5 Ways to Reduce Inflammation In Your Body

Some of the causes of chronic inflammation…

Chronic inflammation is triggered by numerous factors, but most of them are within your control and can be avoided. Take a look at this list. Anything sound familiar?

• Poor dietary choices like processed foods, too many animal products, sugary drinks, trans fats and certain unhealthy saturated fats, and excess alcohol
• Gut health issues
• Food allergies
• Chronic infections (bacteria, viruses, yeast, parasites)
• Stress and exhaustion
• Sedentary lifestyle

There are countless other causes of chronic inflammation, but these are some of the biggies. If you don’t think that these things are a risk to your long term health — think again. Next stop, the toll they take on your well-being.

The results of chronic inflammation…

Over time, chronic inflammation wears out your immune system, leading to chronic diseases and other health issues, including cancer, asthma, autoimmune diseases, allergies, irritable bowel syndrome, arthritis, osteoporosis, and even (gasp!) appearing older than your years. Unfortunately, these challenges are often only treated with drugs and surgery, which may provide temporary relief from the symptoms, but do not treat the root of the problem. In addition, these drugs (and their side effects) sometimes only add to your health problems. Could it be that many of the pills in your cabinet are just band-aids and that the key to health lies in your daily diet and lifestyle choices? 

The integrative MDs are helping their patients identify and address their health issues by looking at the way they lead their lives and nipping their inflammation-inducing habits in the bud. If possible, find an integrative doctor who can help you along the way and target your unique needs. They can also test your blood for inflammation (make sure your doc requests a CRP—C-reactive Protein test).
Although this may seem overwhelming, it’s actually the opposite. The following tips will empower you and help you reduce inflammation over time.

How to reduce chronic inflammation…

1. Eat more plant-based, whole, nutrient-dense foods. Crowd out the inflammatory foods we discussed above (refined sugar and flour, processed junk, animal products, etc.) by adding a variety of plant-based whole foods to your diet. These foods will flood your body with the vitamins, minerals, cancer-fighting phytochemicals, antioxidants and fiber it needs to recover from chronic inflammation.

2. Focus on gut health. Your gut holds approximately 60-70 percent of your immune system, so it stands to reason that it would be a great place to reduce chronic inflammation. And if your gut is in bad shape, you can only imagine that your immune system is in some serious trouble. A great way to start is by taking a daily probiotic.

3. Identify and address food allergies and chronic (or hidden) infections. You could be fighting a losing battle if you’re ignoring potential food sensitivities and/or infections. If your body is working to cope and fight these challenges everyday, you can bet that you’re stoking the fires of inflammation on a regular basis.
Gluten, soy, dairy, eggs, and yeast are common food allergens that might be distracting your immune system every time you sit down for a meal. These allergies can be identified with a blood test.
Become a symptoms detective. Only you can determine how you feel when you eat, which is where an elimination diet comes in handy. While following the elimination approach, you remove all common allergens from your diet and then slowly reintroduce them, one by one. Talk to your doc about these options, and do some independent research at Google University.
Another possibility worth exploring is chronic infection (bacteria, viruses, yeast, parasites). These guys could be hiding out in your body just under the radar and dragging your immune system down. You have a couple options for testing — look at your bloodwork and/or your poop. It may not be pretty, but knowledge is power, so be brave and have your stool checked.
You may also want to look into Leaky Gut Syndrome, a condition that can result in damage to your intestinal lining. When this occurs, bacteria, undigested food and other toxins can literally “leak” into your bloodstream, triggering an autoimmune response and a host of painful inflammatory symptoms. A simple urine test, such as Genova Diagnostics’ Intestinal Permeability Test, will tell you if you need to plug up those leaks — so to speak.

4. Relax and rest more. Your body is hard at work repairing and restoring your glorious cells while you sleep. Most doctors recommend seven to eight hours of sleep per night. If you’re cutting corners in the snooze department, you’re cheating your immune system, which means it needs to kick into high gear in an effort to keep you well (hello, inflammation!).
Stress goes hand in hand with a lack of sleep and a laundry list of demands in our daily lives. Unfortunately, when you’re stressed out all the time, you’re also producing more of the hormone cortisol  — inflammation’s BFF. It stands to reason that you can easily reduce chronic inflammation by focusing on stress reduction, whether it’s through more sleep, yoga, meditation, long walks, less technology or a much needed vacation. 

5. Reduce toxins in your food, home and personal care products. Your body’s alarm system goes off when you absorb toxic chemicals and pesticides through your digestive tract and your skin. Cut down your exposure by eating organic foods whenever possible and choosing non-toxic personal care and cleaning products.