Review: The Inflammation Syndrome
Looking for a book on chronic inflammation but don't want to trudge through complicated jargon? Find out why this may be the one you're looking for
Anti-inflammation has been one of the main themes on this website because I believe that it’s an important health issue that many people have not taken seriously enough.
Considering that many chronic illnesses, like heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and some cancers, are likely a result of low-grade inflammation that have been simmering below the surface for decades, it’s not too bold to say that we can delay the onset of these dreaded diseases or even prevent them altogether if we nip chronic inflammation early in the bud.
I’ve written several articles on this topic, including what is chronic inflammation, how to douse inflammation with anti-inflammatory foods, what are the inflammation-promoting foods to avoid, why you should balance your omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids intake, and more. And they have proven to be increasingly popular, thanks to greater awareness now.
But despite the information available here and on other websites, I’ve received emails from people who like to read more about this topic without having to go through so many web pages or websites. They prefer to have a book containing vital, and preferably latest, information about chronic inflammation and ways on how they can prevent it.
With this mission in mind, recently I picked up the book The Inflammation Syndrome: Your Nutrition Plan for Great Health, Weight Loss, and Pain-Free Living by Jack Challem.
This book was first published in early 2003. Subsequently, a new updated version is released in 2010, which is the one I’ll be reviewing here.
Will this book meet the needs of the group of hungry readers I’ve talked about? Let’s find out, one chapter at a time.
Part I: The Inflammation-Disease Connection
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1. Meet the Inflammation Syndrome
This is a primer about chronic inflammation and the common diseases that have been linked to it. Close to the end of the chapter, there’s also a quiz to help you gauge whether you’re exhibiting symptoms of runaway inflammation and whether your current dietary habits are promoting inflammation.
2. Your Inflammation Triggers
Here, Challem highlighted that triggers should not be confused with causes of systematic inflammation in our bodies. Two persons exposed to the same inflammation trigger may respond differently. The one who is primed, e.g. due to a lack of nutrients or an imbalanced diet, will more likely experience the ill effects of the trigger.
Eight types of inflammatory triggers are briefly described in the book. They are:
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Age-related wear and tear
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Physical injuries
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Infections
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Environmental stresses
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Allergies and food sensitives
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Dietary imbalances and deficiencies
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“Leaky Gut” syndrome
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Prediabetes, diabetes and overweight
3. The Dietary Causes of Inflammation
Having looked at the triggers, the next obvious question to ask is, how does imbalances in diet cause normal inflammation to go out of control?
In this chapter, you’ll understand how by consuming more pro-inflammatory fats (specifically omega-6 fatty acids and trans fats ) and not having enough anti-inflammatory fats (omega-3, gamma-linolenic acid and omega-9 fatty acids), you’re laying the foundation for body-wide inflammation to take place.
However, not all omega-6 fats are pro-inflammatory. Gamma-linolenic acid and arachidonic acid, which belong to the omega-6 family, can also exhibit anti-inflammatory properties under certain circumstances.
In addition, in this chapter, you’ll also learn how our bodies create potent but lesser known anti-inflammatory compounds — resolvins, protectins, neuroprotectins and lipoxins — through the omega-3 and omega-6 pathways, and how you can support the process to promote a healthy inflammation response.
4. Correct a Diet that’s Out of Balance
This is where things start to get really interesting. Here, the author traces the changes in our diet from the Paleolithic Age to our modern times, and how they have led to an increased consumption of pro-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids and a corresponding sharp decline in the intake of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats.
I’m surprised to find that Challem has devoted almost the entire chapter to talk about the virtues of Paleolithic diet. It’s not a bad thing; it’s just something I’ve not expected. The arguments given for a Paleolithic way of eating do make sense, but since this is not a book about Paleo diet, don’t expect to read more about it beyond this chapter.
But clearly, the viewpoints in this chapter will have an influence on the anti-inflammation strategies and diet plan that Challem will be introducing later.
5. What’s Wrong with Anti-Inflammatory Drugs
I’ve previously written about the potential, and sometimes fatal, side effects of over-the-counter as well as prescribed non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
But Challem did a much better job by including more classes of anti-inflammatory drugs, not just NSAIDs. If you’re one of the millions of people who pop these drugs every day, this is a chapter you shouldn’t skip.
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Part II: The AI Diet Plan
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6. Fourteen Steps to Fight the Inflammation Syndrome
The abbreviation AI in the AI Diet Plan has two meanings. Firstly, it means “anti-inflammation” of course. But the author also meant it to be “action items”, hoping that you as a reader will put the steps you read in the book to good use, and not just read and forget about them.
There are not five, not ten, but fourteen steps suggested by Challem to fight chronic inflammation (and probably lose some weight too). But don’t be intimidated by the number, they are actually very straight forward. Basically, it all boils down to one, which is the first step in Challem’s AI Diet Plan:
Eat as many types of fresh, whole foods as you possibly can.
From this statement, we get the other related steps, like eat a lot of high-fiber, non-starchy vegetables and fruits, and limit the intake of refined grains.
7. The AI Diet Menu Plans and Recipes
As the title has suggested, you’ll find recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner in this chapter. There’s even a sample fourteen-day menu plan at the end of it to handhold you during the initial transition period.
The recipes look uncomplicated and easy to prepare, and some of the cooking methods are probably something that you’re already doing.
Part III: The AI Supplement Plan
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8. God Fats that Rev Up Your Body’s Natural Anti-Inflammatories
Throughout this book, you’ll find omega-3 fatty acids being mentioned many times. This is not surprising since the sharp imbalance in omega-6 and omega-3 intake is what Challem believed to be one of the main causes of the inflammation syndrome.
Then, it also should not be a surprise to see fish oil supplement, which is a concentrated source of omega-3 fats (specifically EPA and DHA), being highly recommended by the author. A number of studies were cited in this chapter to illustrate the potent effects fish oil has on inflammation. And Challem even went one step further by recommending specific brands of fish oil as well as other anti-inflammatory supplements here and in the next few chapters (expect to see Carlson and Solgar several times in the book).
Besides fish oil, gamma-linolenic acid and olive oil are also suggested to restore a normal inflammatory response.
9. The Power of Anti-Inflammatory Herbs
When it comes to anti-inflammatory supplements, it’ll be a gross overlook by the author if inflammation-cooling herbs aren’t mentioned, since herbal remedies are the oldest form of medicine used by men.
Other than the mainstays ginger and curcumin, you’ll also find Pycnogenol (a French maritime pine bark extract), Boswellia, and other plant-based products in Challem’s herbal list.
10. The Anti-Inflammatory Benefits of a Multivitamin Supplement
To meet the nutritional shortfalls caused by poor eating habits, higher-than-normal individual requirements, or harmful lifestyle, the author recommended high-potency multivitamin and multimineral supplement. The pages in this chapter include guidelines on the vitamins and minerals you should look out for in your multivitamin supplement.
11. Glucosamine, Chondroitin, and Other Supplements for Osteoarthritis
Considering that osteoarthritis is one of the most common forms of inflammatory condition, Challem has devoted a chapter to glucosamine and chondroitin to help those who are struggling with this debilitating illness.
He also addressed concerns raised by some studies that questioned the benefits of these two supplements, elaborated on how to choose the right form of glucosamine, and listed other supplements that may be useful in reducing swelling and pain related to osteoarthritis.
Part IV: Putting Anti-Inflammation Syndrome Nutrients to Work for You
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12. The Inflammation Syndrome, Disease, and Specific Conditions
The last chapter in this book is a long one that attempts to define the causes of common inflammatory conditions, their connection to inflammation syndrome and the possible treatments, which usually involved changing one’s diet and/or taking anti-inflammatory dietary supplements.
Since this chapter offers only an overview, don’t expect to find an in-depth investigation of any specific ailment.
Who Should Read This Book?
Overall, I find The Inflammation Syndrome very easy to read and understand, as Challem has a way of explaining difficult scientific jargon and concepts in a simple way. here’s what I think are the ones who would and would not benefit from this book:
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I will recommend this book to people who know little about chronic inflammation and would like to have a book with lots of useful, non-technical information about the subject.
This is also the perfect book to give to someone who can’t tell the difference between omega-3 and omega-6, or still thinks that soy bean and corn oil are good for the heart. This could be a gift that will save the life of the recipient.
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If you’re suffering from chronic inflammatory disease, the pages on how our modern diet has resulted in a silent inflammation epidermic may be enlightening to you. The case histories at the beginning of each chapter that tell of how other people have managed to keep their condition under control through diet change and supplementation may also be encouraging, if not inspirational. Hopefully, by reading them, you’ll derive enough motivation to adopt the fourteen recommended steps permanently and reduce your misery for good.
But if you’re looking for in-depth information on a specific inflammatory condition, then this book may not serve all your needs, since it’s obviously not written with that in mind.
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If you’re someone who has already read several books on inflammation, then this book may not offer much new insights for you. Before I read this book, I was hoping to see exercise and proper stress management being emphasized in the overall scheme of curbing chronic inflammation. But there’s little or no mentioning of them in the book. Chronic stress, and to a large extent our emotional health, as well as exercise have a clear role to play in influencing the levels of pro-inflammatory compounds in our bodies. Perhaps in the next revision of the book, we could see these essential points being included.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
