A simple blood test can help you determine whether hidden chronic inflammation is putting you at risk for a heart attack or other cardiovascular disaster.

The test for the level of C-reactive protein can be done in a doctor’s office. Unfortunately, the test is not yet routine, so patients should ask for it by name.

Inflammation is one of the body’s most powerful tools for survival.

According to the book You: Staying Young, without the super response from our immune system and the inflammation that is produced, people would die soon after they were born from all sorts of infections. It is that important.

When the body is under attack, there are particular peptides and proteins, called cytokines that go after the intruder. They then notify the immune system what to produce to fight the infection. Some cytokines are anti-inflammatory and some are pro-inflammatory. To stay healthy, our bodies need to have a balance between the two types, according to the authors of “You: Staying Young.”

Your C-reactive protein (also known as CRP) is produced by the liver. The levels of the C-reactive protein will soar when there is inflammation or serious infection.

This makes your CRP level an important marker to detect inflammation, and as a result, it subsequently is a great way to predict cardiovascular health and risk factors, says the book “You: Staying Young.”

The American Heart Association says that a CRP level of less than 1 milligram per liter of blood means you are at low risk for cardiovascular disease. People who have levels less than 3 milligrams per liter are at intermediate risk. Anyone with a CRP level higher than 3 milligrams per liter are at high risk for cardiovascular disease.

Anyone with an extremely high level, say 10 milligrams per liter, should come back for further testing. A level that high is usually due to a current illness or infection or even an arthritis flare up.

According to www.webmd.com, after looking at twelve different markers of inflammation for healthy postmenopausal women, CRP became the most accurate predictor. The three-year study showed CRP was the “strongest predictor of risk.”

“Women in the group with the highest CRP levels were more than four times as likely to have died from coronary disease, or to have suffered a nonfatal heart attack or stroke compared to those with the lowest levels. This group was also more likely to have required a cardiac procedure such as angioplasty (a procedure that opens clogged arteries with the use of a flexible tube) or bypass surgery than women in the group with the lowest levels,” according to the article on www.webmd.com.

Along with the important CRP blood test, people who want to fight inflammation can look at other ways to keep those levels down.

Nopalea Juice is one way. It is made from the Prickly Pear Cactus, which is not only an anti-inflammatory, but also a natural anti-oxidant.

As the importance of reducing inflammation becomes clear, the popularity of this all-natural juice has skyrocketed.

Frank Yocanis has been researching and writing about Nopalea for the past decade. He has even traveled to the Sonoran desert half a dozen times to study how Nopalea contains amazing properties that help with all kinds of joint pain, including chronic inflammation. He is excited to share how this antioxidant-rich drink can change your life.

Frank Yaconis has been studying the health benefits of Nopalea Juice for the past decade. He has even traveled to the Sonoran desert, home of the Nopal or Prickly Pear Cactus to learn more. Find out more at: http://www.nopalea.com.

Author Bio: Frank Yocanis has been researching and writing about Nopalea for the past decade. He has even traveled to the Sonoran desert half a dozen times to study how Nopalea contains amazing properties that help with all kinds of joint pain, including chronic inflammation. He is excited to share how this antioxidant-rich drink can change your life.

Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Keywords: Swollen Legs, Leg Pain, Swollen Ankles, Leg Swelling, TriVita