Dr Emmanuel Chimezue, an Abuja based physician, has warned that untreated chronic inflammation could predispose a patient to some certain cancer and other diseases. He made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja.
Chimezue explained that inflammation is a defence mechanism in the body that helps the immune system recognise damaged cells, irritants and pathogens, and it begins the healing process.
He described chronic inflammation as one that starts rapidly and becomes severe in a short space of time and failure to eliminate whatever that was causing inflammation.
He also said it could be explained as an autoimmune disorder that attacks normal healthy tissue, mistaking it for a pathogen that caused diseases.
Chimezue noted that signs and symptoms of the condition are normally present for a few days but may persist for a few weeks and years in some cases.
He stated that unlike acute inflammation, chronic inflammation can have long-term effects in the body.
He also explained that chronic inflammation is also called persistent, low-grade inflammation because it produced a steady, low-level of inflammation throughout the body or tissue which contributed to the development of diseases.
He added that chronic inflammation’s role in cancer development was huge, saying as many as one in five cancers are believed to be caused or influenced by inflammation.
Chimezue noted that one of the reasons was that chronic inflammation may damage DNA, and other times, the inflammatory process produce molecules called cytokines that stimulated the growth of blood vessels which brought oxygen and nutrients to a tumour.
He also explained that the process could generate molecules called free radicals that further damage the DNA as well as inflammation side effects which may help sustain and fuel cancer growth.
According to him, diseases and conditions that can result in chronic inflammation included chronic peptic ulcer, tuberculosis, ulcerative colitis and active hepatitis.
He said that science has it that about 35 per cent of cancers are linked to dietary factors such as obesity, stress and lack of exercise which are contributory factors to chronic inflammation.
He also said these factors trigger an immune response, even without an infection to fight off or an injured tissue to heal.
“The more sedentary a patient is and the worse the diet, the more inflammation you are generating,” Chimezue said.
Besides, he explained that damaged tissue could not heal without inflammation, but noted that chronic inflammation could cause several diseases and conditions including some cancers.
He however advised patients to include in their diets foods that have been shown to help reduce risk of inflammation such as olive oil, nuts, almonds and leafy greens.
He also advised patients susceptible to chronic inflammation to avoid eating foods that aggravate inflammation such as fried foods, white bread, pastries and foods that contained refined carbohydrates, sugary drinks and red meat, among others.
Chimezue, however, said that these dietary solutions do not alone hold the key to controlling inflammation but could also help prime the immune system to react in a measured way.
Besides, the doctor emphasised that a patient’s diet, lifestyle habits and environmental exposures could contribute to chronic inflammation.
He therefore said that It was important to maintain a healthy lifestyle in order to keep inflammation in check.
Chimezue recommended foods that are typical of a Mediterranean diet which included eating more fish, fresh fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, as well as eating moderate amounts of nuts and drinking red wine in moderation as ways of reducing inflammation.
He therefore enjoined patients to include anti-inflammatory foods such as Omega-3 fats into their diet in order to protect the body against the possible damage caused by inflammation.
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