10 Lifestyle Changes That Prevent Chronic Inflammation

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If you are a person who regularly follows wellness articles on news and lifestyle websites, then you have likely been hearing a lot about inflammation. After obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and depression, next in line is chronic inflammation. In this article, we have discussed about the lifestyle changes that can prevent chronic inflammation.

So, what is inflammation? Inflammation is a part of the body's immune response to a stimulus that is viewed as foreign or toxic to your body. Inflammation can be beneficial when you have been injured and tissues need care and protection. However, sometimes, inflammation can persist much longer than necessary, causing more harm to the body.

The immediate reaction to a swelling is to try and decrease it. However, it is crucial to remember that inflammation is an essential part of the wound healing process.

The first stage of inflammation is called irritation, which then becomes swollen and causes redness. Inflammation is then followed by the discharging of pus. The next stage comes when new tissue is formed in the wound. Without inflammation, wounds and infections would never heal.

So, read on to know more about the lifestyle changes that can prevent chronic inflammation.

1. Avoid Antibiotics & Antacids

Antibiotics and antacids could alter your gut in ways that harm your microbiome, the trillions of gut bugs that help in doing everything from digesting your food to regulating your immune system. Damaging these microbes can cause inflammation that will shatter your intestinal wall and lead to a leaky gut. This in turn releases toxins that trigger an immune response, leading to chronic inflammation.

2. Meditation

A simple meditation practice along with yoga can vastly improve your health. A recent study conducted showed that the mind-body therapies reduce markers of inflammation. And you don't need to meditate for hours but just five or ten minutes a day can be beneficial. Practise yoga and meditation daily to prevent chronic inflammation.

3. Exercise Regularly

People who did at least two and a half hours of moderate exercise each week were found with lowered chances of inflammation by at least 12 percent. Studies have shown that extended exercises help reduce inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein. Acute inflammation can become chronic, so you have to exercise in such a way as to avoid turning those acute bouts of inflammation into a chronic one.

4. Reduce Your Exposure To Toxins

When your immune system has encountered a foreign substance including environmental toxins, it can react by creating inflammation. Detoxify your life by switching to safe, natural cleansers and personal care products. For instance, eat organic food, avoid plastic water bottles, and use only natural household cleaners.

5. Sleep Longer

Research shows that having a few hours of sleep each night can trigger pro-inflammatory changes. It is necessary that you sleep for at least seven hours to eight hours. To improve your sleep, turn off electronic devices before going to bed and use blackout curtains to block the outside light. Sleep is involved in healing and repairing of the heart and blood vessels.

6. Get Some Vitamin D

While too much exposure to sunlight is harmful to your skin, but at the same time, a little sun exposure is beneficial for the skin too. The vitamin D you get from sunlight is crucial for the immune system and a deficiency of this vitamin is associated with inflammation. Expose your body to the sunlight for 10 to 15 minutes each day.

7. Maintain Proper Hormone Levels

Hormones like insulin and cortisol are inflammatory to your system. Endocrine disruptors can suppress the thyroid hormones which not only regulate metabolism but are involved with gut health and inflammation. It plays a critical role in every physiological process in your body.

8. Correct Nutrient Deficiencies

The cells present in your bodies require specific nutrients to function properly and prevent diseases. Nutrients allow your body to produce energy, build and maintain tissues, regulate bodily processes, and help to fight inflammation. Nutrients aren't produced naturally in the body, so you have to acquire them from your diet. A nutritional deficiency happens when the body doesn't absorb or get the necessary amount of nutrients from foods.

9. Load Up On Anti-Inflammatory Foods

Eat more foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids. The best sources of anti-inflammatory foods are cold-water fish like salmon and tuna, tofu, walnuts, flax seeds and soybeans. Other anti-inflammatory foods include grapes, blueberries, garlic, celery, olive oil, tea and spices like ginger, rosemary and turmeric.

10. Quit Smoking

Smoking triggers an inflammatory response, and it also increases the rate of fatty deposits, or plaque, that build-up in the arteries, which leads to chronic inflammation. This increases the chances of blockage in the arteries that causes a heart attack.

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Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.