Would you tell us about Silent Inflammation?

“Silent inflammation” has become the new guid­ing principle for all of those involved in cutting-edge medicine. What does this mean? If you have a wrist joint that is swollen, red, painful, hot and stiff, you do not need a doctor to tell you that you have ar­thritis. The inflamma­tion of the joint is so obvious your next-door neighbor could make that diagnosis. “Silent inflammation”, on the other hand, is the 800-pound grizzly bear standing behind you. Statistics and clin­ical experience tell us that one-third of those who drop dead each year of a heart attack had no warning of heart disease. The first symptom of heart disease was Death. Kidney function as measured by glomerular filtration rate can be 50% lost before the blood cre­atinine level begins to rise. When the neurological symptoms of Par­kinson’s disease (tremors, rigidity) or Alzheimer’s disease (memory loss) commence, over 65% of the involved brain structure is already lost. The lessons are clear, un­less we begin to intervene with preventive lifestyle changes and detoxification therapies early, by the time silent inflammation be­comes a symptom, much of the organ is lost or we are dead. An ounce of prevention...

About the time “silent inflamma­tion” appeared on the radar screen of modern medicine, the disease-associated risks of obesity were also coming to light. Prior to the 1990’s, most people assumed having excessive belly fat, other than being an expense for larger clothes, was relatively innocuous. After all, the reasoning went: belly fat just sits there, in­ert, sort of a metabolic warehouse of unburned calories. Not so! It turns out fat or adipose tissue is very metabolically active. It be­comes like an extra endocrine gland putting out a dizzying array of pro-inflammatory mediators that increase our risk of organ damage, health im­pairment and early death. This ex­plains why preservation and building of muscle mass is so crucial as we age, since muscle is our main engine of cal­orie disposal. Muscle thrives with a combination of weight resistance exercise and aerobic exercise, ap­propriate vitamin/mineral supplemen­tation, putting cor­rect fuel (diet) in the metabolic en­gine and optimiz­ing hormone levels with bio-identical supplementation. Again, by keeping muscle on and fat off, we are mini­mizing the ravages of “silent inflamma­tion.”

One of the most devastating and recurrent dra­mas that I have witnessed over the years in my medical practice, is the profound sense of be­trayal experienced by those who assume in their 40’s and 50’s that, because they have no symp­toms, they must be in good health. Only when they retire in their 60’s are they faced with rap­idly deteriorating minds and bodies. The “silent inflammation” that could have been addressed in those earlier decades in most cases gave way to overt inflammation, chronic debilitation and, in some cases, life-threatening illness.

So there it is. The argument for preventive maintenance based on sound science. If you are intent on taking the journey toward optimal health, we are eager to take it with you. Under­stand, your body is the healer. Our intent is to keep you on the path toward the goal you have chosen.