Inflammation Resources

The Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet) is one that has been followed by certain populations from warmer climates for thousands of years. Many of these people seem to live in good health to an advanced age. Is this due to where they live and maybe a more laid-back lifestyle, or is their diet also responsible for this rude health? More recently, the popularity and publicity on the MedDiet seems to have grown exponentially

Inflammation occurs when the body tries to protect itself from infection by foreign organisms, such as bacteria and viruses. It involves several processes in the body, including action by white blood cells (cytokines). The whole process is known as an immune response. A short sharp immune reaction is called an acute inflammatory response, such as a bee sting, while other immune responses can go on for some time and are known as chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation is caused by a number of factors, such as carrying extra weight, pollution in the environment, and also poor diet and lifestyle. Long-term chronic inflammation can lead to diseases such as heart disease, cancers, Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis and even depression. Inflammation is also linked to metabolic changes and metabolic disorders, such as diabetes. This article looks at how diet and lifestyle can help to alleviate inflammation, with emphasis on chronic inflammation.

In a busy general practice setting, some women’s health issues are perceived by the patients to have been dismissed with a prescription for Prozac, or just played down and the woman told that there is nothing wrong. Wanting women’s health issues to be addressed fully and respectfully is why the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology developed its publication and campaign, ‘Better for Women’, with the aim of steering the UK away from providing a disease intervention service towards a preventative health service, which addresses the determinants of health throughout the woman’s life course. Without doubt, some women’s health issues can be helped with medication; but this should not be the first approach. Further, medication is more likely to work well if women’s health and lifestyle issues are also addressed. Top diet and lifestyle issues include excess weight, lack of physical activity, and stress; and many of these are intertwined. Addressing these issues when dealing with the three top women’s health conditions: menopause, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and premenstrual syndrome (PMS), is essential — to move straight into the medication option and ignoring lifestyle changes often means the problem may never truly be solved long term.

Cannabis has been around for millennia and is a popular recreational drug. A recent survey found that it is the most frequently used substance in the 16–59-year age group (Home Office, 2018). Recently, it has been approved for medicinal purposes and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE, 2019) has published guidance for specialist medical staff on prescribing cannabis. There have been studies on the potential beneficial effects of cannabis on pain, particularly in conditions such as multiple sclerosis and terminal cancer (Calignano et al, 1998; Russo, 2008; Whiting et al, 2015). There have also been publications on the use of cannabis in some dermatological conditions (Whiting et al, 2015), but very little published evidence on how or whether cannabis impacts on wound healing. With the widespread use of cannabis, it is likely that healthcare professionals will care for cannabis users who also have wounds. This article discusses some of the current available evidence to establish if and how cannabis may affect the wound healing process in order to advise patients on how to optimise wound healing.

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that can have a debilitating impact on patients. It affects 2% of the UK population (Gelfand et al, 2005), and although it can develop at any age, usually occurs in adults rather than children (NHS Choices, 2015). General practice nurses (GPNs) will often encounter patients with psoriasis in their dayto- day practice, but can lack confidence when advising these patients on the effective management of the condition. This article outlines the causes of psoriasis and provides practical advice for GPNs on assessment and treatment in primary care. The author also outlines the psychological effects of psoriasis, and discusses referral guidelines.