Infection Defense May Spur Alzheimer

[WhiteTara]

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/09/health/09alzh.html

For years, a prevailing theory has been that one of the chief villains in Alzheimer’s disease has no real function other than as a waste product that the brain never properly disposed of.

The material, a protein called beta amyloid, or A-beta, piles up into tough plaques that destroy signals between nerves. When that happens, people lose their memory, their personality changes and they stop recognizing friends and family.

But now researchers at Harvard suggest that the protein has a real and unexpected function — it may be part of the brain’s normal defenses against invading bacteria and other microbes.

more

the more I read, the more I think core inflamation is the cause of most disease.

edited to remove computerize

[BrklynLiberal]

1. Inflammation...our body's worst enemy.

http://www.healthblurbs.com/inflammatory-diseases-inflammation-inflammatory-disease-types-inflammatory-disease-treatment/



An inflammatory disease is caused by chronic inflammation. This inflammation may occur in an internal organ, joint or on your skin.

Inflammation is the immune system’s response to infection, toxins, injury or irritation. Chronic inflammation arises when your inflammatory response doesn’t turn off appropriately. So, inflammation continues beyond the need, which can cause damage to healthy tissue.

Inflammation causes the hallmark symptom of swelling, that may be coupled with:

* heat
* redness
* tenderness, pain

Many diseases are referred to as inflammatory, as well as falling into other category of diseases, such as autoimmune. Some various types of inflammatory diseases include:

* PID
* gout
* lupus
* asthma
* pleurisy
* eczema
* arthritis
* gastritis
* splenitis
* sinusitis
* hepatitis
* nephritis
* psoriasis
* vasculitis
* laryngitis
* thyroiditis
* prostatitis
* pharyngitis
* sarcoidosis
* atherosclerosis
* allergic reactions
* multiple sclerosis
* some myopathies
* rheumatoid arthritis
* seborrheic dermatitis
* Wegener’s granulomatosis
* IBS ~ Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, diverticulitis

Systemic inflammation means your inflammatory health condition is not confined to one type of tissue.

Studies indicate that loss of circulating estrogen hormone post menopause may contribute to chronic inflammation. Men suffer a similar inflammatory health situation with andropause, wherein free testosterone reduces, just much more gradually.

Other potential causes for fueling various types of inflammatory diseases are:

* stress
* obesity
* trans fats
* lack of sleep
* refined sugars, carbohydrates
* food intolerance ~ lactose, gluten
* food additives, preservatives ~ MSG
* food allergies ~ eggs, dairy, soy, nuts
* environmental toxins ~ air pollution, lead, mercury
* dietary changes away from nature produced to processed foods
* abdominal fat cells secrete molecules that increase systemic inflammation
* advanced glycation end products ~ high heat, prolonged cooking via deep frying, well done meat

There are various types of drugs available to treat inflammation. They work by overriding your inflammatory response, like:

* aspirin
* antihistamines
* corticosteroids ~ prednisone
* COX-2 inhibitors ~ Vioxx, Celebrex
* NSAIDs ~ disrupt the production of prostaglandins

The problem with this type of inflammatory disease treatment is it may not treat your underlying cause of inflammation. And in some cases, your inflammatory problem may be solved by just engendering some health promoting alterations to your lifestyle.

Several causers on list of possible inflammatory response instigators relates to food. Thus, begin by making some significant dietary changes is an advisable place to start.

Possibly the easiest way to go about this is to significantly increase your consumption of fruits, vegetables and seafood. Correspondingly, drastically decrease you consumption of processed foods. And improving your nutrition may culminate in weight loss.

Suffering from a chronic inflammatory disease may be your wake up call that you need make some other changes in your life too. Stress naturally produces adrenalin, noradrenalin and cortisol, which promote inflammation. This is not a bad thing in the short-term. However, sustained high stress levels will gradually wear you down.

Two other important anti-inflammatory lifestyle related treatments are ample sleep and exercise. Both help your body quell chronic inflammation.

[Chemisse]

6. There has been so much out there about inflammation as a culprit

Thanks for putting it in a nutshell for us.

[tridim]

2. One of the reasons I use anti-inflammatory cannabis.

I have Alzheimer's in my family, and I don't want it to have a chance to develop.

Cannabis Use, Effect And Potential Therapy For Alzheimer's, MS and Parkinson's
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071014163644.htm

[WhiteTara]

3. I still have arthritis

Cannabis didn't stop that.

[sharp_stick]

4. Nah but the stiffness

doesn't bother you as much.

[tridim]

5. It's not a cure-all.

But I do know many patients who use cannabis for arthritis and it seems to help. Probably depends on the severity and type.

It's certainly helping me rehab my bum shoulder (bursitis). Cannabis, deep breathing and low impact exercise is an amazing healer, at least it is for me. A few months ago I was considering surgery, today I'm back to doing push ups and bench presses without pain.

[Delphinus]

7. Wow!

That's a pretty amazing recovery. Good to hear.