For years, I have had the contention that one of the main reasons people gain weight is because of mechanisms that increase inflammation. Whether the trigger is environmental toxins or stress, foods that cause an inflammatory response, infections or genetic factors, inflammation is one of the main reasons people worldwide are becoming obese.

Dr, Allan Zhao of the University of Pittsburgh, while researching levels of leptin in obese people, found that while the levels of this substance were equivalent to thin people, their C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were substantially higher.  Experiments have shown that CRP binds with leptin which is a hormone that has been shown to help control appetite. By binding to leptin, the CRP prevents the receptor sites in the brain from being stimulated to reduce the person’s appetite. This is a major breakthrough and can lead to numerous new ways of treating obesity.

C-reactive protein not only has been linked to obesity with this study but other research has hinted at a strong relationship with coronary heart disease (CHD) as well.  The big question is what causes increased levels of CRP?

We know that toxins (and remember that I have a broad definition of toxicity) can and do stimulate cells to signal the body that damage has occurred.  They do this by releasing an array of pro-inflammatory substances like prostaglandins, leukotrienes, and cytokines. If the stimulant to inflammation is constant, chronic inflammation can cause a vast array of diseases like arthritis, CHD, asthma, colitis, eczema and many others.

My upcoming book, Achieving Victory over a Toxic World, will deal with this issue a lot deeper with powerful suggestions on how to help remove the toxic stressors and get your life back on track.