John Arts Abundant Living www.johnarts.co.nz

Our bodies possess the most extraordinary ability to repair damage and fight off pathogens that can make us sick.

Our immune cells patrol every part of our body ready to repel bacterial, viral and fungal infections and to repair any tissue damage as it occurs.

The most important part of our repair systems is the process of inflammation. Without inflammation, we could never heal.

Put simply, inflammation is the process that brings healing to damaged tissue.

It starts with special messengers that bring information to immune cells. There is then a co-ordinated response designed to bring a cocktail of immune cells and special healing chemicals to damaged areas.

The first thing that happens is blood vessels leak more fluid into damaged cells.

This extra fluid brings these repair cells and chemicals to the area needed.

Typically, the affected tissue swells with the extra fluid and if close to the skin can become swollen, red (from the extra blood), hot and unfortunately painful.

If everything is working properly, this process of inflammation should slowly switch off and the damaged tissue heals. Inflammation should only occur when needed then switch off completely.

Unfortunately some health problems cause sustained inflammation, where the immune system battles valiantly but unsuccessfully to repair damage.

You see this in common osteoarthritis.

Specialised cartilage cells (chondrocytes) become damaged and cannot repair cartilage damage. The immune system then causes joint inflammation as it tries to unsuccessfully heal damaged cartilage.

Often the pain and lack of mobility are as much to do with unwanted inflammation as the actual damage.

My upcoming public seminar is on March 1st at the Hotel Armitage, from 7-9pm.

We will be discussing osteoarthritis and inflammation and looking at the many things we can do to help.

There will be plenty of time for questions. To register, phone: 0800 423 559 or email: mail@abundant.co.nz

I look forward to meeting you. For more information give me a call or email: john@abundant.co.nz. You can read back issues at: www.abundant.co.nz

John Arts is a qualified nutritional medicine practitioner and founder of Abundant Health. Contact John on: 0800 423 559. To read more go to: www.sunlive.co.nz