The 5 easiest ways to reduce inflammation in your body, according to doctors
If inflammation were a person, we’d picture her as a confident power woman, AirPods in and belting Mariah Carey’s 'Why you so obsessed with meeee?' That’s because the wellness world is hooked on everything anti-inflammatory — from what you eat to the supplements you take.
Put plainly, inflammation is your body’s response to inside threats, like an injury — and too much of it can sabotage your health. But let’s take a step back: There’s a bad and a good kind.
'Inflammation is often mentioned as a dirty word, but it can be lifesaving if you have an infection,' says Robert Shmerling, MD, clinical chief of rheumatology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and an associate professor at Harvard Medical School.
The protective stuff he’s referring to is acute inflammation, which is the temporary redness, pain, and swelling that crop up as the result of, say, a bug bite or a sprained ankle. Chronic inflammation, on the other hand, is the naughty player, and the one experts are referring to when they talk about inflammation as a main driver of disease. It’s like a slow burn in the immune system, simmering over time and silently wreaking havoc on organs, joints, and blood vessels.
Meet the experts: Robert Shmerling, MD, is the clinical chief of rheumatology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and an associate professor at Harvard Medical School. Jordan Metzl, MD, is a sports medicine physician at the Hospital for Special Surgery. James Gray, MD, is a cardiologist with Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine.
Truth: You can defend against chronic inflammation on your own, no gimmicks required. Just familiarise yourself with the proven health habits that help keep chronic inflammation under control ahead, then adjust your habits (but for real this time).
1. Do your best to get at least seven hours of sleep most nights
You snuggle in bed with your love (that is, your iPad with the HBO app open) at 11 and pass out during episode three. Next thing you know? Your 6 a.m. alarm is popping off. You’re not getting enough shut-eye, which means you could be fanning chronic inflammation.
Reducing sleep to four hours for just one night has been shown in research to elevate inflammatory markers in the body. (No surprise, then, that sleep deprivation is associated with elevated risks for hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.)
Try this: Most adults need seven to nine hours a night. (Yeah, yeah, you know this.) So your goal now is to, er, actually make that happen. Try the reverse alarm: Just like you set an alarm to wake up, schedule a lights-out alert to nudge yourself to your pillow—sans gadgets.
2. Floss regularly (for real!)
Inflammation associated with gingivitis and gum disease appears to be linked to chronic inflammation elsewhere in the body.
Other recurring infections (e.g., UTIs) may also be connected to widespread internal damage, though it’s unclear why. Gum disease stands out, though, because it’s common and doesn’t necessarily cause glaring symptoms, so not everyone takes it seriously and gets it treated, Dr. Shmerling explains.
Try this: Standard string-cleaning-turned-bloody-gums doesn’t make this aspect of dental care any more inviting. We get it. But not all flosses are created equal. Shop around and ask your dentist for recs that feel gentle on the gums, as opposed to sharp and plastic-like. Just can’t commit to the string kind? Try tiny interdental brushes (the mini bristles may be more pleasant) or a water flosser. When flossing doesn’t feel like torture, Dr. Shmerling says, you’re more likely to do it twice a day.
Woven Dental Floss
Cordless Rechargeable Portable Water Flosser
Glide Ultra Deep Clean Floss Picks
3. Practice regular workout recovery
We don't know for certain yet if your power barre class is any better or worse for icing the internal burn than a HIIT session or run. But we do know that consistent moderate physical activity is probably one of the top ways to quell chronic inflammation.
In addition, overexerting yourself during all workouts and skipping rest time impedes your body’s healing process and can backfire: 'Chronic inflammation can promote tissue breakdown and encourage muscle atrophy,' says Jordan Metzl, MD, a sports medicine physician at the Hospital for Special Surgery. (Rest day, is that you?)
Try this: There’s no be-all and end-all rehab prescription to undo inflammation from workout overload. Slate regular days off and plan for other forms of physical recovery (such as massage, foam rolling, and hot and cold therapy) that work for you to balance out intense sessions.
4. Implement consistent stress-management tools into your life
Stress has been connected to heart disease, heart attacks, diabetes, and frequent infections — and inflammation in the system is thought to be the bridge for all. Anger, too, may elevate inflammatory markers, according to a new study by the American Psychological Association.
Try this: Deliberately planning for taxing or irritating situations could help buffer the negative feels before they hit, research shows. 'Stress is more of a perceived reaction,' says James Gray, MD, a cardiologist with Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine. 'The situation doesn’t change, but you can alter how you respond.' In your calendar, use another colour to highlight events you anticipate being emotionally demanding, so you can make a mental note about what’s coming, prepare your mind and schedule extra self-care time accordingly.
5. Prioritise eating whole foods
You’ve probably seen the term 'anti-inflammatory diet'. But the eating regimen doesn’t need such a formal title (#marketing).
This diet doesn’t have one specific outline, but more generally includes foods that support the body by providing the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that keep our systems working properly, says Ginger Hultin, RDN, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Try this: Living by basic nutritious eating rules — going hard in the produce aisle, dialing back on white bread — means your diet is on its way to being anti-inflammatory.
How to know if your inflammation levels are in a healthy range
You can’t exactly see or feel chronic inflammation; it’s happening internally. So you may wonder if you need some sort of scan for it.
The answer: not if you’re healthy, says Dr. Shmerling.
There’s no easy, reliable way to know if heat is building, and the medical tests available are really meant for people with known risk factors for chronic illnesses associated with inflammation, like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. (The most common scan for inflammatory markers like these is the C-reactive protein test.) You don’t need a high-tech exam if you’re owning our advice and seeing a doc for your usual checkups.
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