 What do arthritis, hepatitis, colitis, dermatitis, meningitis and tonsillitis all have in common? They are all forms of inflammationyou may have known this because of the Greek suffix 'itis', which means inflamed. But did you know that Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, strokes, heart attacks and even cancer have been linked to inflammation? Medical experts have only recently begun understanding the connection between inflammation and many (and I'm talking a lot!) of the most common degenerative diseases plaguing the U.S. today. It sounds scary but there is actually much hope in this discovery. Logically, if we can control inflammation then we can control many of the things that make us sick. It is important that I use the word 'control' and not 'prevent'. Why? Well, not all forms of inflammation are bad. In fact, inflammation is designed to keep us healthy! Inflammation is the bodys natural defense against invaders. Let's say you're chopping an onion and you slice open your finger. Immediately special proteins called cytokines alert white blood cells like neutrophils and macrophages to possible danger. These white blood cells arrive at the site of the cut to do damage control and block any foreign invaders from entering the wound. That's inflammation! Most of the time, inflammation is a lifesaver that fights off disease-causing bacteria, viruses and parasites. If, at anytime, these invaders attempt to enter the body, the inflammation process is the first (and often last) wave of defense, attacking and destroying any matter that could be a potential threat, including any surrounding tissue. And just as quickly as it began, the process subsides and the body heals. However, there are instances where inflammation forgets to shut itself off and continues to seek and destroy anything that moves, including itself! Like that Energizer bunny, it keeps going and going and going... As you can imagine, this can be a real problem, especially if the body begins to attack vital organs. When inflammation goes awry it is referred to as chronic inflammation and it is considered an immune disorder which can lead to a host of unpleasant and possibly deadly problems. This is the form of inflammation I'll be discussing in the next two installments of this series. Until then, here's some encouraging news: We developed OPC Factor to be an excellent anti-inflammatory, as its contents act as inhibitors of inflammatory enzymes. That's one reason OPC Factor is good for arthritis, allergies (another form of inflammation), heart disease, and a host of other problems. Surprised? I didn't think you'd be. | 
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