The Inflammation Cure : How to Combat the Hidden Factor Behind Heart Disease, Arthritis, Asthma, Diabetes, & Other Diseases [Hardcover]

William Joel Meggs (Author), Carol Svec (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2003

A powerful new program for preventing the diseases of aging--based on cutting edge research

In recent stories, both the New York Times and CNN reported on the vital link between inflammation and the risk of heart disease, as well as diseases associated with aging including arthritis, Alzheimer's disease, frailty, osteoporosis, and some cancers. The Inflammation Cure is on the cutting edge of this research, exposing this connection and showing readers how to protect themselves.

In accessible language, Dr. William Meggs, an originator of the inflammation-related theory of neurogenic switching, explains the research and outlines a practical and complete program for controlling inflammation and returning to vibrant good health.

The Inflammation Cure:

• Explains up-to-the-minute thinking on the role inflammation plays in aging and health
• Reveals what causes inflammation and how you can tell if you have it
• Presents a comprehensive program to reduce inflammation and promote wellness
• Provides information on anti-inflammatory foods and supplements, medications, exercise, and more

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...readable, scientifically sound, and well-referenced ... a levelheaded approach, weaving the latest research on various diseases into a broad picture." -- Library Journal, September 2003

From the Back Cover

As part of our immune system, it's one of the most basic human processes. We can easily recognize its telltale signs--redness, heat, pain, and swelling--every time we get a bump, bruise, or rash. Yet the role of inflammation isn't just skin-deep. In fact, as revealed in this eye-opening book, discovering inflammation's function is a far-reaching, giant leap forward in our understanding of disease prevention and treatment.

While inflammation is your first line of defense against bacteria and viruses, long-term or severe inflammation can cause serious health problems. Both the New York Times and CNN have recently reported that inflammation is the common thread in heart disease and other major illnesses, as well as a host of diseases related to aging, including arthritis, Alzheimer's disease, osteoporosis, and some forms of cancer. It's now suggested that the key to good health may lie in finding the right balance between the body's intricate pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory forces.

Not long ago, most inflammation research was tied to particular medical specialties such as rheumatology or cardiology. When pioneering doctors began to look beyond the narrow confines of specialization, they made the "inflammation connection." It was discovered that rather than being disease-specific, inflammation is an underlying factor in many diseases previously thought to be unrelated.

The Inflammation Cure is at the forefront of this bold new movement in inflammation research. In clear, everyday language, William Meggs, M.D., originator of the inflammation-related theory of neurogenic switching, explains what causes inflammation, its critical relationship to disease in the body, and--most importantly--what steps you can take right now to minimize your inflammation risk.

The Inflammation Cure:

• Defines inflammation and how it works to protect or harm the body
• Features an Inflammation Risk Quiz designed to assess your personal risk factors
• Uncovers how inflammatory processes contribute to the big killers--heart disease, stroke, and diabetes--and how these same processes might put you at risk for other inflammation-related disorders
• Explains why inflammation and aging are so interconnected
• Helps you manage your body's inflammation responses through exercise, diet, lifestyle changes, medical tests, and new anti-inflammatory foods and medications

Inflammation affects us all--especially today, when our nation is grappling with the healthcare implications of an aging population added to an explosion of inflammation-related health problems such as obesity and asthma. The simple truth is: the more we understand the link between inflammation and our health, the closer we come to effectively treating, and possibly eradicating, some of the most deadly diseases ever known. Shouldn't inflammation control be a major part of your overall personal health plan? Let The Inflammation Cure be your guide.

Know the Facts. Know Your Risk. Make the Inflammation Connection.

Think of the last time you got a scrape or cut. The swelling and redness that resulted is inflammation in action, protecting us from serious infections and healing our injuries.

But inflammation processes can and do malfunction. Just as inflammation destroys germs, uncontrolled inflammation can, over time, destroy the organs of our own bodies. The pivotal role of inflammation in heart disease, as well as diseases tied to aging such as Alzheimer's and arthritis, has been little understood. Until now.

The Inflammation Cure opens a window on what is arguably the most dynamic concept in disease prevention and treatment today. As research continues, the link between inflammation and seemingly unrelated health problems--touching on all areas of medicine--gets stronger and more compelling. In a clear, easy-to-understand tone, William Meggs, M.D., and Carol Svec help you guard against the life-threatening dangers of severe or long-term inflammation.

This much-needed, comprehensive guide reviews:

• The inflammation connection and its impact on your health and aging
• The physiological factors that trigger inflammation
• The link between inflammation and fatigue, obesity, depression, and insomnia
• A lifestyle, diet, and medication program that lowers your risk and promotes wellness
• And much more

A more complete understanding of inflammation ushers in an era of great possibilities--a revolutionary era when treating diseases such as asthma and diabetes will be akin to treating the common cold. Today, you can take the first step toward controlling your inflammation risk and assuring life-long health by discovering the power of The Inflammation Cure.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 1 edition (August 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0071413200
• ISBN-13: 978-0071413206
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #624,379 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

213 of 219 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Accessible, informative book on vital subject, November 1, 2003

By 

Kate McMurry "Young Adult Author" (United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Inflammation Cure : How to Combat the Hidden Factor Behind Heart Disease, Arthritis, Asthma, Diabetes, & Other Diseases (Hardcover)

Dr. Meggs is professor and chief of the division of toxicology at the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina. He has been instrumental in the development of the theory of neurogenic switching, which is related to the study of inflammation. As such, he is definitely an expert on the subject of this book.

Dr. Meggs states that a growing body of medical research points to the process of inflammation in the body as a primary contributor to (if not an actual cause of) the major killer diseases: heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer (in particular, colon, stomach, esophageal, lung, breast and ovarian cancer). Inflammation is also implicated in chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, obesity and sleep disorders. It plays a major part in the bodily degeneration of aging, especially Alzheimer's and osteoporosis, and it is strongly implicated in the progression of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, asthma, dermatitis, lupus, and scleroderma.

Dr. Meggs provides clear, easily understood explanations of what inflammation is, how we get it, and how to avoid it. He also offers an inflammation quiz to allow you to self-screen for inflammation. His writing (and that of his co-author Carol Svec, an award-winning health writer) is accessible throughout the book, and the flow from subject to subject is so smooth, it invites the reader to study every word. In addition, the book contains a detailed table of contents, an index, and 21 pages of references for those who wish to pursue this subject further.

I found it extremely helpful that after making an extensive, well-documented case for the ravages of inflammation in the body, Dr. Meggs proceeded to list, in a non-overwhelming fashion, lifestyle changes that anyone can make which will lessen the personal health impact of inflammation. He also includes important information on non-prescription and prescription anti-inflammatory medications.

I would strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about inflammation. It is written in such a straightforward fashion that the lay public will have no trouble understanding it, and the information in it is so crucial and up-to-date, many healthcare professionals could benefit from reading it as well.

I was particularly interested in this book on a personal level, because within my immediate and extended family, all of the following diseases indicated by Dr. Meggs to be implicated in inflammation exist (and in some cases, abound): heart disease, stroke, diabetes, various cancers, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, obesity, sleep disorders, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and dermatitis. I plan to immediately implement many of this book's practical suggestions and discuss with my doctor at my upcoming annual physical what it has taught me about inflammation.

148 of 158 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Easy Read, Informative, Worth Keeping on Your Bookshelf, March 21, 2004

By 

Thumbtack "mparks20" (Sarasota, FL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Inflammation Cure : How to Combat the Hidden Factor Behind Heart Disease, Arthritis, Asthma, Diabetes, & Other Diseases (Hardcover)

The Inflammation Cure by Meggs and Svec, and The Inflammation Syndrome by Challem, both appeared in 2003 and both discuss the role of inflammation in the major diseases of our time, and the things that one can do to limit the risk of diseases related to inflammation. Both books are easy to read. Which to choose? According to the prestigious Library Journal, "While Jack Challem's The Inflammation Syndrome covers similar ground [to the Inflammation Cure], his approach leans toward the faddish and sensationalist, while Meggs takes a more levelheaded approach, weaving the latest research on various diseases into a broad picture." The thing I most prefer about Meggs' book is that it takes a comprehensive approach (including diet) to the things that affect inflammation, rather than spending the whole book just discussing the role of diet as is done in Challem's book. Challem is a health reporter who writes and publishes The Nutrition Reporter newsletter; it is natural that he would stress diet and its consequences. But diseases are caused and controlled by much more than our diet. Meggs is a practicing physician who has a great deal of clinical experience with all aspects of inflammation, and who has woven many real-life cases into the book as illustrations. So, which book should you buy? I have little doubt that you will find The Inflammation Cure by Meggs and Svec more informative and much more useful as a reference on your shelf.

73 of 76 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting and helpful book, October 10, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Inflammation Cure : How to Combat the Hidden Factor Behind Heart Disease, Arthritis, Asthma, Diabetes, & Other Diseases (Hardcover)

This is a good book. It's an easy read and the author clearly understands the connection between inflammation and lifestyle choices. His advice is interesting and helpful.

I agree with the reviewer below; this book is broad-based and really doesn't address specific inflammatory issues. The point of the book is to recognize how pervasive inflammation is among various health issues and to learn to make beneficial changes in our lives.

My one criticism is: the author states, "There is no need to take supplements for vitamins B6 or B12". I absolutely disagree. As many vegetarians (especially vegans) have learned the hard way, sometimes vitamin B12 supplements are essential. The author recommends a vegetarian diet, yet apparently doesn't recognize that one of the most common risks of a vegetarian diet is insufficient vitamin B12 intake. The author is potentially putting people at risk by not recognizing the possible need for vitamin B12 supplements (totally supported by research on vegetarians and vegetarian diets).