Stopping Inflammation by Nancy Appleton, PhD
Inflammation: a localized physical condition in which part of the body becomes reddened, swollen, hot, and often painful, especially as a reaction to injury or infection.
Source: The Oxford American Dictionary, Oxford University Press.
The definition of inflammation is no surprise to me. Even the fact that inflammation has long been associated with such ailments as arthritis, edema, and inflammatory bowel disease is no surprise. But what did surprise me is that, according to author Nancy Appleton, PhD, “only recently [has inflammation been] implicated [in] the process to diabetes, certain cancers, and other unsolvable degenerative conditions” (p. 1).
Part One of Stopping Inflammation is called “Understanding Inflammation,” which explains the causes of inflammation, such as free radical damage and oxidative stress and psychological stress— which are all part of the modern world most of us reading this book are part of.
Part Two contains the bulk of the book in which Dr. Appleton explains the link between inflammation and diseases. Some of the diseases she explores include: Alzheimer’s, cancer, epilepsy, headaches, obesity, and Parkinson’s disease. She discusses twenty diseases in detail, making this part of the book a ready reference section. There is also a helpful Glossary at the end of the book.
Part Three is arguably the most important section, entitled “Guidelines for Preventing and Reversing Inflammation.” It covers the topics of testing, food plans lifestyle considerations, and detoxification. I found the food plans to be particularly interesting, consisting of three diets ranging in restrictiveness, depending on your symptoms and reactions.
The detoxification chapter also proved to be very helpful, explaining how toxins build up in our bodies and how our bodies can detoxify them. Several of these methods are quite doable, from adding Epson salts to your bath, to exercise, to probiotics. Some of the methods, such as colonics, require a different attitude from mainstream medicine. The author also lists what she identifies as “some potentially damaging practices to avoid.” We already know many of them, such as smoking and breast implants, while others may be a little less known, such as electromagnetic fields and cleaning substances with so-called “inert ingredients.”
In the conclusion is a sentence worth quoting:
“A body in homeostasis [balance] is the building block of your health, so remove food allergies, remove abusive foods, and learn to change your stress from an obstacle to an opportunity” (p. 170).
If you have a chronic illness and are “stuck,” reading this book may give you information to share with your health practitioner. In the meantime, examining the food plans may help you to establish homeostasis, a key to your health. Start feeling healthier with this excellent guidebook book Stopping Inflammation: Relieving the Cause of Degenerative Diseases.
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