Factors That Influence Inflammation in breast cancer survivors, part 2

Factors That Influence Inflammation in breast cancer survivors, part 2

Weight and Blood Sugar

Keeping your weight in check is crucial for preventing inflammation, as well as
conditions associated with it and obesity, such as heart disease and diabetes.
Research indicates that visceral fat (the fat located deep in the abdominal area) is
more metabolically active than other types of fat, secreting large amounts of
inflammatory cytokines (Maury and Brichard 2010). The good news? Maintaining a
healthy weight greatly reduces and, in some cases, even eliminates inflammation.

Remember that the hormone insulin, itself, is associated with inflammation (see
chapter 6). So, the lower you can keep your fasting glucose and insulin levels, the
less you will have to worry about them as a source of unwanted inflammation.
Stress and Sleep Deprivation
In addition to diet, certain lifestyle choices may contribute to inflammation.
According to Dr. Isaac Eliaz (pers. comm.), who practices integrative medicine in
Sebastopol, California, both stress and sleep deprivation can lead to inflammation
through the elevation of the hormone cortisol. Chronic stress, Dr. Eliaz explains,
leads to the overproduction of cortisol, the body’s most abundant stress hormone.
This rise in cortisol disrupts normal hormonal function, raising blood sugar levels
and contributing to the inflammatory cascade.

Excessive Exercise

Everyone feels better with regular exercise. While improving physical fitness
and enhancing overall well-being, it may also strengthen the immune system. It’s
tempting to be impatient and ignore our bodies’ protests when we are trying to
reach a physical goal, but be careful! When combined with inadequate rest and other
stresses, overexercising, sometimes called “overtraining syndrome,” can lead to an
impaired immune system and inflammation (MacKinnon 2000). One theory as to
what causes this chain reaction is that your overtaxed muscles and tissues trigger the
release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, the proteins that act as messengers between
the cells. When sufficient rest is allowed, pro-inflammatory cytokines facilitate the
healing process—but only if rest is allowed. That’s why we often feel better if we
rest after a long bike ride and why it’s best to alternate periods of exercise with
periods of healing, recuperative rest.