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Damage to
cartilage
More cytokines
means more
inflammation
Yoga has been shown
to reduce cytokines,
including: IL-1beta,
TNF-alpha, IL6,
and IL10
Finger joint
inflamed with
rheumatoid
arthritis
T-cell
White blood cells
White blood cells are like warriors ghting
viruses, bacteria, and cancer cells in your
body. Fragments of the invaders, called
antigens, are presented so the warriors can
strategically ght using the right antibodies
and chemical messengers, called cytokines.
Communication is key—miscommunication
can lead to chronic inammation.
DENDRITIC CELL
These present antigens,
which the body
recognizes as a foreign
invader. They activate
T-cells to do their job.
MACROPHAGE
Hungry hunter cells
(see phagocytosis
below) that also release
cytokines to induce
inflammation.
B-CELL
A type of lymphocyte
that secretes antibodies,
which are proteins
specialized to fight
specific antigens.
T-CELL
A type of lymphocyte
that is activated to fight
by the presentation of
antigens. There are
many specialized types.
INFLAMED JOINT
A cascade of events can
lead to inflammation, joint
damage, loss of function,
and possibly pain.
CYTOKINES
These are inflammatory
markers that encourage
an immune response.
PHAGOCYTOSIS
Macrophages (white) patrol your body
on alert for invaders (red) to engulf
and eat, in a process called phagocytosis
.
INFLAMMATORY RESPONSE
Inflammation often involves heat, pain, redness, and swelling
due to a cascade of events where white blood cells fight invaders.
In an autoimmune disease, they mistakenly fight body tissue. For
example, rheumatoid arthritis (see below) can flare to cause local
inflammation and body-wide inflammation.
Macrophage
Inflammation
Blood
vessel
Healthy
cartilage
Lymph
node
Dendritic cell
Antigen
fragment
B-cell releases
antibodies
Cytokines
(inflammatory
markers)
Yoga and
inammation
Yoga seems to help attenuate
inammation by reducing the
stress response, which may
reduce your disease risk. A
review shows that yoga
practice reduces cytokine
count and therefore
inammation. Scientists
hypothesize that a long-term,
regular practice would be
most eective.
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