Did you know that inflammation in your body could predispose you to health risks?

Did you know that the hormone shifts in menopause could further raise levels of inflammation?

What is inflammation?

We often think inflammation with tangible things like scraped knees. A scraped knee has obvious redness, swelling, pain and heat, right? The thing about inflammation inside your body is that it is silent but still holds the possibility of being destructive. In menopause there are changes with estrogen levels. These shifts together with existing inflammation can impact your health.

This article is intended to give you food for thought, information to make educated choices, and reconnect you to the fact that your body is made to heal. Inflammation serves the valuable purpose of fixing tissue damage; so it’s not all bad. Cellular repair is important and necessary. However ongoing inflammation, which does not resolve, is problematic. Remember you always have an opportunity to guide your body away from being more inflamed to less inflamed.

So what happens with this inner inflammation?

One way to look at this “silent” inflammation is that it is like oil build-up inside an engine. Your engine needs oil to lubricate your gears. However, if the oil is dirty, build-ups occur, your gears are stressed, and things may grind to a halt. Atherosclerosis (build up of fatty materials inside blood vessels) is one common example of a result of chronic inflammation, very much like clogged gears.

Do you have:

Allergies?

Popping or clicking joints?

Redness or broken blood vessels in your face or neck?

Increasing sensitivities to foods or environmental substances?

High blood pressure?

Elevations in your cholesterol, triglycerides or C-reactive protein lab works?

High blood sugar?

Cravings for sugar?

Drowsiness after meals?

Extra weight around your mid section?

Yes to any of the above, indicates inflammation. Inflammation can be temporary or can be chronic depending upon your health history, genetics and various lifestyle habits and how many of the above factors you have at the same time.

Here is what you can do right now to help reduce inflammation in your body:

Avoid environmental and nutritional things to which you are sensitive.

It sounds simple but most of us know when we don’t tolerate specific foods or beverages. Yet we still “try them” now and again. It’s not worth it. If curry always does a number on your digestive tract: it’s not worth the stress to your system.

Give up gluten in your diet.

Even if you are not formally allergic to gluten, there are multiple reasons to avoid it. Firstly gluten is a highly inflammatory substance. It is like tossing gasoline onto any inflammation fire inside your body. Secondly, gluten found in the typical diet is a hybridized genetically modified organism (GMO), which is foreign to our bodies. Lastly it is too heavily ingested as far as quantity. Gluten will substantially ramp up any inflammatory process happening in your system. A wealth of information currently exists on gluten-free foods; so do some research. (http://www.triumphdining.com/blog/, http://www.glutenfreeliving.com/blog/)

Specifically avoid: wheat, spelt, semolina, barley, bulgur, and rye.

Incorporate into your diet: rice, potatoes, quinoa, wheat-free oats, millet, or amaranth.

Corn is a possibility but keep in mind that corn too is inflammatory though not to the degree of wheat.

Increase in your muscle mass and decrease in your body fat. This does not mean hours and hours in the gym. Even modest shifts in body fat substantially reduce your body’s tendency to make inflammatory substances.

Give your body antioxidant rich foods and supplements like:

Berries,

Broccoli,

Carrots,

Tomatoes,

Red grapes,

Garlic,

Spinach,

Green tea.

Vitamin C,

Vitamin E,

Selenium,

Beta Carotene.

Increase your intake of Omega-3 Fatty Acids like:

Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA). You can also supplement with Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) but this Omega-3 is sometimes harder to absorb if you have multiple inflammatory signs.

Dietary sources of Omega-3’s:

Salmon,

Mackerel,

Tuna,

Flaxseed oil,

Algal oil,

Krill oil.

Make an appointment with your Acupuncturist, Naturopath or Nurse Practitioner, as well as a Clinical Nutritionist or Personal Trainer to get more information, get evaluated and create a plan, which will work for you and your lifestyle.

In the year 2007, a total of 6 people in my life died. Beyond people living in war torn countries, who knows anyone for whom 6 loved ones departed this good green Earth in a typical year?

It was intense. I realized as I walking my dog recently that there are few to whom I’ve talked about 2007. Three of my loved ones died from brain tumors from various cancers. Two more were utterly freak accidents. The final passing was from complications of diabetes.  My kind and compassionate business partners and close friends knew; but it became almost embarrassing. It was like: “Another one? Really? Your poor family!” I caught myself wondering if those that knew would think I was making things up like some sort of whacko attention getting ploy.  I grew to loathe the phone ringing because all too often I would hang up with a sinking, shock-like feeling realizing while whirling that I still had to keep it together to move through life.

Ironically, 2007 was also the year I plunged into co-ownership of Balance Restored Center for Integrative Medicine in Mill Valley, which is the site for my acupuncture practice and which I love. When it rains it pours it seems.

Things I learned…

Despite the losses and the intensity of the stacked proximity of each passing, 2007 was year of pivotal learning, largely due to the way in which my loved ones moved through death.

My friend Palmer was perhaps the most graceful. He was venerated teacher and inspired students of all ages his whole life.He read a book a week, sometimes more, and had knack for suggesting just the right book for whatever ailed you. Palmer was my very first real patient in my very first acupuncture office. Two days before he stepped across, I had what was the greatest honor of going to treat him in his Napa home.  He was calm but was having some difficulty breathing.

I asked if he would mind if I stimulated some acu-points on his chest to help with his breathing. Not missing a beat, or a stand-up opportunity apparently, he chirped out in his best Norwegian fisherman accent: “Well, keep in mind the ladies get very excited when I take off my shirt.”  The solemn bedroom erupted into laughter.

Grace,

humor and

the ongoing quest for knowledge are what I learned from Palmer.  At Palmer’s memorial services dozens of people spoke about how he had impacted, touched and changed their lives. At the close of the service his son stood and said: “Please let’s give a round of applause for my father and a life well lived.”

Laughter on a deathbed? Applause at a funeral? It was perfect, not usual, but perfect. These were among the lessons and gifts I took from Palmer.

A year ago I wanted to get a special gift for my dear friend-Palmer’s daughter.  Rich Sigberman, a local artist and friend created a watercolor of Palmer with blue herons taking flight in the background (http://sigsart.com).

Palmer was fond of the Great Blue Heron, which held spiritual significance for him. To my surprise and delight, that small but so treasured watercolor gift, prompted a whole series of Blue Herons by Mr. Sigberman, one of which now hangs in my office.So Palmer’s grace takes flight and continues to inspire even now.

Running scared from the grimmest reaper

But death is not all Hallmark cards, fairy dust, and inspiration. Everyone, if not personally, innately knows this. Perhaps it is one reason why our culture avoids death, its discussion, and process. This avoidance is a common human phenomenon. Maybe death places us the cross hairs of considering our own mortality or threatens to unleash the tamped down, weighty emotions of grief, loss, and fear.  Perhaps we dance around it because death is the ultimate life episode of us having zero control.

When I was working as an ICU RN, I would often be surprised that when we had a dying patient on the unit, someone for whom we had exhausted all of the best medicine we had to offer, nurses shied away from taking that patient assignment.It was not malicious or callous. In fact it was quite unconscious.

ICU nursing is fast-paced. In order for RN and patient alike to survive, the RN must be able to make accurate, rapid assessments followed by correct and timely interventions. The vigilance can be exhausting: Is the patient bleeding internally? Is the potassium too high or too low? Have their kidneys stopped functioning? Is there a mental status change and why?

Whereas if the patient is moving through the death process, the nursing tasks turn to comfort care, supporting the family, assisting with social services interventions and the like.  You see much pain and grief; but the biggest task can be willingly, lovingly and patiently remaining present-not running scared from the hooded guy with a scythe.

One task at hand for family and friends: be present

There is something in 2007 I learned about being present. It’s not about having answers, though personally it that makes me feel better.  It’s about being present. That means: being present when it’s physically messy. That means: being present when sifting through the maddening insurance maize. That means: being present when there is no tidy, quick or comforting answer. That means: being present when families disagree or family dynamics are playing upon the stage. That’s why you so often hear people say, “Thank you for being here.” It is of immense comfort not to be alone.

The bigger task at hand for the dying

In contrast, the dying loved one is often about the business of shaking off the bulky, problematic strappings of physical temple and re-entering Brahmin, going to Heaven maybe after a hitting a rest area in Purgatory- if that is your belief. Maybe they are cooking up their next existence after this one. That’s yet another complexity: our many belief systems around spirit, this world and the world(s) beyond.

Important things can refocus rapidly for dying people whereas family and friends might remain mired in day-to-day minutia.I remember my friend Sue struggling with finding a facility for her dying husband. The only one with room and availability was very worn and poorly maintained. It was heart breaking for her to see her husband in this setting.

There was a pivotal moment when she was crying and upset about the surroundings when her dying husband Jon reached over and clasped her hand saying, “Sue. Listen to me. Really: this does not matter. It does not matter at all to me. I do not care.”  I believe Jon was already spending a great deal of time on the other side. He slept a lot as many dying people do; but he was at peace with the workings of this physical human world. It was as though this existence was simply a part time role in a play into which he stepped now and again.  He didn’t resist. He didn’t judge or get angry. He didn’t care that the night stand was chipped or that a little, old lady resident sometimes absently wandered into his room in confusion and had to be redirected back to hers etc. etc. It just wasn’t important any more.

That checking out process can be rough on family and friends, grasping for last treasured moments and completions. For the transitioning human, one foot is already stepping onto that other side and it’s a comfy, blissful place there. The reality is that completions can occur at any time even when our loved ones are long passed. That part is our work: connecting, tuning in, tapping on and doing what we need to do to take care of ourselves for closure. Sometimes our dying friend or family simply does not have the reserves for closure in the here and now.

Bumpy rides

Not all death transitions are so graceful.  That unfortunate instance is immensely and incalculably hard on loved ones. One dear friend became angry and prone to rages during the latter stages of his brain tumor. It happens. It wasn’t pretty. He was young and brilliant which made his death that much more painful.  I remember him saying that he felt as though many people kept him at arm’s length because they worried about their own loss in the eventuality of his death. It was true.

After his passing, I struggled with did I do enough as a clinician and friend? Did I miss something? Should I have done more, done less?

“Should have”,

“would have”,

“could have” are all of those terribly destructive phrases.

A wise coach later said to me: “Karen: on some level, any level at all, was there healing in your friend’s death?” ‘Yes, of course.’ I said without hesitation or contemplation.

In that moment, I realized that nothing is lost. Nothing is ever lost, really. It feels so in the moment because we can not bend time and space to comply with our desires. But really, truly, no efforts go without benefit. We do the best we can. It’s a physics thing actually in that energy cannot be destroyed, only changed. Change our minds, change our hearts, change our lives.

Spirit goes on beyond the body. That is my belief anyway and 2007 solidified that for me. So in closing: I’m not really sure why I needed to write this now in 2011,  other than to say there are blessings and gifts even through death. If I had resisted 2007 those things would be lost and I would not carry them forward to hopefully help someone else in their process.

There is an old Yiddish saying, “May his/her memory be a blessing to you.” It seems to me that part of the wisdom of that wish is seeking the blessing and light. I wish you all many blessings and applause at your life well lived.

2007 taught me those are good things.

Getting your blood drawn to run lab work can feel like taking your car into the mechanic. Most of us don’t know a lot about it. What is really going on in there? What absolutely must be inspected? The tests have complicated names and do they tell you what is good, bad, or what to do next to stay healthy?

Over the last two decades managed care has developed a system of whittling down lab work such that yearly physicals may include little if any, and serious health issues go undetected until damage is done. The reality is that regular monitoring of lab work and life style changes subsequent to those results, go a long way in heading off the possibility of future disease development. So do you want to know if your gears are not shifting smoothly or your brake pads are wearing before a crash or no?

Here are two tests to consider having drawn at least once per year. Do make it practice to keep your own file with copies of your lab works. When your health care practitioners have the ability to view your lab results over spans of time it is invaluable.

Homocysteine (abbreviated tHcy or HCY)

Homocysteine is an amino acid which if elevated is associated with:

•Higher risk for developing cardiovascular disease.

•Higher risk for developing blood clots.

•Increased risk for pregnancy complications, miscarriage & fetal growth problems.

•Reduced cognitive functioning in the elderly.

What helps reduce Homocysteine levels?

Supplementing with B Vitamins including:

Folic acid, Vitamin B6 (pyridoxines) and Vitamin B12 (cobalamins).

Dietary sources of Vitamin B12 are animal based:

fish, mussels, clams, lamb, and beef.

Dietary sources of Vitamin B6 as well as the other B Vitamins are:

kombucha, whole, grains, potatoes, bananas, lentils, chili peppers, tempeh,             beans, nutritional and brewer’s yeasts, and molasses.

High Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (abbreviated  hs-CRP)

High Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (hs-CRP) measures inflammation in the body.

For someone fighting off an infection, with a significant illness, or recovering from a surgery or trauma, we would expect the hs-CRP to naturally be elevated. After healing, the hs-CRP is typically no longer detectable in the bloodstream. However inflammation can also be associated with more silent cardiovascular developments. It is widely accepted that predisposition to developing heart attacks and cardiovascular disease is associated with generalized inflammation in the blood vessels.

Are you in a higher risk group for inflammation? Here are some important questions:

Do you smoke?

Do you have high blood pressure?

Do you have high cholesterol?

Are you diabetic?

Are you overweight?

Are you physically inactive?

If you are answering yes to any of the above, you are in a high-risk category; so having a High Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein assessed regularly is a good idea. If your hs-CRP is elevated, there are sundry lifestyle, dietary and supplemental practices you can employ to reduce inflammation in your system and thereby lower your risk for a future cardiac event.

Sometimes managed care sources are reluctant or refuse to draw lab markers key to thoroughly monitoring your health. However these days many reduced fee labs exist and provide options for consumers to have blood works drawn at greatly reduced rates.  Depending upon the state in which you live, you can also access allied licensed health care practitioners such as Nurse Practitioners and Acupuncturists to order labs and help you manage and effectively monitor your health.

We all know that our cars run better and risk less by changing the oil, right? So check your oil, that blood the flowing through your body, to make sure your engine is in top condition.

Did you know that the severity of Peri-menopause & Menopause is related to adrenal health? Healthy adrenals act as the reserve for hormone production when your ovaries slow down. Many women enter Menopause with tired adrenals. Exhausted adrenals cannot function as nature’s back up.

Here is a partial list of symptoms of what is called adrenal stress syndrome:

Frequent nighttime waking, especially with a racing heart.

Reliance on caffeine to get going in the AM.

Shakiness/Irritability/Lightheadedness with missed or delayed meals.

Cravings for sweets, caffeine, cigarettes.

Fatigue, which can be relieved by eating.

Inability to fall asleep.

Inability to stay asleep.

So what can you do to take care of your adrenals? The adrenals are stressed by stimulants such as caffeine, sugar and cigarettes. Initially you feel a little surge of energy because stimulants push the already fatigued adrenals to pump out epinephrine. However epinephrine is short lasting and nature intends for it to be available for emergencies, not navigating typical daily life.

Try slowly weaning yourself from coffee to black and then green tea. If you are big coffee drinker it’s good to wean incrementally such as starting with ¾ caffeinated coffee beans mixed with ¼ decaffeinated for several days. Then mix ½ caffeinated with ½-decaffeinated beans for several days. Gradually continue to taper down the mix of caffeinated coffee beans in your daily intake and then transition over to black tea followed by green tea.

Another tip is eating at least every 4 hours and do not skip breakfast. Even if you are “not a breakfast person” you’ve got to get glucose to your brain after a night’s sleep. Start with a protein drink and an egg. Protein is key and breakfast is key-even if it’s a very small meal.

There are also various blood and salivary lab works, which your Acupuncturist, MD, or Nurse Practitioner can order to further evaluate the health of your adrenals. Be well!  Karen Reynolds, L.Ac., M.S., R.N.