Cellular level inflammation underlies many health problems, both serious and merely annoying. Long term, chronic inflammation underlies cardiovascular disease, cancers, diabetes, asthma, and a long list of autoimmune diseases. It also makes you more vulnerable to less threatening illnesses such as colds and flu.
Here are five lifestyle steps that you can take to combat chronic cellular inflammation. And none of them require a prescription.
1. You Are What You Eat
It should be no surprise that a healthy diet leads the list. Not only does a healthy diet reduce inflammation but a poor on exacerbates it. To make this as simple as possible, fresh, whole foods are good and refined, processed foods are bad. This is problematic because refined, highly processed foods also tend to be tasty, convenient and, cheaper than fresh foods. But there is no free ride. You pay now, or you pay later.
Don't make this complicated, it doesn't need to be. Start out by increasing the amount of fresh produce, seafood, nuts and whole grains that you eat each day. Even a dozen blueberries on your morning cereal or having salmon or tuna once or twice a week will make a difference.
At the same time, begin to reduce the refined white flour, sugar and trans fats you consume. The sugar, especially, promotes inflammation and it is hidden in every processed food you eat.
Preparation method also matters. Fast food and fried foods, even prepared fresh, incite inflammation. If you must fry your food, pay attention to the type of oil you use and be sure to fry at a high enough temperature.
2. Get Enough Sleep
You already know that you should be getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night. But are you doing it? Even a few days of getting less sleep than you need increases inflammation in your body.
Decide what time you need to be up tomorrow morning. Subtract 8 hours. That is the time you need to get to bed. Yes. Weekends too.
3. Step On Out
Start walking. You don't have to set aside an hour for an "official" walking session (although there is nothing wrong with that at all). Take the stairs. Park far out in the lot. Use part of your lunch break to take a stroll. Bring your dog to the dog park. Get out of your chair and stroll around for 5 minutes every hour. Just build more steps into you day.
If you can, spend some time outdoors. The sunshine and fresh air will revitalize you as well as an afternoon coffee.
4. Have a Talk with Mr Stress
Stress in itself is neither a good thing or a bad thing. It is your reaction to stress that matters. It is also pretty much impossible to live a stress-free life. So you need to take charge of your relationship with stress.
Stress is your body’s reaction to pressure from a situation or event. It can be a physical, mental, or emotional reaction. Sometimes you feel stressed for a short period of time in reaction a a specific situation. Usually this nothing to worry about. This type of stress is short-lived, and your body’s way of helping you get through what could be a tough situation.
But if you let your stress continue on for too long, it can have damaging effects on your physical, mental, and emotional health. Chronic exposure to the hormones released when under stress, principally cortisol, is a primary driver of cellular inflammation.
Exercise is a very effective way to reduce stress (and better than punching your stressor in the nose). Take a breath. Take several. Confront the source of your stress. Focus on what is really important and let the other stuff go, even if just for a while. Learn to manage your time effectively (this includes learning to say "No" at times).
Try to remember what you were stressed out about last week or last month. If you can't, remind yourself of that when facing your current problems.
5. Reduce Your Chemical Load
Preservatives in our foods, chemical cleaners, contaminants in our water, soaps, shampoos and toothpaste, industrial pollutants, air pollution, plastic residues. The environmental sources of toxins are legion and many of them end up in our bodies. A good rule of thumb is, "When you are in a hole you want to get out of, first stop digging."
Switch to natural cleaners and household products, or make your own. Google makes it simple. Reduce your use of plastics as much as practical (this is a tough one, everything contains or comes wrapped in plastic but you can use refillable water bottles and buy foods in glass or cardboard containers that can be easily recycled). Buy organic fruits and vegetables (at least if you consume the rind or skin). Use the unscented versions of products such as dryer sheets, soaps and toiletries. Avoid using air fresheners.
And remember, even a few small changes matter. You do not need to change everything all at once. Just take a step. The second step is easier than the first.
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