Fascia / Joint Health, Nutrition & Well-Being

Chronic inflammation in the human body significantly affects the quality of fascial tissue and joint health. At the Fifth International Fascia Research Congress (2018 Berlin, DE) this theme was present in many of the speaker’s presentations. Prolonged inflammatory response is not healthy unless in direct and short-term response to injury.

Inflammation is a vital part of the immune system’s response to injury and infection. It is the body’s way of signaling the immune system to heal and repair damaged tissue, as well as defend itself against foreign invaders, such as viruses and bacteria. Without inflammation as a physiological response, wounds would fester, and infections could become deadly.  However, if the inflammatory process goes on for too long or if the inflammatory response occurs in places where it is not needed, it can become problematic. Chronic inflammation has been linked to certain diseases such as heart disease or stroke, and may also lead to autoimmune disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. (LiveScience.com)

Increasingly, people seem to be suffering from chronic inflammation-related symptoms. Several years of observation in my practice has convinced me that chronic inflammation is closely related to nutrition; surprisingly, often in people that take great care with what they eat. While this link to diet was commonly agreed to by the speakers at the Fifth Fascia Congress, scientific research has only recently supported the strong link between nutrition and chronic inflammation.

Since 2018, I have shared my observations on nutrition with clients who have reported benefiting from this information. I continuously research this topic and provide updates as a resource to help guide clients exploring how nutrition might be affecting their well-being.

» A good starting point is eliminating sugars, especially fructose. Alcoholic beverages need to be included in this group as they break down into sugar as well. For a quick look at the benefits of eliminating sugar for 30 days listen here.
More recent discoveries on how the body processes Fructose specifically, indicate it is a major factor in metabolic disorders, high uric acid levels (why this is important) and chronic inflammation. Listen to an interview with a key researcher. To improve your immune system and overall health, this is a big first step.

» Learn that there are plant-based toxins that can cause serious problems for your health. This video by Dr. Eric Berg, DC provides an important overview of several toxins groups found in plant-based diets with related health symptoms.

Clearly, this applies to all diets and anyone consuming plant-based foods: fruits, nuts, grains, vegetables, salads, etc. especially vegetarians and vegans.
There is also now another danger in European plant sourced foods – Glyphosate, the main ingredient in RoundUp pesticide, which was approved for commercial farming use in NL (and several other countries) even though in 2014, the Dutch legislature prohibited glyphosate sales to consumers for home use. To understand its dangerous effects on the human body listen here.

» Learn if you are sensitive to the Nightshade family of plants. Further information here on this common group of foods we eat. Sensitivity changes during our lifetime with children and senior adults being more vulnerable.

» Be aware of foods that are high in Oxalates (Oxalic Acid). Oxalates bind with calcium and can accumulate in the body causing kidney stones, inflammation, arthritis and depleting calcium that can lead to osteoporosis. Oxalates also cause stiffness / irritation of joints, toes and the bottom of the feet. A reference to the “oxalate-load” in foods can be found here. Interview with Sally Norton and further information here.

Resources

The work of the following doctors provides much more detail on nutrition, diet and the link to chronic inflammation. These doctors have developed treatment protocols centered on dietary/nutritional changes.

• Dr. Dale Bredesen, treating Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease
• Dr. Stephen Gundry, treating Cardiovascular / Inflammation-based diseases
• Dr. Terry Wahl, treating Multiple Sclerosis / Inflammation-based diseases

Dr. Dale Bredesen wrote (available in Dutch): 
“The End of Alzheimer’s: The first program to prevent and reverse cognitive decline.”
“The End of Alzheimer’s Programme.“

Dr. Steven Gundry wrote (available in Dutch):
“The Plant Paradox: the hidden dangers in healthy foods that cause disease and weight gain.”
“The Longevity Paradox: how to die young at a ripe old age.“
“The Energy Paradox: what to do when your get-up-and-go has got up and gone.“

Dr. Terry Wahls wrote (available in Dutch):
“The Wahls Protocol: A radical new way to treat all Chronic Autoimmune Conditions.“

Dr. Gundry provides perhaps the clearest explanation for what creates the conditions that these authors are resolving through nutrition here. To summarize, the health of your intestines is essential to avoiding chronic low-level inflammation, and a type of protein – lectins (gluten is one well-known example), is directly involved in damaging intestinal health.

Dr. Gundry has created a “Yes / No Foods List” which is a comprehensive list of foods based on their “lectin load” and an explanation of what Lectins are and why they are a problem.

While I recommend all the books above, you can best start with Dr. Gundry’s first book, follow with Dr. Bredeson’s second book and finally Dr. Wahl’s book. Reading these three authors you will discover huge common ground in their approaches and yet significant differences in emphasis. Thus, for different people, each of these three approaches might work differently – some better and some less so.

You can get a much shorter introduction to these concepts by visiting the following websites and watching the following videos that I have collected here for your reference. They will provide a quick introduction and overview of the key concepts:

Websites:

Dr. Gundry – Plant Paradox:
https://drgundry.com

Dr. Bredesen – End of Alzheimer’s:
https://www.drbredesen.com/

Dr. Terry Wahls – The Wahls Protocol
https://terrywahls.com/

Videos:

Gundry on Lectins: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luna9RQsL1E

Gundry and Bredesen on Nutrition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6lkRXaQKwk

Gundry and Mercola on Nutrition/Lectins: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgImyfAvVyM

It is my hope that sharing this information with you, proves of value to some of you… Best wishes for a healthier diet and improved well-being!