We don’t want inflammation to take hold in the body, because persistent low grade inflammation may cause

food intolerances, eczema, brain fog, weight gain, depression, fatigue, anxiety, insomnia, migraines and fibromyalgia (a chronic widespread pain condition).

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Period pain, PCOS, endometriosis & PMS are also signs of inflammation.

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Inflammation can be caused by many factors, including:

• inadequate sleep
• gluten in those with gluten sensitivities
• low omega 3 intake
• food intolerances
• histamine intolerance - many foods are rich in histamine, such as spinach, tomatoes, vinegar, citrus fruits and aubergines, to name a few
• hay fever
• leaky gut (the gut lining begins to wear away, to some degree, allowing anything you ingest to potentially leak into your bloodstream)
• excess stress
• pesticides
• heavy metal toxicity eg. mercury in fish
• mould exposure - living in buildings with mould
• BPA in plastics (bottled waters, plastic tupperware)
• inadequate detoxification, via the liver and the gut
• too much sugar
• excess alcohol

Whilst some inflammation is critical to our survival during physical injury and infection, certain social, environmental and lifestyle factors (described above) may, if not addressed, promote systemic chronic inflammation throughout the body. In turn, this may lead to the development of several diseases, that as a whole, represent the main causes of disability and mortality in the population e.g. cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, autoimmune disorders and neurodegenerative disorders. Nutritional therapy can help to nip inflammation in the bud, before it becomes systemic.