Inflammation is the immune system’s natural response to an injury or illness and is, essentially, the body’s attempt to heal itself. For example, when you have an infection, white blood cells produce chemicals to protect the area and fight off the invader. These chemicals are released into the bloodstream, increasing blood flow to the specific location, resulting in temporary inflammation that promotes healing.
However, when the immune system doesn’t switch off, this can lead to chronic inflammation that can damage healthy tissues and impact health. Here are five proven ways to reduce inflammation instantly.
Ensure that you include plenty of anti-inflammatory foods in your diet
It is often said that good health starts with your diet, and when it comes to inflammation, this couldn’t be truer. Your food choices are crucial for your overall health and can protect you against the damaging effects of inflammation. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables while reducing your refined sugar intake can make a huge difference. In particular, look to add more fruits, vegetables, and foods into your diet that contain omega-3 fatty acids.
Examples include fish such as tuna and salmon, soybeans, flaxseed, and tofu. Other anti-inflammatory foods include olive oil, celery, blueberries, grapes, tea, and ginger, and the Mediterranean diet is a perfect example if you are looking for some inspiration. It mainly consists of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fish, limiting unhealthy and potentially inflammatory fats, such as butter, red meat, carbohydrates, and refined sugars.
Managing stress
While stress is one of the inevitable parts of life, chronic stress and prolonged anxiety can contribute to inflammation if not appropriately managed. When the body is tensed, the nervous system kicks in. It triggers the famous fight-or-flight response, which releases adrenaline into the body, increasing cortisol – your body’s primary stress hormone. While this response is a good thing and can even save your life, constant exposure to stressors results in the dysfunction of the nervous system. This can lead to chronic inflammation, resulting in long-term consequences on the brain and body.
By using yoga, meditation, and even regular exercising, you can effectively manage stress throughout the day and avoid negative repercussions on your health. Even though it is impossible to remove stress from your life altogether, you can change and manage your response and how you react, resulting in better stress management.
Control your blood sugar
Inflammation can be drastically reduced simply by limiting and controlling simple carbohydrates such as refined sugar, anything with high fructose corn syrup, and white foods, including white rice, bread, and pasta. It is also a good idea to avoid foods that have been made with flour or sugar. Unfortunately, all of these culprits contribute to the production of advanced glycation end products. These harmful compounds are formed when sugar combines with fat or protein in the bloodstream, triggering inflammation in the body.
Instead, consider whole foods high in fiber and lean proteins such as plain greek yogurt, white meat poultry, various fruit and vegetables, and whole grains, including brown whole wheat bread and brown rice.
Cut back on inflammatory foods.
Cut back or eliminate inflammatory foods to protect your brain and heart and lower your stroke and heart disease risk. Certain foods suppress or promote chronic inflammation, with many researchers recognizing it as one of the underlying causes of many health problems. A new study adds evidence to this, highlighting the connection between inflammation and the risk of cardiovascular disease and what we eat.
Researchers studied more than 200,000 women and men over 32 years. It found that those who had the most inflammatory diets had a 28% risk of stroke and 46% increased risk of heart disease than those who had the least inflammatory diets. Inflammatory foods that should be cut back or eliminated include refined carbohydrates, sugary beverages, red and processed meats, deep-fried foods, processed foods, and trans fats such as margarine. You can also buy cheap marijuana seeds from trusted retailers for enhanced results.
Make time to exercise.
It has long been known that regular exercise results in numerous long-term health benefits, including strengthening the heart, bones, and muscles, controlling weight, improving metabolism, and reducing the overall risk of cardiovascular disease. Research has proven that as little as 20 minutes of exercise is enough to have anti-inflammatory effects and reduce inflammation within the body.
Make time for at least 20 minutes four to five times a week. It can be any exercise, from cardio to weight or resistance training, and doesn’t have to be particularly intense. Even moderate exercise such as going for a fast walk or jogging can have anti-inflammatory effects. Increased physical activity also results in weight loss and decreasing inflammation.
In short
Inflammation is the body’s natural response to injury and is the process of your body’s white blood cells protecting you from infection from various invaders such as viruses and bacteria. However, prolonged stress and anxiety and a poor diet consisting of processed foods and refined carbohydrates can trigger the immune system to attack healthy cells in your body and result in chronic inflammation. This can result in many health problems, including depression, arthritis, heart disease, and cancer.
To combat and reduce inflammation instantly, ensure that you eat anti-inflammatory foods such as fruits, vegetables, and fish, manage stress, and control your blood sugar. Other proven ways include cutting back on inflammatory foods and exercising regularly.
