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How To Reduce Inflammation 2023: 4 Ways To Try For Your Body
Reviewed by Brittany Ferri, PhD
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Inflammation is a natural immune response that helps the body eliminate harmful agents and repair damaged tissue. While it is an essential defense mechanism, excessive or chronic inflammation can lead to tissue damage, impaired organ function and the development of chronic diseases. There are various ways and substances that may decrease inflammation including supplements like CBD, Alma powder and super greens.
In this article we’re not going to discuss specific supplements, but lifestyle changes you can make to decrease inflammation. We’ll start by explaining what inflammation is and let you know when you need to see a doctor! We’ll give you a lot of useful information so keep reading to learn everything you need to know about inflammation!
How To Reduce Inflammation?
Reducing inflammation can be achieved through various lifestyle changes and dietary habits. Someone can reduce the amount of inflammation in their body by following a balanced diet with mostly healthy foods. Regular exercise, stress management techniques, and getting adequate sleep can also help reduce inflammation. Additionally, avoiding processed foods, sugar and excessive alcohol consumption can help lower inflammation levels.
What Is Inflammation?
Inflammation is a complex biological process that occurs in response to tissue damage, infection, or other harmful stimuli. It is a vital defense mechanism that helps the body to eliminate harmful agents and repair damaged tissue. The process of inflammation involves a coordinated response by the immune system, blood vessels, and various cells in the affected tissue.
The key features of inflammation include redness, swelling, heat, pain, and loss of function. These symptoms are a result of increased blood flow to the affected area, accumulation of immune cells, and release of various signaling molecules. The initial phase of inflammation is characterized by the activation of the innate immune system, which involves the recruitment of immune cells such as neutrophils and macrophages to the site of injury or infection.
Inflammation comes in two basic forms, acute and chronic inflammation. Acute inflammation is a short-term response to injury or infection, and it typically resolves within a few days to a week. Chronic inflammation, on the other hand, can persist for months or even years and is associated with various chronic disease states such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and cardiovascular disease.
While inflammation is essential for the body’s defense against harmful agents, excessive or chronic inflammation can be detrimental to health. It can lead to tissue damage, impaired organ function and the development of chronic diseases. Therefore, it is essential to maintain a balanced immune response to prevent excessive inflammation and promote healing.
How To Reduce Inflammation
Adjust Your Diet
A good diet[1] can have a significant impact on reducing inflammation in the body. Consuming a diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and fatty fish can help reduce inflammation. These foods contain nutrients and antioxidants that have anti-inflammatory properties that can help protect the body from damage caused by inflammation.
On the other hand, consuming a diet high in processed foods, sugar and saturated and trans fats can promote inflammation in the body. These foods can stimulate the production of pro-inflammatory molecules, leading to chronic low-grade inflammation.
An anti-inflammatory diet can also help maintain a healthy weight, which is essential for reducing inflammation. Being overweight or obese can contribute to inflammation in the body and losing weight can help reduce inflammation and improve overall health.
In addition to reducing inflammation, a healthy diet can also help manage chronic conditions associated with inflammation such as heart disease[2], type 2 diabetes[3] and arthritis[4]. Therefore, making dietary changes is an essential component of managing inflammation and promoting overall health and wellbeing.
Stress Management
Stress[5] management is an effective way to decrease inflammation in the body. Chronic stress can trigger the release of stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, which can contribute to inflammation by activating the immune system. Therefore, reducing stress can help reduce inflammation in the body. Regular exercise is an effective way to manage stress and reduce inflammation. Exercise can improve circulation, promote the release of anti-inflammatory molecules and reduce the production of stress hormones.
Sleep
Getting adequate sleep[6] is an essential factor in reducing inflammation in the body. Sleep is a vital time for the body to repair and regenerate tissues, and a lack of sleep can contribute to chronic inflammation.
During sleep, the body produces cytokines, which are molecules that play a critical role in the immune response. These cytokines can have both pro- and anti-inflammatory effects, and a lack of sleep can alter the balance of these cytokines, leading to increased inflammation.
Additionally, lack of sleep can lead to increased production of stress hormones, such as cortisol, which can also contribute to inflammation. Chronic sleep deprivation has been linked to several conditions associated with inflammation, such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and inflammatory bowel disease.
Getting adequate sleep can help reduce inflammation in the body by promoting the production of anti-inflammatory molecules and reducing the production of pro-inflammatory molecules. Therefore, getting enough sleep is an essential component of managing inflammation and promoting overall health and wellbeing.
Avoiding Smoking And Alcohol
Avoiding smoking[7] and excessive alcohol consumption[8] can decrease inflammation in the body. Smoking can trigger the production of free radicals, which can damage cells and tissues and trigger an immune response leading to chronic inflammation. Smoking has been linked to several inflammatory conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and rheumatoid arthritis.
Similarly, excessive alcohol consumption can also contribute to inflammation in the body. Alcohol can trigger the release of pro-inflammatory molecules, leading to inflammation and tissue damage. Chronic alcohol consumption has been linked to several conditions associated with inflammation, such as liver disease, pancreatitis, and certain types of cancer.
Avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol consumption is an essential component of managing inflammation and promoting overall health and wellbeing. By eliminating or reducing these habits, individuals can reduce their risk of developing chronic inflammatory conditions and improve their overall health.
When To See A Doctor
Inflammation is a natural immune response to injury or infection. However, sometimes the inflammatory response can become chronic and contribute to several health conditions. It’s essential to know when to see a doctor due to inflammation.
If you experience persistent or severe inflammation, it’s essential to seek medical attention. Some signs of inflammation[9] that warrant a visit to the doctor include:
- Pain and swelling: If you experience pain and swelling that doesn’t improve with self-care, it’s important to see a doctor. These symptoms may be a sign of an underlying condition that requires medical treatment.
- Fever: A fever is a common sign of inflammation and can be a sign of an infection or inflammatory condition. If you experience a fever that doesn’t improve or lasts for more than a few days, it’s important to see a doctor.
- Fatigue and malaise: Chronic inflammation can cause fatigue and a general feeling of malaise. If you experience these symptoms, along with other signs of inflammation, it’s important to see a doctor to rule out an underlying condition.
- Chronic conditions: If you have a chronic condition such as arthritis or inflammatory bowel disease, it’s important to see a doctor if you experience a flare-up of symptoms.
If you experience any of these signs of inflammation, it’s important to seek medical attention. A healthcare provider can help diagnose and treat any underlying conditions and develop a plan to manage inflammation and promote overall health and wellbeing.
Conclusion
Inflammation is a necessary process that helps the body to fight against harmful agents and promote healing. However, chronic or excessive inflammation can lead to tissue damage, impaired organ function and various chronic diseases.
To reduce inflammation, individuals can make lifestyle changes such as adjusting their diet, managing stress, getting adequate sleep, avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol consumption and seeking medical attention when necessary. These lifestyle changes can help reduce the risk of developing chronic inflammatory conditions and improve overall health and wellbeing. By understanding the importance of managing inflammation, individuals can take control of their health and promote a healthier life.
Frequently Asked Questions
Inflammation is a complex biological process that occurs in response to tissue damage, infection or other harmful stimuli.
The hallmark features of Inflammation are redness, swelling, heat, pain and loss of function.
Eat a healthy diet, manage stress, Get adequate amounts of sleep and avoid alcohol and smoking.
Acute Inflammation is a short-term response to injury or infection and it typically resolves within a few days to a week.
Chronic Inflammation can persist for months or even years and is associated with various diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, Inflammatory bowel disease and cardiovascular disease.
+ 9 sources
MIDSS adheres to strict procurement guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutes, and medical associations. We work mainly with peer-reviewed studies to ensure the accuracy of the information. We avoid the use of tertiary references. You can read about how we ensure the accuracy and timeliness of our content in our editorial process.
- Ricker, M.A. and Haas, W.C. (2017). Anti-Inflammatory Diet in Clinical Practice: A Review. Nutrition in Clinical Practice, [online] 32(3), pp.318–325. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/0884533617700353.
- Hu, F.B. (2002). Optimal Diets for Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease. JAMA, [online] 288(20), p.2569. doi:https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.288.20.2569.
- Steyn, N., Mann, J., Bennett, P., Temple, N., Zimmet, P., Tuomilehto, J., Lindström, J. and Louheranta, A. (2004). Diet, nutrition and the prevention of type 2 diabetes. Public Health Nutrition, [online] 7(1a), pp.147–165. doi:https://doi.org/10.1079/phn2003586.
- Cleland, L.G., Hill, C.L. and James, M.J. (1995). Diet and arthritis. Baillière’s Clinical Rheumatology, [online] 9(4), pp.771–785. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/s0950-3579(05)80313-9.
- Black, P.H. and Garbutt, L.D. (2002). Stress, inflammation and cardiovascular disease. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, [online] 52(1), pp.1–23. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/s0022-3999(01)00302-6.
- Simpson, N. and Dinges, D.F. (2008). Sleep and Inflammation. Nutrition Reviews, [online] 65, pp.S244–S252. doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1753-4887.2007.tb00371.x.
- Gonçalves, R.B., Coletta, R.D., Silvério, K.G., Benevides, L., Casati, M.Z., da Silva, J.S. and Nociti, F.H. (2011). Impact of smoking on inflammation: overview of molecular mechanisms. Inflammation Research, [online] 60(5), pp.409–424. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s00011-011-0308-7.
- Imhof, A., Froehlich, M., Brenner, H., Boeing, H., Pepys, M.B. and Koenig, W. (2001). Effect of alcohol consumption on systemic markers of inflammation. The Lancet, [online] 357(9258), pp.763–767. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(00)04170-2.
- Stone, W.L., Basit, H. and Burns, B. (2022). Pathology, Inflammation. [online] Nih.gov. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK534820/.
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