against inflammation. Find a naturopathic doctor in your area and make an appointment today to reach your optimal state of wellness!
Source: Dr. Dawn Siglain, a naturopathic doctor, licensed acupuncturist and reiki practitioner at Inner Source Health, in Huntington. She utilizes both Western and Eastern medicine, including talk therapy, botanical medicine, homeopathy, nutritional supplementation, cupping and trigger point therapy. For more information, call 631-421-1848 or visit InnerSourceHealth.com.
