Do 73% of Americans Die from Just One Actual Disease? New Research Points to Undetected, Silent Killer Called Chronic Sub-Clinical Inflammation (CLLI).

March 07, 2006 (PRLEAP.COM) Health News
West Palm Beach, FL — Adding up the numbers, well over half of Americans dying each year have a lot in common. Depending on who you ask in medical research, the number could go as high as 73% who share at least one important symptom. It's called CLLI for chronic, low-level inflammation.

Recent research reveals up to almost three quarters of all U.S. deaths annually arise from diseases associated with low level, chronic or persistent inflammation - CLLI. Previously unrelated diseases include heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, kidney and liver diseases, Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis and dozens more.

This new understanding about inflammation concerns very low levels of chronic conditions. Until recently most scientists considered these almost undetectible measurements in tests insignificant. In fact until only a few years ago, they did not yet have a commonly available clinical test sensitive enough to detect low inflammation. They called it "sub clinical". Now, doctors can use a new, inexpensive test called the HS-CRP High Sensitivity or C-Reactive Protein test, which often costs less than $50. Although it is cheap and only takes a few minutes, most patients never get this vital HS-CRP blood test. If they did, the results would surprise many of them. Many apparently healthy people are silently suffering from the CLLI hidden killer - chronic low-level inflammation that can lead to many deadly diseases. The list keeps growing as new research is completed and published each month. Most of us know about another kind of inflammation that doctors call acute inflammation. That's the temporary redness and swelling, burning and aching associated with insect bites, minor scrapes or cuts, or skin rashes from allergic plants such as poison ivy or poison oak. The affected area tingles, and becomes red in color, and is warm or even hot to the touch. The reddening and heat gives the condition its name. Doctors say the area has become inflamed. You are suffering from inflammation. They add the word acute because the condition only lasts a short time. Acute inflammation is not associated with a disease. It happens by an accident, or infection, or an environmental toxin. While some people may be more sensitive than others to such exposures, their sensitivity is not usually called a disease.

The good news is that much of the growing risk for CLLI can be eliminated or reduced by simple changes in diet and lifestyle. The new Level1Diet.com program details several of the easy steps to begin that change.

The Level1Diet.com web site was created to provide scientific support for CLLI sufferers in clear, easy to understand language. It aimed at families of, and for people who suffer from CLLI, metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance and the resulting diseases — up to 73% of Americans according to some estimates.

The site organizes the latest scientific research findings on low-level, sub-clinical inflammation and its relation to heart disease, stroke, diabetes, arthritis, athsma, arterial sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, muscular dystrophy, kidney disease, breast and prostate cancers, bladder and liver and pancreatic cancers and many other serious age related chronic diseases.

The Level1Diet.com health program presents easy to follow guidelines to help people lose weight, reduce inflammation, improve blood sugar control, enhance mood and sleep, reduce nervousness and chronic fatigue, fight cancer and heart disease, lower blood pressure and much more.

It presents a list of "foods to avoid" and "foods to eat", as well as a list of recommended food supplement vitamins and minerals. Among the nutrients on the supplement list is (omega-3) fish oil, gamma lenolenic acid, vitamin-e, vitamin-c, magnesium, alpha lipoic acid, and several more commonly available supplements.

Food To Avoid includes most high-fatty meats, most vegetable oils except olive oil, any fructose sweetened product, most sugary sweet foods, all dairy and egg products, and most simple carbohydrates such as mashed potatoes, rice, puddings, cakes, pies, and ice creams.

Fructose is high on the avoid list due to its fast, almost 100% conversion into triglycerides (TGs) and very low density lipoprotein (VLDLs) in the liver. This innocent looking low glycemic index sugar used to be recommended for diabetics due to its slow digestion and almost non-existent affect on blood sugar levels. However, recent research now reveals a dark side… it is almost completely and quickly converted into fats by the liver, increasing cholesterol and cardiovascular disease risk. So Level1Diet.com says it should be totally avoided by anyone at risk for heart disease, diabetes, and most metabolic syndrome or insulin resistant diseases.

Today fructose (as HFCS high fructose corn syrup) has replaced sucrose in popular soda drinks, and in most candy and processed foods, including even many health food "meal replacement" snack bars. It is considered to be the major contributor to the rise in diabetes which has risen in direct proportion to the marketing of HFCS since its introduction in 1967.

Most (omega-6) vegetable oils, trans-fatty acids, partially hydrogenated oils and saturated fats from (omega-9) grain-fed beef/pork/chickens/turkey or fish should be avoided. They are known to result in insulin resistance, and to convert into formation of arachidonic acid, which results in the formation of PGE-2 series-2 prostaglandins.

PGE-2s begin an inflammatory cascade of events in the body, resulting in an over production of many pro-inflammatory cytokines, including TNF-a tumor necrosis factor alpha, IL-2 interleukin 2, IL-6 interleukin 6, and IL-1b among others. These signaling molecules cause a host of diseases, and result in long lasting disease progression that may ultimate end in death for as many as 3/4's of Americans.

The American diet is now known to be very lacking in several vitally important foods and nutrients, including omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oils, magnesium, zinc, calcium, potassium and fiber. These major problems have resulted from a diet based on high animal fats, vegetable oils, fried foods, fast convenience and processed foods, high sugars and simple starches such as breads, cereals, pasta, rice, and fructose in soda drinks, candies and ice cream.

The Level1Diet.com "foods to eat" list is simple… eat lots of complex carbohydrates, green vegetables, colorful and highly flavored and even spicy natural fresh foods. Most leafy vegetable and berries, peppers, squash, beans, sprouts, etc. Eat 3-4 small servings of lean meat (not grain fed, not fatty) per day. Eat at least 9 servings of fruit and vegetables total per day. Eat early in the day. Eat often, at least every 3-4 hours until about 8 p.m., or until about 13 to 14 hours after you awake.

The health program suggests at least 1/2 hour exercise daily as brisk walking or bicycling. It suggests avoiding stress from too strenuous or too intense exercise. Moderation and consistency is the key. It suggests not missing a single day whenever possible.

For more details, visit the new support and information site at http://www.level1diet.com/

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