8 Ways to Fight Inflammation Naturally

Inflammation is the body’s natural response to foreign invaders and damage. We create inflammation to protect the body from infection, injury or disease be it a virus, bacteria or a break or sprain. Fever, swelling, pain and redness act both to resolve the problem by killing bacteria/virus and tell us to rest up!

Once the body is healed, the pathogen defeated or sprain repaired, the body should ‘turn off’ inflammation and return to homeostasis. BUT more and more people live with chronic inflammation because the body is constantly being bombarded by so many external factors which the body deems ‘suspect’. Add in decreased immunity due to stress and lack of sleep and the body cannot completely resolve the situation, struggling on with low-grade infection and ongoing (chronic) inflammation.

Signs that you are experiencing chronic inflammation may be chronic fatigue, aches and pains (often we just put these down to old age), weight gain, brain fog, gastrointestinal issues, frequent infections and mood disorders such as depression and anxiety.

Diseases associated with chronic inflammation are, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, auto-immunity, stroke, cancer, asthma, eczema and many more.

There are lots of things we can do to push the body towards a less inflammatory state.

What you can do.

Eat a wide range of fruits and veggies

Diets rich in fruits and vegetables supply important antioxidants and phytochemicals that are powerful anti-inflammatory nutrients and support a healthy microbiome (crucial for regulating inflammation). Brightly coloured fruits and vegetables, specifically green, orange, yellow, red, and purple contain many beneficial plant compounds called phytochemicals.

The different colours indicate different phytochemicals, each colour has different magical powers! Many of these compounds have antioxidant properties that can help to reduce inflammation. Studies show that a diet high in fruits and vegetables can help to reduce inflammation. Aim for 7 servings per day, with as much variety as possible across the week.

Eat healthy fats

The long chain Omega 3 fatty acids you find in oily fish are abundant in EPA (eicosapentanoic acid) and DHA (docosahexanoic acid) which have been shown time and time again to be potent anti-inflammatory agents.

Aim for 2-3 servings of ‘SMASH’ fish (sardines, mackerel, anchovy, salmon or herring) per week.

You may want to include a good quality high strength fish oil supplement.

Flax and Chia

Add flax or chia to breakfasts, soups and salads. Flax and chia seeds contain ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) which converts to EPA and then DHA in the body. While this conversion means that ALA is not as potently anti-inflammatory as EPA and DHA, flax and chia are a good option for vegans and vegetarians.

Olive oil

Olive oil has incredible anti-inflammatory properties, and has been shown to lower inflammation, blood pressure and LDL cholesterol. It’s championed as one of the most important factors in the success of the Mediterranean diet for longevity. Olive oil contains mono-unsaturated fatty acids and phytonutrients which are beneficial to the body. Use olive oil or extra virgin olive oil and avoid the olive oil spreads or dressings you’ll find on the market. Extra virgin olive oil is great on already cooked dishes, salads or simply on a slice of sourdough bread (heaven) as some of the phytonutrients will be lost in cooking.

Avocado

Avocados are packed with potassium, magnesium, fibre, and heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. Studies have shown that they reduce NfKB a precursor to inflammation and the inflammatory chemical IL-6. Add to smoothies, eat on sourdough or as part of your salad.

Add in anti-inflammatory herbs

Try adding as many herbs and spices to your diet as possible, they have amazing healing powers. Here are some of those with the most potent anti-inflammatory powers. Getting these into your diet whenever you can will have a big impact on lowering inflammation.

Turmeric

Curcumin, the active ingredient in Turmeric, has been used medicinally for centuries because of its anti-inflammatory, anti microbial anti oxidative properties. Try adding 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric to your food daily. It can be sprinkled on salads, soups as part of golden milk or turmeric latte and even overnight oats because it doesn’t have a very strong flavour, but beware it stains!

Ginger

Ginger is super anti-inflammatory as well as settling the stomach and reducing nausea. It’s wonderfully warming and soothing and is great added to all kinds of winter dishes or simply steeped in water hot or cold and sipped throughout the day.

Green Tea

The epicatechin gallate in green tea reduces NfKB an instrumental factor in inflammation. Studies have shown that drinking several cups of green tea throughout the day is another way to add to your anti-inflammatory load. For an extra boost add matcha powder to your breakfast, smoothies or sprinkle over yogurt or ‘nice cream’.

Rooibos Tea

Studies show that aspalathin and nothofagin compounds found in rooibos tea are anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory, so drink up!

Rosemary

Another NfKB inhibitor, rosemary is a delicious herb which is really easy to add to dishes, especially in the winter time, and steep in water in the summer.

Remove processed foods and refined sugars

These foods create a huge amount of inflammation in the body, they lead to cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and autoimmunity. Removing them from your diet is a no brainer. Here are some of the main offenders.

Refined oils and trans fats, including margarine, shop bought baked goods and ‘foods’ which inexplicably survive for weeks on supermarket shelves.

Highly inflammatory, trans fats have been banned in many countries but not yet the UK where they are estimated to make up 0.8% of the total energy consumption. They are carcinogenic and damage the inner lining of the blood vessels. Definitely to be avoided, check food labels for ‘hydrogenated fat’ or ‘partially hydrogenated fat’.

Processed meats including bacon, salami, processed, chicken roll and sausages.

The World (WHO) have classified processed meats as a group 1 carcinogenic. Yes, that means that your bacon sandwich is right up there in the same category as smoking and asbestos. There is no doubt about the damage caused to the body from eating processed meats which creates oxidative stress and inflammation.

Refined sugars including fizzy drinks, sweetened cereals sweets, deserts and fruit juices.

Eating refined sugars and the resulting spikes in insulin leads to increased inflammation, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes and weight gain, which also leads to increased inflammation. Instead eat whole grains (e.g. brown rice, millet, quinoa) and whole foods, such as pieces of fruit, which comes complete with fibre rather than a juice.

Find and eliminate any food intolerances

Identifying and removing any food allergens or sensitivities allows the gut to heal and the body to resolve the inflammation caused by their presence. Common food intolerances are wheat, gluten, dairy, nuts, eggs, soy and shellfish.

If you suspect you have food intolerances you may want to do some intolerance testing, or try an elimination diet under the supervision of a nutritional therapist. Once the gut has had time to heal you may well be able to reintroduce them.

Exercise

Studies have shown that people who exercise regularly have reduced levels of inflammation. This is in part because of the reduction of body fat, which in itself creates systemic inflammation, but also because of the chemicals released through exercise which reduce TNF-α (an inflammatory cytokine) and increase anti-inflammatory chemistry.

Exercise also increases vagal tone which lowers inflammation. Studies have shown that even 20-30 minutes brisk walking daily will reduce inflammatory blood markers, so you don’t need to make huge changes in order to reap the benefits. Avoid excessive resistance training or long intensive cardio training without adequate rest periods as this can lead to elevated inflammation and injury.

Stress less

Modern life is full of stressors. When we encounter a stressor the body shifts into survival mode by activating the sympathetic nervous system which floods the body with a whole load of hormones to prepare it for attack. Unfortunately evolution hasn’t caught up with the fact that we are rarely in terrible physical danger. Most of our stressors are the result of our fast paced modern lives.

Nevertheless many of us live with our sympathetic nervous system on ‘go’ for most of the time, ready for flight or flight. In this state the body is inflamed, digestion is de-prioritised, our heart beats faster, our pupils dilate, our liver prioritises glucose over fat for fuel as we prepare for an attack.

It is important that the body is able to get out of this state in order to digest foods properly and repair tissues, improve reproductive function and lower inflammation.

Eating better foods, particularly magnesium rich foods, removing caffeine and reducing alcohol as well as getting better sleep and exercise all help us to manage stress better. If you want to get better control over your stress responses you may also want to commit to a yoga or meditation or breath work practice.

Get your sleep

Not getting enough sleep (7-9 hours) or having poor quality or frequently disrupted sleep means not giving your body the opportunity to rest and repair, make the right level of hormones and ultimately resolve inflammation. Poor sleep can also lead to impaired stress responses and dysregulated mood which can also impact inflammation in the body.

AND if you are not getting enough sleep you are more likely to reach for a cup of coffee in the morning to jump start your body and activate your sympathetic nervous system.

Aiming for a less inflamed state is a win win and will improve all aspects of health. If you are having specific issues or need extra support get in touch with me, I can help.