Many of us at one point or another have some sort of inflammation or bloating. Many times we think that inflammation is normal because everyone gets it, but many times it is a sign or health problem or in the long run it could lead to heart disease or diabetes.
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Heart Disease
The American Heart Association explains that they don’t know how inflammation plays a role in a heart attack and stroke because it’s been a topic of ongoing research. Yet, inflammation is common for heart disease and a sign for atherosclerosis, which is the buildup of fatty deposits in the inner walls of the arteries. Things like smoking cigarettes, high blood pressure and LDL (bad cholesterol) can damage the heart. In many heart attacks and strokes, a build-up of fatty, cholesterol rich plaque forms in blood vessels, which is a form of inflammation. The body perceives this plaque as something that doesn’t belong in the healthy blood vessel, so it tries to fight off plaque with flowing blood. Many times the plaque ruptures and this can cause a blood clot. The combination of blood clots, blocked arteries and plaque is what causes most heart attacks.
People with type 2 diabetes develop this disease because they don’t produce enough insulin or their bodies can’t use insulin the way it’s supposed to. Insulin is a hormone that is made by cells in the pancreas, the hormone that controls the amount of sugar in the blood. Unlike heart disease, researchers have identified high levels of inflammation with the bodies of people with type 2 diabetes. Obesity and not getting enough exercise are the biggest risk factors that lead to this disease. The extra weight you carry could be connected to higher levels of inflammatory chemicals in the body, especially around the abdomen, which can cause abnormal inflammation that alters the job of insulin production and contributes to the disease.
With heart disease and diabetes being so prevalent among the Hispanic community, we have to start adapting a healthier lifestyle. It’s very important to take care of our bodies and feed it the right foods, but it’s also important to get enough exercise each day. The bodies we live in are amazing, but we have to remember to take care of them if we want to continue to live a healthy life.