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If there is one thing we are learning more and more about, it is that everything can be related back to inflammation and what we put inside our bodies. Point blank. The food you consume affects your genetics and your inflammatory response in the body. Headaches, achy joints, and overall fatigue have been directly linked to inflammation.

Inflammation

Inflammation was once thought to just be something that occurs when the body has an infection or we hurt ourselves as the body’s natural response. That fact is still true to this day. However, we now know more. Now, we are able to recognize inflammation occurring inside our organs and down to the cellular level.

Just as you roll your ankle and it becomes inflamed, if you eat the wrong foods your gut becomes inflamed. This can then be traced back to leaky gut and in some cases, autoimmune diseases.

So what can we do about it? What is actually happening in our bodies?

The human body is an amazing machine that we are still finding more about each and every day. Let’s first take a look at where this inflammation is coming from. Inflammation can enter the gut barrier as a toxin, protein, pathogen, LPS, or alcohol.

If our body is continuously exposed to these triggers, it can result in our immune system becoming dysregulated. Now that our body has these triggers, things like allergies, asthma, autoimmunity, and poor immune tolerance and regulation become our bodies new regular.

Amplifying Loop

These triggers then signal something called cytokines. Cytokines are tiny and dance around inside of the cell. These cytokines increase NF-kB activity.

NF-kB is then used to transcribe DNA and express an inflammatory state!

Now, our bodies are promoting inflammation, all because we let the toxins in. What we put into our mouth and our bodies matter. The foods we eat have the ability to provide nutrients to our cells, rather than facilitating in this ongoing inflammatory response chain.

How Do I Regain Control?

Nrf2 is a key protein in the body that has the function of regulating the genome. This helps the body balance gene expressions and the regulation of our genes. Another thing Nrf2 does is upregulate genes that encode antioxidant enzymes and antiinflammatory genes.

Essentially, Nrf2 helps to fight off inflammation and reduce oxidative stress. Nrf2 activity is part of the detoxification system our bodies naturally have. It helps us to not get sick from every single bacteria we come into contact with. However, Nrf2 is a pathway, not a supplement. So now the question becomes, How do we active Nrf2?

From The Kitchen to The Genes

As mentioned earlier, everything can be traced back to the kitchen and what we put into our mouth to nourish our body. A great way to ensure you are feeding your body what it needs is to make a smoothie in the morning. Smoothies can contain so many nutrient-dense foods to aid in Nfr2 activation.

First, start off with flaxseed in the blender. Blend it up so the flax seeds get broken up and open. Next, add in blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, acai berry powder, broccoli sprouts, and almond milk!

By providing your body and your cells with the nourishment they need, they will flourish. In addition to a smoothie, there are supplements that can aid in Nrf2 activation as well. These supplements include curcumin, fish oil, wormwood, and CoQ10.

It’s clear that the “American Diet” has been causing problems for us. The world is so busy and fast-paced that we are not taking the time or giving our bodies the consideration to shop and make nutritious home-cooked meals. We need to increase our vegetables, fruits, fibers, whole grains and decrease the carbs. Everyone has some degree of inflammation in their body, and many of us do not even realize it! I challenge us to give up fast food for an entire month, cut the soda, increase the lemon water and eat at least one salad a day during this month. By increasing our vegetables and creating plates that are more colorful, our bodies will thank us! – Kenna Vaughn, Senior Health Coach 

References:
Gordon, Jacob. “Recipes for NRF2 – MyBioHack: Unlock Your Maximum Potential.” MyBioHack, MyBioHack | Unlock Your Maximum Potential, 7 Nov. 2017, mybiohack.com/blog/recipes-for-nrf2.
Gordon, Jacob. “Why NRF2 Activation Can Make You More Sick – MyBioHack: Unlock Your Maximum Potential.” MyBioHack, MyBioHack | Unlock Your Maximum Potential, 2 Feb. 2020, mybiohack.com/blog/nrf2-cirs-sensitivities.
Lawrence, T. “The Nuclear Factor NF- B Pathway in Inflammation.” Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology, vol. 1, no. 6, 2009, doi:10.1101/cshperspect.a001651.
Ma, Qiang. “Role of Nrf2 in Oxidative Stress and Toxicity.” Annual Review of Pharmacology and Toxicology, vol. 53, no. 1, 2013, pp. 401–426., doi:10.1146/annurev-pharmtox-011112-140320.

The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal,and nervous health issues or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We use functional health protocols to treat injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We also make copies of supporting research studies available to the board and or the public upon request. To further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at915-850-0900.

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Professional Scope of Practice *

The information herein on "The Role Of Nrf2 and Inflammation" is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional or licensed physician and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make healthcare decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified healthcare professional.

Blog Information & Scope Discussions

Our information scope is limited to Chiropractic, musculoskeletal, acupuncture, physical medicines, wellness, contributing etiological viscerosomatic disturbances within clinical presentations, associated somatovisceral reflex clinical dynamics, subluxation complexes, sensitive health issues, and/or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions.

We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from various disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system.

Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and directly or indirectly support our clinical scope of practice.*

Our office has reasonably attempted to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request.

We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez, DC, or contact us at 915-850-0900.

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Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, RN*, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*

email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com

Licensed as a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) in Texas & New Mexico*
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