4 Tips to Heal Chronic Inflammation
Chronic inflammation is when your body sends inflammatory cells when there is no danger present.
While the signs of chronic inflammation are harder to spot than those of acute inflammation, or inflammation of an injury or cut, it can cause real problems and discomfort in your daily life. The most common causes of chronic inflammation are autoimmune disorders, untreated acute inflammation, long-term stress, or exposure to toxins like pollution and chemicals.
The signs of chronic inflammation can include fatigue, a skin rash, insomnia, abdominal distention & pain, edema, joint pain, fever, and a weak immune system. The good news is, there are natural remedies and foods you can incorporate into your diet, to ease chronic inflammation.
Include Antioxidant-Rich Foods
Foods that are high in antioxidants help to ease inflammation in your body. For example, turmeric. Turmeric is one of the most-effective foods at fighting inflammation, due to the compound curcumin. Curcumin, and its ability to fight inflammation, is what makes turmeric a functional food. In addition to turmeric, you can incorporate ginger and leafy greens into your diet to fight inflammation.
Consume More Fiber
Most people can do with consuming more fiber. Approximately 95% of adults and children in the U.S. are not consuming the recommended amount of fiber. Most Americans are getting about 20g per day. For optimal health, you want to consume at least 35g per day, the more the better! It is widely known that fiber helps regulate digestion, leading to maintaining or managing a healthy weight, which contributes to fighting inflammation. Foods like celery, chia seeds, oats, pears, and apples are great natural sources of fiber.
Learn more about which foods have the most fiber. Download my high fiber foods guide below.
Consume More Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3’s are known as essential fatty acids because our bodies don’t make omega-3s, it’s essential to consume foods that are rich in them. They are most abundant in cold-water fish like salmon and mackerel. However, avocados, walnuts, chia seeds, and seaweed (dulse, nori, kombu) are also great sources of omega-3s.
Managing Stress
Stress can have subtle, and not-so-subtle, physical side effects, and inflammation is one of them. By managing your stress, you can help manage your inflammation. You can naturally ease your stress by making time for the things and activities that bring you joy, such as exercising regularly, setting aside quiet time, spending quality time with friends, meditating, or taking time to journal.