Is Inflammation Impacting Your Health?

Inflammation is one of the top indicator’s of chronic disease in modern society.  Inflammation is a necessary biological process that draws our immune system to pay attention to certain tissues in the body. 

Inflammation isn’t always a bad thing. Our bodies use inflammation as a way to protect and heal injuries. Swelling naturally occurs after an injury – like a cut to the finger – to help in the healing process. Similarly, inflammation happens during some illnesses and is part of the cycle of healing. So, in some cases inflammation is an appropriate and necessary part of getting better. Having said that, chronic inflammation can be a chief reason people are in pain when injuries and illnesses aren’t present.

Much of the chronic inflammation people feel comes from two things

• Foods that promote inflammation
• Sedentary lifestyle

What you’re eating – and not eating – could be causing inflammation in your body 

Our diet can be a contributing factor for inflammation. The foods we are eating and the ones we aren’t can create or heal inflammation. Some foods that cause inflammation are pretty easy to identify but there are foods that you might not think contribute. It’s valuable to understand what foods promote healing and which ones contribute to inflammation.

Overall, inflammation-causing foods are lumped into groups. Groups like

• Processed foods
• Alcohol
• Refined carbohydrates
• Oils

These categories account for a lot of foods so it’s important to take a look at the foods you eat on a regular basis and identify foods that might be adding to chronic inflammation. Additionally, while these are the top categories of foods that can cause inflammation, your body is unique and may react to what’s considered a “healthy” food. Issues like food allergies can cause chronic inflammation you may not be aware of.

Failure to move your body can contribute to inflammation

Living a sedentary lifestyle is a chief contributor to chronic illnesses, including Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Failure to move regularly can deteriorate muscle tone and reduce the vitality and ease of movement for joints. Stiffness can morph into mobility restrictions that could be avoided or improved through exercise. Eating anti-inflammatory foods can ease some diseases like arthritis.

Inflammation can be a chief reason people live with chronic pain. The good news is many of the reasons people have inflammation can be reduced or stopped entirely by a healthy diet and getting exercise. Making simple changes in your diet, including eliminating unhealthy foods and introducing anti-inflammatory foods, can reduce inflammation quickly. Becoming more active can help speed things up even more. Reducing chronic inflammation is something you can take control of and become pain free.

Are you struggling with inflammation?  Stay tuned for more articles to come on this topic.