Although inflammation is a completely natural defence mechanism used by your body to protect against infection, it can also be associated with chronic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus - both of which can result in some unpleasant symptoms.
Although chronic inflammation is commonly treated using medications or specific treatments, there are some steps you can take that may help reduce inflammation in the body, these include:
- Eating anti-inflammatory foods
- Exercising
- Managing stress levels
- Sticking to a healthy weight
See also: What is Rheumatoid Arthritis? Symptoms, Causes and Risk Factors
4 steps to reduce inflammation in the body
Although small lifestyle changes aren’t the cure to inflammation, they can help towards reducing inflammation in the body and potentially lessening the pain that comes along with chronic inflammation.
Eating anti-inflammatory foods
According to Harvard Health, one of the best ways to help in reducing inflammation in the body comes from the grocery store [1]. That’s right, what you put into your body day to day can help in reducing inflammation and may even help reduce your risk of chronic inflammatory diseases.
See also: Anti-Inflammatory Foods: Foods to Help Fight Inflammation
Exercise
Exercise is not only good for your mental and physical health - it also plays a key role in fighting inflammation. A study undertaken by the National Institutes of Health found that regular exercise helps in reducing fat mass and adipose tissue inflammation - something which is known to contribute to systemic inflammation [2].
See also: What is C-Reactive Protein (CRP)?
Manage stress
Did you know that chronic stress can actually lead to inflammation? [3] If you’re finding yourself feeling stressed, try taking some steps towards managing it - whether that be taking a walk or watching your favourite Netflix series, it’s always important to pencil in some ‘you’ time.
See also: What Does High CRP Mean?
Stick to a healthy weight
Inflammation tends to be more common in those who are overweight [4]. So, if you’re hoping to reduce inflammation in your body, why not try taking on some healthy everyday habits? Your body will thank you for it!
See also: Lupus: Symptoms and Causes
If you’re interested in knowing more about inflammation in your body, one of the best ways to find our more is through a CRP Test - this can be done with your local health provider or from home with an at-home lab test.
LetsGetChecked’s at-home CRP Test checks for inflammation in the body with online results available within 5 days. Plus, our dedicated medical team will be on hand throughout the process to answer any questions you may have.
References
- Harvard Health Publishing. Foods that fight inflammation. Online: Harvardhealth.edu, 2020
- National Institutes of Health. Exercise, Inflammation and Aging. Online: Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, 2012
- National Institutes of Health. Psychological Stress and the Human Immune System: A Meta-Analytic Study of 30 Years of Inquiry. Online: Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, 2006
- National Library of Medicine. Obesity and inflammation: the effects of weight loss. Online: Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, 2008
