What is inflammation?
Generally speaking, inflammation is the body’s immune response to a stimulus. This stimulus can be a graze to your knee, a bacterial infection, a splinter in your thumb, a broken ankle and everything in between. It is part of the body’s healthy immune response by which white blood cells are released to fight something deemed ‘harmful’ or ‘not quite right’.
There are 5 signs that we use to indicate acute inflammation. These are:
- Redness
- Heat
- Swelling
- Pain
- Loss of function/mobility
Not all of these need to occur at once, for inflammation to present. Inflammation can also occur silently, showing no symptoms and without one knowing. This type of inflammation may take a blood test to detect – namely C-reactive protein, an important inflammatory marker in the blood. Research has repeatedly shown that the C-reactive protein level is an excellent marker of inflammation and can predict the risk of heart attack and stroke as well or better than cholesterol levels.
The inflammatory process involves many different types of immune cells, which release a variety of inflammatory mediators to try and dull down the response. One example includes; histamine and bradykinin, two tissue hormones that cause the blood vessels to expand allowing more blood and defence cells to reach the damaged tissue. Often, in this case, you see the inflamed area of injury become hot, swollen and red. Once the area begins to heal, the defence cells, which are full of medicinal fluid, begin to transport themselves back out of the injured zone. At this point, you’ll notice that the swelling will ease.
In some cases, inflammation is due to the immune system attacking its own cells, which causes an inflammatory response. Some examples of these illnesses include ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease and rheumatoid arthritis.
Is inflammation a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ thing?
Inflammation is not inherently ‘good’ or ‘bad’. In many cases inflammation is helpful, especially when it comes to an immune sense. We want our bodies to fight infections and to heal wounds. However, when inflammation becomes chronic, that is when we get into strife.
Chronic inflammation is inflammation that persists over time and serves zero purpose. Rather, it is without a doubt the root cause of many serious illnesses and diseases – such as cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, stroke, arthritis, heart disease, asthma, autoimmune disease, allergies and type II diabetes.
What causes inflammation?
An acute inflammatory response induces localised pain, heat, swelling and redness. This is what happens say when we fall over and cut ourselves or break a bone. Inflammation here is a protective mechanism; the cornerstone of the body’s healing response initiated in response to an injury or an infection.
When it comes to chronic inflammation, lack of movement, stress, toxin exposure and having genetic predispositions all contribute to an inflammatory build up over time. Furthermore, diet is perhaps the largest factor in determining how much inflammation is present and for how long it will linger.
What can I do to control inflammation?
Focus on wholefoods.
A focus on wholefoods (think: lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, wholegrains, healthy fats, quality proteins, nuts/seeds, herbs/spices, fermented foods etc) – minimally processed foods from the earth – will provide for excellent sources of important vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, dietary fibre, phytonutrients and essential fatty acids. Furthermore, they will provide us with more energy, more vitality and a better glow.
Limit where you can high alcohol intakes as well as inflammatory foods with significant refined carbohydrate, refined sugars and high saturated fat contents.
Move mindfully.
Doing high intensity exercise in an already stressed state does little wonders for the body. In fact, it can further raise cortisol levels and further contribute to weight gain! Plan wisely and balance your exercise so that you’ve got high intensity, medium intensity and low intensity levels featured.
A balanced exercise regime can stimulate anti-inflammatory chemicals in the body, reducing inflammation. 30 minutes of moderate activity per day is essentially what most us need. If you’re in the midst of an inflammatory flare-up, aim for gentle exercise such as walking, swimming and yoga/pilates.
Support gut health.
Hippocrates once said that “all disease begins in the gut” and this I feel could not be more true of a statement.
The gut-brain axis is a character of incredible significance in the inflammatory tale. The brain is the chief modulator of the gastrointestinal system, so much so that when one is stressed, they get butterflies or develop an ‘upset’ stomach. To go a step further; a stressed gut, means a stressed immune system. An impaired gut function can cause hormone imbalance by way of inflammation due to leaked undigested particles, such as gluten, into the bloodstream. This, of course, has a systemic effect, impacting the entire body (the thyroid gland is particularly susceptible to pro-inflammatory states). Hence, with such a large proportion of immunity reliant on good gut function, gut health is the key to reducing both prevalence and symptoms of illness when it comes to inflammation.
Manage stress.
Have you noticed that your inflammatory symptoms are worse when you’re stressed? Physical and mental stress can actually induce inflammation and dampen our ability to fight and regulate the body’s inflammatory process. Aim to reduce your stress levels as best you can – whether you take part in yoga or meditation, go for a walk in nature, do some drawing or try an app such as Headspace or Smiling Mind, whatever takes your fancy.
Rest & recuperate.
We know that an adequate nights sleep will help to lower blood pressure and cortisol. If either or both of these are high we predispose ourselves to an inflammatory state and further health implications. Sleep is when our bodes do the vast majority of their repairing and rebuilding which helps to support optimal health and wellness.
Listen to your body and give it what it needs. If it is an afternoon nap or a day off from the gym, then that is perfectly okay!
Hydrate.
Inadequate water intake can contribute to excess body fat, poor muscle tone, digestive problems, poor functioning of vital organs and water retention, all of which are linked to inflammatory processes. On the flip side, proper hydration assist the body’s natural detoxifying and cleansing processes, help carry nutrients to your cells, prevent slow or poor digestion and more! If you have problems consuming enough plain water, try flavouring it with citrus, herbs, cucumber or berries. Alternatively, try cold pressed juices or broths to boost your intake as well as increasing your consumption of water-rich fruit and veggies.
Resources that you may find useful.
How can I reduce stress naturally?
What are the benefits of getting enough sleep?
Have something to say?
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Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3320801/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1087185/
https://examine.com/topics/inflammation/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279298/
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/understanding-inflammation
https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/Inflammation_A_unifying_theory_of_disease