Inflammation and C-reactive protein
How can you find an inflammation if you can’t see or feel it? With a blood test that measures the levels of a particular protein called C-reactive protein (CRP). Inflammation is a major cause of increased CRP, and two major studies, the Physician's Health Study and the Women's Health Study, found that people with the highest CRP levels were three times more at risk for having a heart attack and two times more likely to have a stroke than those with normal CRP levels.

If you suspect you have chronic inflammation anywhere in your body, talk with your doctor about being tested for CRP. This blood test costs between $20-$50 and is now widely available. If your CRP level is over 0.20 mg/dL it's time to take action and reduce it.

The dietary connection
Some foods reduce inflammation while others promote it. The foods you choose are the foundation for a healthy heart program, and the type of fats in your diet will either increase or decrease inflammation. So will your choice of sugars.

To reduce inflammation, replace refined sugars with whole grains and fruit, and watch the balance of fats in your diet. The amount of individual dietary fats has a direct influence on chronic inflammation.

Prostaglandins are hormone-like substances made from fats that either promote or reduce inflammation. A high animal-protein diet contains arachadonic acid (AA) that, in turn, makes a pro-inflammatory prostaglandin, PGE2. A diet high in fish and green leafy vegetables makes an anti-inflammatory prostaglandin, PGE1. Popular high-protein diets can either promote inflammation or contain too much mercury from fish. Be sure the fish you eat is wild Alaskan salmon or small fish from cold waters.

Why drugs are not the answer
Statin drugs, the usual treatment for heart disease, don’t always work and may do more harm than good. Even when cholesterol levels declined they didn’t reduce cardiac events significantly in several clinical trials. More importantly, statins reduced the levels of protective Coenzyme Q10 in heart tissues. Always take 200-400 mg/day of supplemental Coenzyme Q10 if you’re taking any statin.

High doses of statins may be harmful. Two-thirds of the cholesterol-lowering effects from statins occur at their starting dose. So if your doctor suggests you take a higher amount, ask if this is necessary. High doses of statins combined with other medications can lead to life-threatening complications. If you are at a low to moderate risk for heart disease and are willing to make lifestyle changes, talk with your doctor about a more natural, safer approach than taking drugs.

Nutrients to reduce inflammation
Particular nutrients can stop inflammation, reverse it, and repair damaged tissues. I'll discuss them in more detail in Part Two of this inflammation article. There are new anti-inflammatory products on the market you may not be aware of. So check in next month for the rest of the story. Until then, begin by taking a good multivitamin and cleaning up your diet. Remember, supplements are not "instead of" lifestyle changes!

American Federation for Aging Research. "The latest research on the role of inflammation in heart disease," www.infoaging.org.

Challem, Jack. The Inflammation Syndrome, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2003.

Heart Protection Study Collaborative Group. "MRC/BHF Heart Protection Study of cholesterol lowering with simvastatin in 20,536 high-risk individuals: a randomized placebo-controlled trial," The Lancet, July 6, 2002.