The immune system’s job is to repair the body from physical injury and illness and protect the body from foreign invaders such as harmful germs and toxins. Like the physiological stress response, the immune system can be beneficial when short-term and under the control of the immune system or damaging and destructive with long-term health consequences.
The body’s inflammatory response is a survival mechanism designed to heal us when sick and repair our body when injured.
This biological response is part of the immune system and benefits health when utilized in brief and occasional moments. This healthy form of healing is short-lived and called acute Inflammation.
When we get injured, invaded by foreign germs, or recovering from illness, distressed cells signal the immune system to send support. In response, an army of “fighter cells” (a variety of white blood cells) is dispatched to the scene. We typically experience redness, swelling, heat, and sometimes pain in the injured area. Once repaired, germs removed, or healing is well underway, the inflammatory response settles down, and the injured area is no longer “on fire.”
Acute Inflammation is “good” Inflammation because it does an essential job and then quiets itself down.
When Inflammation persists, it becomes chronic (long-term), like a constantly smoldering fire in the body.
This long-term Inflammation is destructive to the health of tissues, often invisible and undetectable until symptoms surface, which often results in the development and progression of chronic (long duration and slow progression) disease.
Any disease labeled with “itis” is the cause of chronic Inflammation.
Diseases such as:
Gingivitis (gum disease)
Carditis (Cardiovascular disease)
Cognovits (Alzheimer’s)
Colitis (Intestinal disease)
Dermatitis (Skin Inflammation)
Arthritis (Joint pain)
And the list goes on.
Chronic Inflammation has been linked to many chronic diseases, such as:
Acne, eczema, and psoriasis
Allergies and asthma
Autoimmune diseases (arthritis, type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, lupus)
Certain Cancers
Chronic pain
Gastrointestinal disorders (Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis)
Heart disease and stroke
Lung diseases (emphysema)
Mental illnesses (anxiety, depression)
Metabolic diseases (type 2 diabetes)
Neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s)
How does chronic Inflammation begin?
It may start acutely—from an infection or injury—and then, instead of shutting off, it becomes persistent. The leading cause of chronic low-grade Inflammation can also occur with exposure to chemicals (e.g., tobacco) or radiation, consuming an unhealthy diet or too much alcohol, not being physically active, feeling stressed or socially isolated, and carrying excess weight.
Studies show that reducing Inflammation can reduce the risk of several of these conditions, including heart disease and cancer. Medications help lower Inflammation to treat some diseases, such as corticosteroids, immunosuppressants, and biologics. However, several lifestyle changes—including a healthy diet—can be beneficial to prevent and scale down Inflammation to reduce its many damaging effects on the body.
“For chronic low-grade inflammation not caused by a defined illness, lifestyle changes are the mainstay of prevention and treatment,” says Harvard Health. The good news is that anti-inflammatory foods help you stay healthy and reduce your risk of many diseases. An estimated 60 percent of chronic diseases could be prevented with a healthy diet and lifestyle interventions.
Now that we see that Inflammation underlies so many of our medical conditions, there is a lot you can do to extinguish those slow-burning, smoldering fires.
Evidence shows that most chronic diseases are preventable through lifestyle choices, and here are a few nutrition and lifestyle tips for reducing chronic Inflammation.
Nutrition
Enjoy an anti-inflammatory diet - Increase your intake of fruits and vegetables, whole grains (brown rice, oats, bran), nuts (almonds), seeds, fish, poultry, legumes (beans, lentils), and healthy oils (olive oil)
Pay particular attention to foods high in antioxidant polyphenols, including colorful plants such as berries, cherries, plums, red grapes, avocados, onions, carrots, beets, turmeric, green tea, and dark green leafy vegetables like spinach and kale.
Omega-3 fats can help to reduce pain and clear up Inflammation and are found in salmon, trout, mackerel, soy, walnuts, and flax.
High fiber foods (whole grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes) encourage friendly gut microbes to help reduce Inflammation.
Avoid charring foods when cooking at high temperatures.
Limit inflammatory foods such as red and processed meats (lunch meats, hot dogs, hamburgers), fried foods (fries), unhealthy fats (shortening, lard), sugary foods and drinks (sodas, candy, sports drinks), refined carbohydrates (white bread, cookies, pie), and ultra-processed foods (microwaveable dinners, dehydrated soups)
Be physically active
Regular exercise reduces Inflammation over the long term, so try to get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (brisk walking) per week, about 20-30 minutes per day.
Add two or more strength training sessions (using weights or resistance bands).
Get enough restful sleep.
Disrupted sleep has recently been linked to increased Inflammation and atherosclerosis (the buildup of plaque in the vessels that’s tied with heart disease), so aim for 7-9 hours of restful sleep every night to help the body heal and repair.
Tips for better sleep: try to maintain a regular sleep-wake schedule every day, get exposure to natural daylight earlier in the day, avoid caffeine later in the day, cut out screens an hour before bedtime, and create a relaxing nighttime routine.
Quit smoking and limit alcohol
Quitting smoking can help reduce Inflammation and several other health concerns by reducing exposure to toxins that are directly linked to Inflammation.
Limit your alcohol intake to no more than one or two drinks per day
Manage your stress
Did you know that unresolved stress and excessive worry mobilize the immune system? For this reason, it is crucial to relax, chill out and let it go, and engage in relaxing, stress-reducing activities such as mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), deep breathing, meditation, yoga, or tai chi.
Be Social
New research suggests that feeling socially isolated is linked with higher levels of Inflammation, so reach out to family and friends (or make new ones).
See your doctor or dentist.
Get your cholesterol and blood lipids tested because high amounts of “bad” LDL cholesterol are linked to Inflammation and negatively affect your vessels.
You can request a blood test to measure levels of CRP (C-reactive protein), which is a marker of Inflammation (this test is also used to check your risk of developing heart disease).
If your gums bleed when you brush or floss, this may be a sign of gum inflammation (gingivitis), so ramp up your oral hygiene and see your dentist.
Final thoughts
Chronic, long-term, low-level Inflammation is linked with many health issues. Food and lifestyle changes are the first approaches to preventing and improving this. Start by focusing on adding colorful fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and fish to your diet. Then layer in lifestyle upgrades like physical activity, restful sleep, and stress management.
What to learn more about reducing Inflammation? Set up a FREE 30-minute consultation with the health coach to get started!
References
Harvard Health. (2018, November 7). Foods that fight Inflammation. Retrieved from
Harvard Magazine. (2019 May-June). Could Inflammation be the cause of myriad chronic conditions? Retrieved from Inflammation might be the root of preventable disease | Harvard Magazine
Harvard Health. (2020, April). Understanding acute and Chronic Inflammation. Retrieved from
Harvard Health. (2020, May). Quick-start guide to an anti-inflammation diet. Retrieved from
Harvard Health. (2020, June). All about Inflammation. Retrieved from
Mayo Clinic. (2017, November 21). C-reactive protein test. Retrieved from C-reactive protein test - Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic. (2018, May 25). Home remedies: How a healthy diet can help manage pain. Retrieved from Home Remedies: How a healthy diet can help manage pain - Mayo Clinic News Network
Mayo Clinic. (2019, August 13). How to use food to help your body fight inflammation. Retrieved from How to use food to help your body fight inflammation - Mayo Clinic
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. (2020, April 4). Inflammation. Retrieved from Inflammation (nih.gov)
Neuroscience News. (2020, March 5). Social isolation could cause physical Inflammation. Retrieved from Social isolation could cause physical inflammation - Neuroscience News
University of California Berkeley News. (2020, June 4). Fitful nightly sleep linked to chronic Inflammation, hardened arteries. Retrieved from Fitful nightly sleep linked to chronic inflammation, hardened arteries | Berkeley News
University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health. (2018). The anti-inflammatory lifestyle. Retrieved from handout_ai_diet_patient.pdf (wisc.edu)
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