Diet and lifestyle changes can help prevent chronic inflammation.

Diet and lifestyle changes can help prevent chronic inflammation

You can’t see it or feel it, but inflammation may slowly be damaging your body.

Inflammation (swelling), which is part of the body’s natural healing system, helps fight injury and infection. But it doesn’t just happen in response to injury and illness.

An inflammatory response can also occur when the immune system goes into action without an injury or infection to fight. Since there’s nothing to heal, the immune system cells that normally protect us begin to destroy healthy arteries, organs and joints.

When you don’t eat healthy, don’t get enough exercise, or have too much stress, the body responds by triggering inflammation. Chronic inflammation can have damaging consequences over the long term. So the food you eat, the quality of sleep you get and how much you exercise, they all really matter when it comes to reducing inflammation.

What can I do to reduce the risk of chronic inflammation?

Follow these six tips for reducing inflammation in your body:

1. Load up on anti-inflammatory foods

Eat more fruits and vegetables and foods containing omega-3 fatty acids. Some of the best sources of omega-3s are cold water fish, such as salmon and tuna, and tofu, walnuts, flax seeds and soybeans. 

2. Cut back or eliminate inflammatory foods

Inflammatory foods include red meat and anything with trans fats, such as margarine, corn oil, deep fried foods and most processed foods.

3. Control blood sugar

One easy rule to follow is to avoid white foods, such as white bread, rice and pasta, as well as foods made with white sugar and flour. Build meals around lean proteins and whole foods high in fiber, such as vegetables, fruits and whole grains, such as brown rice and whole wheat bread. Check the labels and make sure that “whole wheat” or another whole grain is the first ingredient.

4. Make time to exercise

Make time for 30 to 45 minutes of aerobic exercise and 10 to 25 minutes of weight or resistance training at least four to five times per week.

5. Lose weight

People who are overweight have more inflammation. Losing weight may decrease inflammation.

6. Manage stress

Chronic stress contributes to inflammation. Use meditation, yoga, biofeedback, guided imagery or some other method to manage stress throughout the day.