8 NATURAL REMEDIES TO REDUCE INFLAMMATION

Fighting chronic inflammation is the wellness world’s latest obsession — and unlike with some of the wackier trends (we’re side-eyeing you, “internal shower” folks), there is a lot to this one.

“Inflammation is a set of biological pathways and chemical signals the body uses in response to irritants, injuries and potential infections,” explains Peter Barkett, M.D., internal medicine specialist at Kaiser Permanente in Washington. Translation: Inflammation is the body’s natural defense system that’s deployed here and there to help us heal from injury or illness. Pretty cool, right?

But there is a scenario when inflammation becomes an issue, and that’s when it sticks around too long and becomes a persistent, chronic thing — and when left unchecked, this can cause damage to cells, tissues and organs that affects how well they function. This is a big deal because over time this can all add up and contribute to the development of chronic health problems like heart disease, cancer and diabetes.

While there are anti-inflammatory supplements out, there are other natural remedies reduce inflammation as well. And they aren't as daunting as they may sound because they’re good-for-you habits that may already be part of your lifestyle and will benefit your overall health in general, too. If you’re still working on building these habits into your day-to-day, don’t give up: “It’s never too late to start good health habits such as eating healthier. The changes that you make at any age can elevate your health no matter where you are in your health journey,” says William Li, M.D., a physician and the author of Eat to Beat Disease: The New Science of How Your Body Can Heal Itself.

What does chronic inflammation do to the body?

There’s no cookie cutter collection of symptoms that everyone will experience if they’re dealing with chronic inflammation. “It can vary largely depending on which part or parts of the body are involved. For instance, pain or stiffness in joints or muscles could be an indicator, or a chronic rash may be a marker of inflammation in the skin or elsewhere in the body,” Dr. Barkett says.

What’s more clear cut is what inflammation can do to our body if we don’t find ways to lower it and keep it at bay. “When chronic inflammation smolders for long periods of time, it can inflict damage on the body’s tissues. For instance, inflammation in the lungs can lead to asthma, or in the blood vessels it can accelerate cardiovascular disease, and in the gut it may increase your risk for cancer,” explains Dr. Barkett. While there are blood tests that may detect certain markers of inflammation, your best bet is to talk to your doctor if you think you’re experiencing symptoms that you suspect may point to uncontrolled inflammation so that they can determine the best way to check what’s going on, Dr. Barkett adds.

Natural ways to combat chronic inflammation

In general, the best things to do is develop healthy-for-you habits such as eating a balanced diet with plenty of anti-inflammatory foods, managing stress, getting enough sleep and exercising regularly, just to name a few. “Many of the things that promote overall wellness have a naturally anti-inflammatory effect,” says Dr. Barkett.

Follow a balanced, healthy eating style.

What you eat is — by far — one of the most powerful ways to keep inflammation under control. “The good news is that eating a varied, nutrient- rich diet can help support the body’s natural ability to regulate inflammation,” says Dawn Jackson Blatner, R.D.N., author of The Flexitarian Diet. The Mediterranean way of eating is one of the simplest ways to do this without obsessing over every single food you put in your body, as the main components (lots of fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains, lean proteins, healthy fats like olive oil and avocado and nuts and seeds) are packed with nutrients that have anti-inflammatory effects. Keep these foods in your regular rotation:

Colorful produce

Bright foods like berries, apples, cabbage, carrots, broccoli, beets, and bell peppers are rich in antioxidants and other anti-inflammatory compounds.

Fiber-filled foods

A healthy gut helps regulate inflammation (more on that later), so foods high in fiber such as beans, lentils, and whole grains feed good gut bacteria to promote microbiome balance. (You also need a stream of good bacteria, so don’t forget probiotic foods.)

Healthy fats

Polyunsaturated fats (omega-3’s are among them) and monounsaturated fats help decrease inflammation, Blatner says. Fish such as salmon and trout, nuts and seeds, olives, avocados, and olive oil are all sources of these green-light fats.

Magnesium-rich foods

"Research suggests that magnesium can act like an antioxidant to fight inflammation,” says Blatner. Spinach, pumpkin seeds, tuna, brown rice, black beans, almonds, avocados, bananas and dark chocolate are all great sources of this mineral.

Protein

Protein-focused meals help keep blood sugar levels stable, preventing the release of excess insulin and thereby thwarting the formation of inflammation. Getting enough protein at breakfast is particularly important — this starts you out with stable blood sugar levels and reduces your risk of having an inflammation-causing carb crash later on in the day. Find yummy reasons to incorporate more protein into your daily meals — try adding low-fat milk and peanut butter to oatmeal, or grab a hard-boiled egg and a granola bar.

Get enough exercise.

Regularly moving your body is an excellent way to keep tabs on inflammation and support your overall physical and mental health. And, a recent Duke University study showed that exercise helped decrease muscle damage from chronic inflammation. Aim for at least 150 total minutes of weekly exercise, which really only shakes out to be about 30 minutes a day when you boil it down. Choose an activity you enjoy — whether that be walking, running, dancing, strength training, hiking or cycling — and do it a few times a week.

Find ways to manage stress.

It’s normal to feel stressed at times, but constantly feeling tense or frazzled and not being able to dial it back can cause inflammation to stick around. “Hormones associated with chronic stress promote inflammatory signals,” says Dr. Barkett. Luckily, there are plenty of stress relief techniques that can help you chill out in the moment and beyond when you make them a consistent part of your regular routine. “Stress management through meditation, rhythmic breathing, spending time in nature and maintaining strong social ties can reduce cortisol levels that would promote and prolong inflammation,” Dr. Barkett adds.

Focus on gut health.

A healthy gut sets the stage for optimal overall health. That’s because many of our body systems are linked in some way to our gut microbiome. “The beneficial bacteria that live in our gut are guardians of our health. One of the ways they protect us is by producing substances called short-chain fatty acids, which diffuse into our bloodstream and help to lower inflammation throughout our body,” explains Dr. Li. “Conversely, if we don’t take good care of our gut health, harmful bacteria can grow and overtake the beneficial bacteria, lowering their anti-inflammatory protection or producing toxins that may trigger inflammation in our gut.” Load up on these healthy gut essentials:

Probiotics

These populate the gut with good bacteria; go for yogurt, kefir, and fermented items like kimchi and kombucha. Not all yogurts contain probiotics, so check the label — some have the “Live & Active Cultures” (LAC) seal to verify the probiotic content, while others list specific probiotic strains the product contains, commonly S. thermophilus and L. bulgaricus.

Prebiotics

Featuring indigestible fibers, these picks are food for beneficial gut bacteria; find them in garlic, onions, bananas, asparagus and honey.

Fiber foods

This nutrient is essential for regular bowel movements and to bulk up stool so it can travel efficiently through the digestive tract. Produce, nuts and seeds, legumes and whole grains are solid sources of fiber.

Get enough sleep.

Skimping on shuteye is associated with markers of inflammation, studies show. “Lack of quality sleep can block the body’s ability to reset inflammatory signals,” Dr. Barkett says. When you’re slumbering, that’s actually when your body is hard at work quietly recharging, recovering, and recalibrating so all your internal gears (your hormonal, muscular, and organ systems) will function as they should. So find ways to clean up your sleep hygiene so that you can snooze sounder. Good things to focus on include: wind down activities that relax you and your mind, such as gentle stretching or a soothing bath; avoiding electronic screens too close to bedtime (the light may disrupt the release of melatonin, the brain chemical that summons sleep); using white noise or ear plugs to drown out sounds that may wake you in the night; and keeping your room cool and pitch dark.

Lean into herbs and spices when cooking.

Seasoning your food with fresh or dried herbs, spices and other flavorings like fresh ginger and garlic do more than make food taste good. “Cooking with spices and herbs is a great way to reduce inflammation because many ingredients such as turmeric, black pepper and cinnamon have proven anti-inflammatory properties,” says Dr. Barkett. Make it a fun challenge to experiment with an unfamiliar spice or spice blend each month; besides addressing inflammation, it also gives you more ways to flavor your meals without excess sodium, sugar or fat. And find more reasons to use fresh herbs — for instance, they’re a great way to stretch and flavor a mixed greens salad, and when garnishing make it a heavy sprinkling.

Address any injuries promptly.

When you first hurt yourself, like if you roll your ankle navigating a wonky curb or tweak your shoulder at the gym, the initial inflammatory response that occurs to help heal you is beneficial. But if you continue to re-injure yourself, or the injury doesn’t heal, inflammation may become chronic, Dr. Barkett says. It’s always a good idea to check with your doctor about the best way to treat any sort of injury, and be sure to stay on top of it so that if it persists, they can explore other ways to help you get better.

Cater to your mental health.

Struggling with anxiety, depression or another mental health issue may influence inflammation in your body. The body’s stress response is inherently inflammatory, so if you’re constantly dealing with negative emotions, that could cause inflammation to settle in. More research is needed to fully understand the connection between our mental state and the development of inflammation, but focusing on addressing any mental issues is always a smart move for our overall health. A good first step is to talk to your doctor or a therapist about how you’re feeling — they can help you navigate what’s going on and suggest strategies that will help you feel better.

FAQs

What is the strongest natural anti-inflammatory?

It’s hard to say, since everyone is different and the reasons for spiked inflammation vary, but one of the best ways to consistently tackle inflammation so that it goes down or stays away is to focus on the foods that you eat. Besides regularly incorporating all the good-for-you foods up above, such as lots of fresh produce, omega-3-filled olive oil or fatty fish, probiotics and prebiotics and fiber-filled picks, you should also limit foods known to spike inflammation, such as fried foods and alcohol.

What reduces inflammation fast?

If you’re inflamed due to an acute injury or illness, healing that problem is the fastest way to lower inflammation. Otherwise, creating a healthy lifestyle that includes eating balanced meals, exercising regularly, getting good quality sleep and taming stress are all great ways to consistently work on reducing and controlling inflammation.

What can I drink to reduce inflammation?

Staying properly hydrated is a major key to maintaining good overall health, since all of your internal body systems and organs rely on it for proper functioning. But antioxidant-packed unsweetened beverages such as black or green tea, as well as herbal teas (which contain beneficial plant compounds). Remember to minimize sugary beverages, or better yet, skip altogether, as we know that sugar can be a driver of inflammation.

Bottom line

Building a healthy lifestyle that includes good-for-you habits is the best way to naturally reduce and keep tabs on chronic inflammation — and bonus, this will also benefit your overall physical and mental health. Prioritize eating a balanced, varied diet that includes anti-inflammatory foods above; keep up with an exercise routine; focus on getting good sleep; and regularly employ chill-out tactics that help you manage stress.

2024-06-28T20:10:16Z dg43tfdfdgfd