Originally Posted by mrsD

Inflammation occurs when the biochemistry of the body, gets skewed to the inflammatory cytokines made from the fats we eat.

http://chriskresser.com/why-fish-sto...ce-of-omega-3/

If too many Omega-6's are taken in (fried foods, trans fats) then inflammatory Cox-2 is fueled in excess to cause all sorts of grief. The chart on this link uses the older term eicosanoids, --cytokine and prostaglandins are two other terms used in this biochemistry interchangeably.

The healthy way is to balance 3's to 6's so that Cox-1 can do the job of maintaining the lining of the GI tract, lining in the lungs (to prevent upper respiratory infections, and other tissue disease).

NSAIDs (ibuprofen, naproxen), and aspirin, block both Cox-1 and Cox-2. This is how over time ulcers form in the intestine and stomach. Excess insulin also stimulates Cox-2 formation, and this is why sugar and excess carbs are inflammatory as well.

This is a complex biochemistry and even today many doctors do not understand it. Even this chart which is simplified is complex to understand.

There are books written about this for laymen, by Dr. Barry Sears PhD biochemist. His first book was Enter the Zone, and began the Zone Diet.

This book of his goes on to further explain "inflammation".
http://www.amazon.com/Anti-Inflammat...ds=Barry+Sears

So if a person consumes high %'s of omega-6 fats, and sugar/starches they will develop tissue inflammation.
The ratio to aim for is Omega-3 to 6 in a ratio of 1:1 or up to 1:5. Testing on children with ADD was done over a decade ago to show they had a ratio of 1:25 .... and this is why using fish oil and flax oil works to reduce ADD. This is what I did in our home 25 yrs ago, for my son, and for my husband and myself.