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HowToPreventHeartDisease.com |
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Will Inflammation Lead To Heart Disease? As part of the body’s defense mechanism, inflammation is the immune system’s natural response to injury or illness. When the body detects an intruder, it launches a biological response to try to remove it. The intruder could be a foreign body, like a thorn, an irritant, or a pathogen (include bacteria, viruses). The body’s white blood cells release inflammatory chemicals into the blood and affected tissues to protect the body from foreign invaders. In other words, it plays a role in the healing process, which starts as soon as the body responds by releasing cytokines that promote inflammation. Inflammatory process is generally normal and natural, but autoimmune disorder can cause the immune system to trigger an inflammatory response when there are no foreign substances to fight off. The normally protective immune system turns against itself and starts damaging its own healthy tissues because it thinks those normal tissues are infected or abnormal. Inflammation can be acute or chronic. Short-term or acute inflammation is caused by trauma, harmful substances, or microbial invasion (bacteria and viruses). Acute inflammation tends to exhibit 5 specific symptoms (pain, redness, loss of function, swelling, and heat), usually localized. But acute inflammation does not always cause all 5 signs. A person may also feel tired, generally unwell, and have a fever. The acute inflammation process is rapid, may be severe, and occurs over a short period of time. Signs and symptoms may be present for a few days but may occur for longer in more serious causes. Inflammation can also be silent and do not cause any symptoms.
On the other hand, chronic inflammation can
continue for months or years. It is usually caused by an autoimmune disorder. It
can also be caused by low-level exposure to irritants, such as industrial
chemicals, over long periods, or failure to cure whatever caused an acute
inflammation, such as is the case with illness or infection. Numerous diseases,
including inflammatory bowel disease, periodontitis, psoriasis, Hashimoto
thyroiditis, and multiple sclerosis, are known for causing chronic inflammation.
Experts believe inflammation may lead to a wide range of chronic diseases, for examples, metabolic syndrome that includes Type-2 diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. People with these conditions often have higher levels of inflammatory markers in their bodies. Chronic inflammation plays a pivotal role in the development of atherosclerosis, the buildup of fatty, cholesterol-rich plaque inside the arteries. The body perceives this plaque as abnormal and foreign because it does not belong in a healthy blood vessel. So, it initiates an inflammatory response to contain the damage. Chemical messengers called cytokines draw white blood cells to the area to consume the cholesterol particles and to wall off the plaque from the flowing blood. But if that wall breaks down, the plaque may rupture and trigger a blood clot formation. These clots are responsible for most heart attacks and strokes. An artery to the heart that is blocked causes a heart attack, and a blocked artery in or leading to the brain causes an ischemic stroke.
If one wants to keep the heart healthy and prevent
a heart attack, he or she needs to protect the arteries from inflammation. So,
what can be done? There are a number of ways to do so. First of all, quit
smoking if one is a smoker. Smoking damages the blood vessels and promotes
atherosclerosis. Research shows that quitting smoking can cut the heart disease
risk by half. Maintaining a healthy weight is also important because being
overweight raises the risk for multiple diseases. One should note that excessive
visceral fat (a type of fat that accumulates in the belly) produces a molecule
that causes inflammation. Activity also plays a part and should be increased.
Exercising for at least 20 minutes a day can reduce inflammatory. Moderate
workouts like fast walking are effective. Last but not least, one should adopt a
heart-healthy diet. Processed and fast foods produce inflammation. Whole foods,
on the other hand, are anti-inflammatory. Hence, one should consume more fruits,
vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts and fatty fish. Date: August 14, 2020
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