What Is Inflammation?
Inflammation is the immune system’s natural response to cell injury, harmful bacteria, viruses, pathogens, and toxic compounds in our bodies. It’s how your body naturally heals and protects itself.
Some inflammation is good. It’s a normal healthy response to harmful bacteria, irritants, compounds, and pathogens in the body. And when the body senses danger, it rallies the troops to attack a virus or infection.
“People think inflammation needs to be stomped out at all times, but it plays an essential role in healing and injury repair to keep your body safe and healthy.”
Inflammation can either be acute (short-lived) or chronic (long lasting). Acute inflammation is usually easy to see or feel. Think about the last time you got a cut or burn — you may have noticed the injured site began to appear red or swollen. A virus like a cold or the flu is another example of an acute immune response. Acute inflammation goes away in hours or days, and most of the time, it’s nothing to worry about.
Chronic inflammation, on the other hand, is hidden, so it’s tricky to see and feel. It can be present in the body for a long time before it’s even noticeable or diagnosable. In some cases, chronic inflammation can last months to many years.
Symptoms of Inflammation
When your body’s defense system kicks into high gear and inflammation lingers for a long time, the immune system will continue to send out chemical messengers and white blood cells. When this happens, white blood cells may go after healthy cells and tissue. Gradually over time — usually many years, the build up of inflammation and the resulting damage can begin to cause problematic symptoms.
These symptoms may include:
- Brain fog
- Lack of energy
- Digestive issues
- Mood disorders
- Frequent infections
- Aches and pains
- Stiff joints
- Skin issues (rashes, itching, acne)
- Sleep issues
- Weight gain or weight loss
- Hormone issues
Conditions Caused by Chronic Inflammation
Over time, when the body’s inflammatory response starts to damage healthy tissue, organs, and cells — it can lead to inflammation related health issues and conditions, such as autoimmune disease.
Some other conditions that are linked to chronic inflammation include:
- Cancer
- Alzheimer’s
- Dementia
- Obesity
- Arthritis
- Asthma
It’s never a good sign if your body’s immune system is triggering inflammation when there is nothing to fight off. This happens often when you have an autoimmune disease because your body is attacking itself instead of defending itself. According to the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, some 50 million Americans have one or more autoimmune conditions.
When too many pro-inflammatory cytokines from immune related cells are being produced, they can cause damage to the body. If the body’s set point is where it should be and you get an infection (like SARS or COVID-19), your body’s immune system reacts and kills off organisms to get rid of it.
But, when your set point is too high (like people with chronic disease) and you get an infection — inflammation can spiral out of control and may even result in death.
Inflammation Is a Warning Sign
The important thing to note here is that inflammation is a hidden stressor. When someone is diagnosed with autoimmune disease, research shows that things started brewing internally 4 to 10 years prior. This is because autoimmune diseases are often disguised as other conditions, offering very little clues to doctors as to what they truly are.
A great example to this is Addison’s disease also known as Adrenal Insufficiency.
Diagnosis of this uncommon disorder comes after 90% of your adrenal glands have been destroyed! Inflammation wreaks havoc on the adrenal cortex and the body can’t produce enough cortisol or aldosterone (steroid hormones), and you begin noticing symptoms. Our bodies need cortisol to survive so this is a debilitating disorder.
We all have some level of inflammation in our bodies. On the low end of the spectrum, you may experience mild symptoms like weight gain, weight loss or fatigue. On the high end of this continuum, you may experience hormone issues or autoimmune conditions.
High-inflammatory levels leading to autoimmune conditions don’t happen overnight. As I mentioned, this is something that builds up overtime.
Autoimmune conditions develop as a result of the immune system attacking healthy cells. Conditions like Hashimoto’s, Graves’ Disease, Sjogren’s, Rheumatoid Arthritis, type I diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and celiac are just a few examples of autoimmune disease.
How to Fight Inflammation
Lifestyle and food are the two primary methods used to reduce inflammation. Inflammation can be caused by food additives, pesticides, herbicides, and GMOs. How you live your life, how much sleep you get, and the stress you are under on a day to day basis are also contributing factors to where you fall on the inflammation spectrum.
Removing toxic foods from your diet needs to be the first step. What is inflammatory for one person may not be inflammatory for the next, so it’s important to pay attention to your body’s reactions and symptoms. We each have our own unique biochemistry, so discover what your body likes and do more of it.
When you get an upset stomach, bloating, a stuffy or runny nose, aches and pains, or fatigue… It may be time to kiss that food good-bye — at least temporarily.
Often processed foods, trans fats, chemicals, fried foods, refined grains, sugar, dairy, cured and processed meats, gluten, alcohol, coffee, chocolate, nuts/seeds, and legumes can be inflammatory. This doesn’t mean that you can never enjoy these foods or beverages again.
It does mean that you may benefit by avoiding them for a while so that your body can heal, regain balance, and return to a state of health. You may find that you feel so much better without one of these likely culprits that you choose to steer clear of it indefinitely.
The Standard American Diet (SAD) is full of refined sugars and processed foods. Turns out the average American only gets 10% of their calories from fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes. The Standard American Diet directly causes inflammation and contributes to a state of dis-ease.
I often work with clients on a one-on-one basis to help them discover what will move the needle in the right direction for them. However, I can’t offer a one-size-fits-all approach to reducing inflammation in your body.
What I can do is recommend an elimination diet to discover a dietary plan that works for you. Reducing inflammatory foods and incorporating more anti-inflammatory foods into your diet is the name of the game. Exercise will also make a big impact on managing chronic inflammation.
Find something you love to do and get moving!
As the Greek Father of modern medicine said, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”
Food should not be an afterthought. The food you eat and the lifestyle you live impact your health and well-being. What you eat can set you up for a long and healthy life or it can increase your risk for inflammation and disease. We all have a choice in how we live our lives. We must love ourselves enough to want to offer our bodies nourishing and delicious foods.
10 of My Favorite Tips for Fighting Inflammation
- Eat organic, whole, nutrient-dense foods (no processed foods). The polyphenols in plant foods are among Mother Nature’s best inflammation-fighting compounds.
- Increase the amount of fiber-rich foods you are eating. Our ancestors ate upwards of 40-50 grams of fiber a day. The average American eats just 15 grams of fiber each day. Instead of counting calories or macros, focus on your fiber intake.
- Aim for 6-9 cups of vegetables and fruits a day. Aim for a variety — try eating 30 different fruits and vegetables each week. Eat the rainbow. Incorporate more sea vegetables and anti-inflammatory herbs and spices like turmeric, cinnamon, oregano, ginger, cayenne, and basil. Don’t be afraid of healthy fats in avocado, coconut, and olives.
- Cook at home. It’s hard to know exactly what you are getting when you go out. You have more control at home. Get creative and have fun in the kitchen.
- Get some sleep and rest.
- Consider trying intermittent fasting to allow your body to heal and fight off inflammation. Try a 5-day fast-mimicking diet for a reset.
- Get moving! Take a walk. Join a gym. Find something that you love to do and commit to being consistent.
- Eat more omega-3 fatty acids. You’ll find these in wild-caught fish (salmon, tuna, anchovies, and sardines), oysters, flaxseed, walnuts, Brazil nuts, chia seeds, hemp seeds, dark leafy greens, and sea vegetables.
- Get outside and enjoy nature.
- Reduce stress by incorporating more mindfulness, meditation, journaling, praying, deep breathing, and yoga into your life.
The Takeaway
Inflammation combined with our immune system is how we fight off invading organisms. When it’s triggered by stress, toxins in our environment, or unhealthy food or lifestyle choices, it can spin out of control. It’s time to take back your life and fight back with a healthy diet and lifestyle.
Now it’s time to hear from you. Were you surprised to learn about the symptoms caused by inflammation? Do you plan on trying out my 10 tips to a healthier lifestyle? Let me know your thoughts and questions in the comments below!