The signs and symptoms are seemingly everywhere, but you’re still wondering why your body is inflamed.
Let’s break it down a little today.
There is a guy on Instagram that I enjoy following, Tyler. He is currently studying Naturopathic Medicine at National University of Natural Medicine (NUNM) in Portland, Oregon (p.s. a program I have considered as well).
He posted this graphic titled, “20 Root Causes of Inflammation.”
So I shared it because I’m in total alignment with it, and I asked people a simple question, “Tell me, which number are you most interested in knowing more about?!”
Here were the top ones I’ve received so far:
- Chronic stealth infections (lyme, EBV, herpes, mycotoxins)
- Sleep deprivation
- Inflammatory food consumption (food sensitivities, additives)
- Gut dysbiosis
- Increased intestinal permeability (“leaky gut”)
- Chronic stress
- High exercise training volume, frequency, and intensity
Symptoms and Root Causes
Symptoms and root causes are not the same things. Your gas, bloating, pain, acne, and fatigue are not problems; they are just the symptoms of something larger.
That something larger always boils down to inflammation somewhere.
Inflammation 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.
We don’t think of things like sleep deprivation and high exercise training volume as inflammatory, but they can be and oftentimes are (and are overlooked).
Why Your Body is Inflamed
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So the question remains, “why is your body inflamed?”
I don’t know the answer to that question, and you may or may not know the answer.
What you can know are your suspicions, but you have to be very honest with yourself. How about….
- Suspect lyme disease, but just don’t want to know the results so you avoid getting tested? Or maybe it’s EBV (Epstein-Barr Virus), also known as human herpesvirus 4, which is a member of the herpes virus family. It is one of the most common human viruses. EBV is found all over the world. Most people get infected with EBV at some point in their lives. EBV spreads most commonly through bodily fluids, primarily saliva.
- Constantly using toxic chemicals on your body? American women use an average of 12 products a day – nearly 200 chemicals – according to a 2004 study by the Environmental Working Group (EWG). This is why I’m a hopeless advocate for safer beauty. (Take the free 12-day exploration journey HERE.)
- Eating processed food 24/7 because it’s cheap, easy, and convenient? Look, I’m no different than you. I eat it, too, but certainly not when I was miserable and I definitely had to face the fact that it could be making me worse.
- Always stressed out? Stress kills – literally. It affects every last system of the body and sneaks into our lives even when you don’t think it’s there.
- Working out until you’re exhausted because you’re crushing all those over-the-top goals? Ah, yes. This, too, could be the culprit for added (or even root) inflammation. It’s why, when I got really honest with myself and you I realized that workouts and gut healing just don’t jive.
The list could go on and on and, in fact, it does.
Digging Deeper on Root Inflammation
In that Instagram post, I also stated,
I’d tell you what number I’m currently spending hundreds (literally) of hours researching, but then I’d have to kill ya 😂
You guys, so much lies ahead – hundreds of hours of work for you.
Actually, more than hundreds because I want to address as many of these 20 root causes as possible. I’d love to, at some point, have links with full information on each and every single one of these for you to peruse.
I’ve already started the work, but please continue letting me know which are you are most excited to learn more about.
I’m just over here supporting you on your healing journey.
Xox,
SKH
You will heal. I will help.
Great read! Thanks for all you do!
You’re welcome, love!