6 Ways to Reduce Inflammation & Fight Chronic Health Problems

Inflammation is a natural process in the body in which white blood cells help to protect us from infection from bacteria and viruses. Inflammation is a crucial part of the immune system’s response to injury and infection, and serves as the body’s way of signaling the aims provider portal immune system to heal and to repair. Why then, does inflammation seem to get such a bad rap in the medical community? If left unchecked, inflammation can wreak havoc on the body.

Chronic inflammation occurs when the body continues to send inflammatory cells even when there is no acute danger. It can happen when the body is unable to adequately heal or repair, and the body stays in an inflamed state for months or years – much longer than it should. What can I do to reduce inflammation naturally? Use the power of nutrition! Food can be very healing, especially when it comes to combatting inflammation.

Try incorporating more whole, unprocessed foods like in-season fruits and vegetables, and remember that quality matters. Aim to buy organic as able, and when it comes to meat, the same rules apply. Organic, grass-fed, lean protein sources can be very nourishing. Don’t underestimate the power of herbs and spices! They have incredibly healing properties. Try adding turmeric to smoothies and soups, and incorporating more fresh herbs such as cilantro into your meals. Looking for more helpful ways to reduce inflammation through optimizing nutrition? Consider working with one of our dietitians.

Dietitian Katherine Mattox offers her signature nutrition program throughout the year, which focuses on combatting inflammation using food as medicine. Give us a call or check out our website to enroll in her next class. Consider food sensitivity testing. Sometimes, even foods that we consider to be healthy can trigger an inflammatory response in the body if there are other underlying health concerns going on.

Food sensitivity testing is meant to help us identify these triggers, and ultimately helps us guide you in how to heal. It can be helpful at times to eliminate certain foods from the diet if we know they are causing inflammation, and testing is a great way to ensure we aren’t making unnecessary eliminations. Move your body! Exercise is a powerful tool to combat inflammation, and it doesn’t have to be as hard as you may think. Don’t underestimate the power of walking and gentle, restorative movement such as yoga and stretching. It’s important to slow down and to prioritize recovery when it comes to exercise and movement.