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Did you know cancer, stroke, dementia, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes are chronic inflammatory diseases? These diseases are responsible for three out of five deaths worldwide. If you’ve been feeling less than your best, it’s time to learn more about inflammation. 

What is inflammation?

Inflammation is natural. When your immune system detects an injury, infection, or illness, the pain, redness, and swelling that result is the start of your body healing. 

Acute inflammation is short-term, usually lasting no more than a couple of weeks. It’s a rapid immune response intended to quickly combat toxic chemicals, viruses, bacteria, or other invaders to get you feeling better quickly. 

Inflammation is problematic when it becomes chronic. Long-term inflammation, lasting several months to years, is considered a chronic condition. Instead of a short-term response, when you’re dealing with chronic inflammation, your body doesn’t stop sending out inflammatory cells and substances even when there is no injury or infection. 

Dangers of chronic inflammation

When your body doesn’t turn off its immune response, chronic inflammation can: 

• Damage healthy cells, tissues, and organs
• Harm DNA, increasing your risk of developing cancer
• Lead to life-threatening illnesses

Detecting chronic inflammation 

The signs of chronic inflammation can be difficult to spot. Many people don’t realize they have been dealing with chronic inflammation for years until they encounter a health crisis. Over time, the consequences of chronic inflammation continue to add up, but it’s mostly occurring internally, undetected. Some signs of chronic inflammation include: 

• Muscle pain, joint stiffness, and other discomfort in the body
• Skin rashes
• Frequent infections
• Persistent fatigue and sleep disorders such as sleep apnea and insomnia
• Weight gain or weight loss
• Depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders

Chronic inflammation doesn’t just contribute to illness, it can also be a symptom of diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and multiple sclerosis. 

If you suspect you’re dealing with inflammation, doctors can run blood tests to determine your levels. 

Proactively reduce inflammation

Changes in sleep, stress levels, exercise, and what you eat can help you control or reduce your body’s inflammation. 

Sleep

When you don’t get adequate sleep, inflammation can increase. When your regular circadian rhythms are interrupted, normal immune function is also disrupted, which then triggers inflammation. Doing your best to maintain a consistent sleep schedule is one way to reduce inflammation.

Eat

Certain foods are anti-inflammatory. Eat more anti-inflammatory foods and eliminate foods that are known to cause inflammation. The Mediterranean diet, which includes fish, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and whole grains, very little red meat, and no processed foods, is an example of an anti-inflammatory diet.

Avoid these inflammatory foods: 

• Processed or deep-fried foods
• Red meats
• White flour, refined sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and other simple carbohydrates
• Trans fats

Foods to eat to reduce inflammation:

•        Fish such as salmon and tuna
•        Soybeans
•        Walnuts
•        Flaxseed
•        Fruits such as grapes, blueberries, and raspberries
•        Vegetables such as celery, spinach, and broccoli

Exercise

Reducing inflammation is another reason to commit to moderate exercise. A 20-minute session of moderate exercise can stimulate the immune system and produce an anti-inflammatory response. 

Stress

Yes, stress can be good. But, just like inflammation if it’s chronic, you need to make a change. Ultimately, find coping mechanisms that help you manage and respond to life’s daily stressors. Many people find daily meditation, yoga, or mindfulness can reduce stress and inflammation. 

In a Pilates session, you gain the benefits of exercise, mobility and stability training, and release endorphins that calm the nervous system. This, along with Pilates focus on breathing, lowers stress, making Pilates a great way to reduce your body’s inflammation. Check out how Pilates can help you move well, feel well, and live well by setting up your introductory session today. Please call or text us at 303-472-6743 to schedule.