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These cells [macrophages]filter the blood, destroying cancer cells, viruses, bacteria, and other large particulate material. Macrophages also signal other white blood cells to seek out and destroy tumor cells.
From: Phyllis A. Balch, CNC. Prescription for Dietary Wellness: Using Foods to Heal. Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
When I was first diagnosed with Type-2 Diabetes a couple of years ago, I learned from my naturopathic doctor about the power of intermittent fasting and how this affected the internal, cellular inflammation that exists within us all (mostly due to our Standard American Diet).
It turns out that macrophages (a type of white blood cell) play an important role in anti-inflammatory processes within our bodies. These cells are mighty warriors inside of your body that, when operating in top form, decrease the inflammation that appears to be prevalent in many chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. (Article)
Macrophages Need a Break
Macrophages are always active within our bodies, straining under the heavy load of managing our diets, emotional stress, cortisol stress, external stress (pollutants and toxins).
Because many people in the U.S. eat processed and non-nutrient, packaged foods, we overload our entire body system with these stressors which produce the inflammation which in turn creates disease within our bodies.
Generally, we eat three meals per day spaced out over 10–12 hours. As we eat, our macrophages are at work to start battling the inflammation introduced through our “food”. If we are eating over several hours per day, along with snacks and energy drinks or coffee, our macrophages are barely keeping up with the onslaught of these inflammation-producing foods. As the inflammation builds up, and without our macrophages having time to deal with the chronic inflammation that we have already produced, we risk causing disease and sickness in our bodies.
Our macrophages are tired…
