Excessive inflammation linked to rapid and severe bone loss, according to study

One day, you’re walking in the park without a care in the world. The next day, you’re bound to your chair and unable to walk because of swollen feet and ankles – all because of joint inflammation.

The results of a recent study, however, do not just limit the effects of inflammation to immobilizing a person. The study, published in the Journal of Dental Research, indicated that too much swelling destroys bones. The University of Buffalo research team explained that the absence of the protein tristetraprolin (TTP), which controls inflammation, makes even healthy mice develop the bones of its much older counterparts. In the span of nine months, mice without TTP lost almost 20 percent of their oral bone.

In the same study, researchers revealed that mice without the gene for TIP aged faster than the rest. They had periodontitis, an inflammatory illness that damages gums, destroys the jaw bone and even causes tooth loss. The mice also had arthritis, eczema and other inflammatory problems.

Beating inflammation

So, how do you beat this enemy called chronic inflammation before it destroys your bones forever?

• Drink more water. Without this cleansing agent, your body can’t flush toxins out of its system. Your ever-alert immune system triggers an inflammatory response. Besides, water is always available and a lot cheaper than soda.
• Prepare food properly. Soak nuts and seeds before eating to take out anti-nutrients. Cruciferous vegetables usually fight inflammation. But they can stress out your digestive system if not properly cooked. Simmer, saute, bake, or steam these greens to get the most out of it.
• Stay away from potential allergens. Avoid food that brings you allergies because they can cause inflammation.
• Relax. Don’t stress yourself out at home, at work or in school.  Stress raises the level of cortisol, which in turn leads to inflammation.
• Get your daily fix of clean air. Shun toxins like polluted air, radiation, strong chemicals, nicotine and others that cause inflammation.
• Slow down on sugar. High sugar levels rev up the immune system and cause inflammation. So stay away from sugary drinks, pastries, candy and others that are rich in inflammation-causing sugar.
• Stay away from processed foods. Too many chemicals from processed foods put stress on your detoxification system. Replace them with fruits rich in antioxidants like apples, blueberries, cherries, pineapple, raspberries, and strawberries.
• Get rid of trans fats in your diet. French fries, fried, fatty foods, cake, crackers, cookies, pies, and others that contain lots of trans fats do nothing good for your body.
• Take more omega-3. Add more omega-3-rich foods to your diet, such as salmon, walnuts, sardines, chia seeds, mackerel, flaxseeds and other natural sources that fight inflammation.
• Avoid barbecues. Yes, they’re great for sharing with friends and family, especially on a warm summer day, but burnt, blackened foods cause inflammation.

Fight inflammation and save your bones before it’s too late. It will not only make you enjoy the great outdoors and other fun activities even more, but it will also delay the aging process and help you keep up with others younger than you.

Sources include:

ScienceDaily.com

Healthline.com

SuperLife.com