A decade ago, and things were beginning to shift with a greater general awareness, and now in the 2020’s it is commonly understood that inappropriate INFLAMMATION is the underlying cause of a majority of all degenerative diseases from heart disease and cancer to arthritis and neurological diseases such as parkinson’s disease and dementia.
Inflammation is the epigenetic factor (Epigenetic changes are modifications to DNA that regulate whether genes are turned on or off) that activates the genes that dispose us to these conditions, and it has many different sources.
However, a significant source is generated by changes in our gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and how effectively our liver handles everyday metabolic, endogenous and exogenous toxins. The food we eat impacts our GIT microbiota (the bacterial and other microbial residents within our gut) and microbiome (the collective genomes of the microbes (composed of bacteria, bacteriophage, fungi, protozoa and viruses) that live inside and on the human body).
The further away we move from a diverse wholefood diet and the closer we move to a narrow, processed food (PF) or ultra-processed food (UPF) diet, the more we are likely to promote inappropriate inflammation from within the GIT. This will magnify any risk and disposition we may have to the common killers of heart disease, stroke, cancer, dementia and auto-immune diseases that are so ubiquitous and progressive.
In other words, a UPF diet increases the risk of diet-related inflammation generated non-communicable diseases (NCDs)
Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), also known as chronic diseases, tend to be of long duration and are the result of a combination of genetic, physiological, environmental and behavioural factors
In a 2018 study of nineteen European countries’ consumption of UPFs per household, the UK was top of the table at a whopping 50.4%, with each percentage point increase in the household availability of UPFs resulting in an increase of 0.25 percentage point in obesity prevalence.
The inevitability of excessive inflammation either directly from UPFs or from the consequences of inflammation needs to be addressed. The first obvious step is to omit all UPFs and as much processed foods as possible and revert to a wholefood diet. The focus needs to be on good quality, organic, pasture fed animal protein, whole fresh and organic vegetables and a moderate to small portion of carbohydrates preferably from wholefood sources such as sweet potato, quinoa, buckwheat or rice.
The next step is to select a food supplement that can provide therapeutic anti-inflammatory actions. It can be very challenging to achieve this even with an optimal diet and it is very helpful to have the required nutrients in a convenient form that helps to guarantee daily intake.
It also makes sense to call on the wisdom of traditional plant-sourced ingredients most of which have been used for thousands of years for their health benefits. KappArest (Biotics Research) is the name of my most favoured anti-inflammatory supplement.
It provides 10 plant extracts / naturally-occurring nutrients all of which have been shown in various trials and studies to reduce molecules of inflammation called cytokines and which are mediated by the ancient innate immune transcription factor found in most human cells called NF-kB (Nuclear Factor Kappa-B, hence the name of the supplement) and which is recognised as a therapeutic target of intervention in a range of inflammatory conditions.
NF-κB likely plays the most prominent role in the development and function of the immune system, oxidative stress and genotoxic injury and, not surprisingly, when dysregulated, contributes to the pathophysiology of inflammatory disease.
The 10 ingredients are the extracts of whole Curcuma Longa, which is also fully emulsified for enhanced absorption into the body, Boswellia serrata, Bee Propolis, Green Tea, Ginger (Zingiber officinalis), Rosemary (Rosemarinus officinalis), Celery seed (Apium graveolens), Phytolens (Lens esculenta) which is from lentil husk, alpha-lipoic acid and trans-resveratrol.
The mix of proven anti-inflammatory ingredients abides by one of the tenets of nutrition which is that of synergy; the sum of the whole is great than the sum of the parts
Each natural extract exerts anti-inflammatory effects on a range of inflammatory cytokines. In fact, combined for all of these plant extracts, there are tens of thousands of peer reviewed journal articles that explore, discuss and describe their potential health benefits.
Client after client has helped to show me the efficacy of this specific anti inflammation food supplement in clinical practice on a consistent basis. From simple issues such as connective tissue disorders including small joint arthritis, back ache, muscular aches and pains, to digestive disorders such as Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease, and nerve pain conditions, I have observed clients experience notable amelioration of their symptoms.
Each case is an anecdote, because they are not part of any formal trial, but when the anecdotes number in their hundreds this turns into useful and practical experiential data.
With over twenty years of experience recommending KappArest to my clients, it’s stood the test of time and long may it continue to be available for future clients.