Inflammation is a word you will hear a lot as you search for ways to increase your wellness. From creams and lotions to foods and exercises, products and procedures that fight inflammation are widely touted. But what is inflammation? How can it affect you? Can a natural product like hemp oil fight inflammation? Let’s find out!
What is Inflammation
Inflammation has gotten a bad rap! It actually starts out as a good thing. It’s your body’s natural defense system when attacked by bacteria or viruses. White blood cells produce a substance at the compromised site to help protect the area. This is why cuts, overstretched joints, and torn muscles swell up. However, inflammation can get out of control, and that is where the problems come in. When the body goes into panic mode and sends white blood cells to fight off a problem that doesn’t exist, you get things like arthritis, fibromyalgia, back pain, and osteoarthritis. Inflammation can also affect your organs causing fluid retention, compromised lung function, high blood pressure, and kidney failure.
Why Do You Need to Fight Inflammation?
Unnecessary inflammation compromises your quality of life. Symptoms range from irritating to debilitating. The most common complaint of inflammation is joint pain and joint stiffness. This can affect your ability to walk, use your hands, and move freely. Some lesser known symptoms of inflammation include fatigue, stiff muscles, fever, and chills.
It is necessary to fight inflammation because, in addition to the pain and discomfort, the constant attack of white blood cells erodes the cartilage at your joints. Without that cushion around the joint, your bones touch and grind, which is incredibly painful. As for your organs, nobody wants to live with a compromised heart, lungs, or kidneys.
Common Ways to Fight Inflammation
One of the most common ways to fight inflammation is through over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like Asprin. Prescriptions can be obtained for stronger drugs such as DMARDs (disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs).
Drugs have side effects and common ones for long-term use of NSAIDs and DMARDs include but are not limited to:
- High blood pressure
- Stomach ulcers
- Heartburn
- Higher risk of heart attack
- Hair loss
- Lowered kidney function
Isn’t it ironic that the same drugs used to treat inflammation have side effects that are some of same problems caused by inflammation?! For this reason, many people prefer to use more natural methods to help fight inflammation.
Modifying one’s diet can greatly reduce inflammation; processed junk foods and soda will cause inflammation to flare, while whole foods like tomatoes, leafy greens, fruits, and fatty fish fight inflammation.
Hemp Oil to Fight Inflammation
The reason why fatty fish is on the list of foods that fight inflammation is because it contains omega-3 fatty acids – a key ingredient that helps alleviate the symptoms. Hemp oil contains high ratios of both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
Hemp oil has another affect that helps fight inflammation; recent studies suggest that it improves your skin making it more resistant to bacteria and viruses. So, hemp oil fights unnecessary inflammation, and can help prevent the type of inflammation that occurs when your body is compromised.
Take Charge of Your Health
Each person responds to treatment, natural or clinical, differently so it is important to visit your doctor when you suffer from inflammation. It is also important to remember that changing one’s diet and adding beneficial nutrients that fight inflammation is a good step for preventative maintenance and wellbeing. Hemp oil for fighting inflammation is cost-effective way to help get the results you need, without the side effects of NSAIDs and DMARDs.
Vigorous Innovations carries full spectrum hemp oil that has omega-3 and omega-6. If inflammation is an issue and you have already consulted your medical professional, try adding hemp oil your routine.