Fighting Fungus and Inflammation

According to most doctors, one of the underlying causes of many disease––diseases such as heart disease, cancer, etc.––is inflammation in the body. Chronic, low grade inflammation, according to research, plays a role in the incidence, exacerbation and perpetuation of disease. A good question to follow with is, what causes inflammation in the body?

Many things can cause acute inflammation, such as infection or acute injury. Inflammation is actually a bodily response to remove something harmful or irritating to the body. Inflammation is a sign that the body is trying to repair itself. But in the case of chronic inflammation, or the kind of inflammation associated with incidence of disease, the body is constantly trying to get rid of… something. What could constantly by assaulting the body such that it is constantly trying to repair itself?

There is much speculation on that, but very often the underlying cause of the inflammation, itself, is labeled as “etiology (cause) unknown”.

Is it possible that thing could be fungus? We know that fungus can parasitize man, or cause infections, which can cause inflammation. We also know that our food supply––specifically, grains, corn, and peanuts––can be contaminated with fungal poisons, known as mycotoxins. Could inflammation be the body’s response to these fungal poisons? Particularly in the case of inflammation that comes from unknown origins, we think that fungus should be considered!

If fungus could be the underlying cause of inflammation, then what would be a good way of going about fighting inflammation? A diet that limited exposure to mycotoxins and sought to starve pathogenic, internal fungi might be a good place to start. This is the philosophy behind the Kaufmann 1 Diet.

In addition to the diet, it is recommended that one add in anti-fungal supplements. Fortunately, there are a variety of supplements that work both towards fighting fungus and inflammation.

Curcumin
Curcumin is a compound found in turmeric, a common spice in Indian cuisine. It exhibits strong anti-inflammatory properties; its anti-inflammatory properties are strong, in fact, that components of it are used in over the counter anti-inflammatory medicines. It is also potently anti-fungal.

Ginger
Ginger has been shown to inhibit chemicals in the body that cause inflammation. It has also been shown to reduce pain from osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Fish Oil
The benefits of fish oil are legion and well known by now. Benefits of fish oil include benefits for the heart, circulatory system, brain and mood. Fish oil also works towards decreasing the body’s production of inflammation–causing chemicals.