Treatment

Treatment

Integrated Medical Therapies

How to Manage Chronic Inflammation

The effectiveness of dietary and lifestyle improvements can be monitored using the chronic inflammation test. Dietary Omega-6 fatty acids, like arachidonic acid, initiate a cascade of events that end with inflammation. The Omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) and dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (DGLA), compete with arachidonic acid to reduce chronic inflammation. Reducing arachidonic acid and regulating its activity is important to the prevention, control, or elimination of chronic inflammation.

Chronic inflammation may be prevented or reduced by selecting foods rich in EPA and DGLA that reduce arachidonic acid's production and effect. Diet may be enhanced with supplements, fish oil rich in Omega-3 fatty acids for example. Exercise can reduce production of cytokines that trigger arachidonic acid metabolism, and weight loss may reduce the number of cytokine-producing fat cells.

Dietary changes take time and discipline. Many integrative therapies have been shown to reduce thromboxane production.

Progress in reducing the production of thromboxane A2 may be monitored in regular intervals using the Chronic Inflammation Test to measure 11-dehydrothromboxane B2. (View Schematic) A Chronic Inflammation Score remaining elevated or continuing to increase in value is an indication therapy may not be effective and that your level of inflammation and risk may be increasing.

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Therapies that May Lower Results

11-Dehydro Thromboxane B2 becomes reduced with dietary reduction of arachidonic acid and through substitution with safe Omega-3 fatty acid-rich foods or supplements. (View Schematic) Levels have been shown to be reduced by many additional therapeutic measures that reduce thromboxane A2, including the following:

  • Fish oil (rich in Omega-3)
  • Polyphenols
  • Flavonoids
  • Ginger
  • Garlic
  • Green tea
  • Ginkgo bilboa
  • Chocolate
  • Vitamin E
  • Aloe vera
  • Red wine
  • Aspirin
  • Non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs
  • Statins