How to Manage Inflammation
What is inflammation?
Inflammation is caused as a result of the body’s natural defense mechanisms. Inflammation can present itself in a number of ways such as swelling, redness, fatigue/pain. Research shows that white blood cells produce substances that are designed to protect the body from viruses and bacteria.
Auto-immune diseases can trigger similar reactions, even without any threat. It has been found that diseases such as depression, arthritis, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s have all been associated with chronic inflammation.
The heart and lungs can also be affected by inflammation. It can potentially increase chances of developing symptoms such as shortness of breath, high blood pressure, and fluid retention. If not treated, inflammation overtime can promote serious chronic diseases.
It is possible to manage inflammation through diet, exercise and stress-management. By increasing the amount of whole foods you consume allows the body to increase detoxification and allows inflammation to lower. Consuming nutrient-dense foods, such as berries and leafy greens, can help keep inflammation down as well.
There are specific foods that are helpful to avoid to prevent or treat inflammation specifically sugar. Sugar can trigger the release of inflammatory messengers. Read all food labels to check ingredients as well as the amount of sugar in each serving. Sugar seems to be added into everything it can be overwhelming to start reading every label. What is most helpful is to avoid packaged foods as often as possible. When you do purchase a packaged product make sure to look for the added sugar content, trying to keep it to a minimum.
Another source of inflammation is over-consumption of inflammatory processed oils. By removing oils from the diet, we can avoid the inflammation trigger from this category altogether. Other than coconut, olive or avocado oil all other oils should be avoided if possible. Again, many packaged foods have added oils, so do the best to make as many things from a whole food source as possible.
Activities such as meditation, walking, yoga, journaling, painting, and even breathing exercises can dramatically help to reduce some of the effects of stress, which overall will help to decrease inflammation.
