Have you heard the saying, “You are what you eat”?
This statement could not be more true. Nutrition is the process of providing or obtaining the food necessary for health and growth. What we eat greatly affects the status of our health. If we consume foods grossly inadequate in the proper nutrients we need, our body will not function properly. This could cause your body to remain in a pro-inflammatory state, on the verge of causing serious health conditions, chronic pain syndromes, and poor body biomechanics.
What is Inflammation?
Inflammation is a protective response that occurs as a result of tissue injury. Inflammation serves to destroy, dilute, or wall-off the injurious agent or injured tissue. However, this response also sets into motion a cascade of events that heal and repair damaged tissue.
Unfortunately, too much inflammation causes problems instead of repairing damaged tissue. Most Americans eat a diet that favors a 12:1 (omega-6 to omega-3) ratio. This means most American diets are prone to an inflammatory state. The ideal ratio is 4:1 (omega-6 to omega-3) or less.
How Does Nutrition Help?
Proper nutrition helps reduce biochemical irritation which reduces joint restrictions. This allows our bodies to function properly and reduce pain. Inflammation is a needed process in our body, but too much can cause biochemical irritation, increased sympathetic activity, increased muscle tonicity, and finally joint restriction. Therefore eat healthy, stay active, alleviate stress, and you will live a much more enjoyable life.
