For most of us treating an external abrasion probably includes a Band-Aid along with some top of topical solution to help reduce pain, quell the inflammation, and accelerate the healing process.
But when internal inflammation occurs we don't have that luxury.
In fact, the idea of everyday internal inflammation is such a new concept I would venture to say most don't know much about it.
There are a number of types of internal inflammation but the type I would like to discuss is inflammation inside the arteries caused by cholesterol.
And yes, recent research strongly suggests that cholesterol does in fact cause internal inflammation.
But why does internal inflammation matter anyway? Do you care about looking old before your time? What about a heart attack or stroke? Now if these three conditions are not important to you then you should stop reading right now and race down to your favorite fast food restaurant to purchase a couple of those double something or the others along with some really greasy fries.
But if these things do matter to you then reading this article just might provide some enlightening information.
When inflammation is occurring inside our bodies it produces damage at the cellular level.
Without getting into too much detail what happens is that the outer layer of billions of cells in our body's startto harden prematurely as the amount of inflammation increases.
This allows less water and nutrients to penetrate the cell membrane.
This process may increase ones chances for diabetes.
As was mentioned above we are learning that cholesterol can produces internal inflammation.
When cholesterol levels are either too high or dangerously low internal inflammation will spike.
What this means is that in order to keep inflammation under control it is vital to maintain healthy blood cholesterol levels.
For a healthy person that would mean keep LDL or bad cholesterol for 100 to 115 milligrams for every deciliter of blood.
We would also want to maintain healthy, or good cholesterol know as HDL, to about 55 milligrams for every deciliter of blood.
How does cholesterol related internal inflammation start? It all starts when a person chooses to consistently ingest foods high in saturated fats or trans fats causing blood fat levels to spike.
As cholesterol travels through the arteries it scuffs and nicks the lining of the arteries which produces inflammation.
After the nick or scuff occurs the inflammation may spread deeper into the arterial lining triggering an immune system response that eventually will lead to the formation of dangerous cholesterol plaque deposits.
Over time these deposits will grow, reducing available blood flow to the heart, brain, organs, and cells producing symptoms such as fatigue, dizziness, fuzzy thinking, and chest pain.
Arterial plaque deposits also increase the chances of a heart attack or stroke.
The bottom line is we are destroying our bodies from the inside out, greatly increasing our chances of premature aging, cardiovascular disease, immune deficiency disease, and opening the door for your daily run of the mill illness.
What can I do about it? There are a few simple steps you can take to help reduce internal inflammation with the simplest being to eat a healthy low fat diet containing plenty of fruits and vegetables.
Additionally, high soluble fiber foods, whole grains, high ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) foods such as walnuts, olive oil as a substitute for other less healthy fatty oils, reducing stress, and daily exercise, all have shown to be helpful in both maintaining healthy cholesterol levels and reducing internal inflammation.
What else might help? Another suggestion is to consider supplements as a hedge against internal inflammation.
Three supplements worth considering are liquid B complex, natural cholesterol reduction remedies, and omega 3 fish oil products high in DHA and EPA.