Cooling Inflammation with Nutrition

Inflammation. It’s become a buzz word we’re all familiar with, but what do we really know about it? Its literal meaning is “a setting on fire”. If we have a cut or a physical injury, we know exactly what inflammation is. It’s redness, pain, and swelling, and our immune system is alerted to protect the injury. This is considered acute inflammation, and in this case, our immune system’s response is highly beneficial. But inflammation can also be silent and become chronic. This means that the body’s immune system continues to be alerted and is unable to turn off the inflammatory response. When this happens, the process is no longer beneficial and can cause multiple health issues. Our bodies have a natural defense system that can help prevent inflammation, and to function optimally, it needs a variety of nutrients from fresh, whole food. But it’s important to keep in mind that not all whole foods are healthy for everybody. There are certain molecules in some foods that can be highly inflammatory for many people. This class will focus on specific nutrients and foods that are anti-inflammatory and support a health immune response, as well as those that we might want to avoid. Nutrition is the first step in “putting out the fire”!

CEUs Awarded 2 contact hours – Nurses /Social Workers approved (RSX030904)