Page 20 - Florida Sentinel 8-24-18

Health
In RA, It Does Damage
What many peo- ple think of as “arthritis” is os- teoarthritis, in which the tissue that cushions joints, cartilage, breaks down, particularly as people age.
Rheumatoid arthritis is different. In RA, the immune system attacks your body’s joints, caus- ing inflammation that can harm them -- and even the heart. Symptoms include pain, stiff- ness, and red, warm, swollen joints.
The Fire Inside
The word “inflammation”
traces back to the Latin for
“set afire.” In some condi-
tions, like rheumatoid arthri-
tis, you feel heat, pain,
redness, and swelling. But in
other cases -- like heart dis-
ease, Alzheimer’s, and dia-
betes -- it’s not so obvious. If you didn’t go looking for it with tests, you wouldn’t even know it’s there.
It's Not Always Bad
Inflammation actually is
good in the short run. It’s
part of your immune sys-
tem’s natural response to
heal an injury or fight an in-
fection. It’s supposed to
stop after that. But if it be-
comes a long-lasting habit in your body, that can be bad for you. Long-term, or “chronic,” inflammation is seen in many diseases and conditions.
Your Diet Matters
The types of food
you eat affect how
much inflamma-
tion you have. Get
plenty of fruits,
vegetables, whole
grains, plant-
based proteins
(like beans and
nuts), fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids (such as salmon, tuna, and sardines), and healthier oils, like olive oil. Also eat foods with probiotics, like yogurt (just check that it doesn’t have too much sugar). Limit saturated fats, found in meats, whole-fat dairy products, and processed foods.
Could It Lead To A Heart Attack?
Inflamed arteries are
common among people
with heart disease. Some re-
searchers think that when
fats build up in the walls of
the heart’s coronary arter-
ies, the body fires back with
inflammatory chemicals,
since it sees this as an “injury” to the heart. That could trigger a blood clot that causes a heart attack or stroke.
It Can Hurt Your Gut
Chronic inflammation is
tied to ulcerative colitis and
Crohn’s disease, which are
types of inflammatory bowel
disease. It happens when
your body's immune system
mistakenly attacks the
healthy bacteria in your gut, and causes inflammation that sticks around. You could have symptoms such as belly pain, cramping, and diarrhea.
Diabetes Connection
Inflammation and type 2 dia- betes are linked. Doctors don’t know yet if it causes the disease. Some experts say obesity trig- gers the inflammation, which makes it harder for the body to use insulin. That may be one reason why losing extra pounds and keeping them off is a key step to lower your chance of getting type 2 diabetes.
PAGE 8-B FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, AUGUST 24, 2018