What is Chronic Inflammation?

Did you know that chronic inflammation is a common characteristic of many health issues and diseases? Although chronic inflammation can be a sign of something deeper going on in the body, there are a number of ways that it can be treated naturally and in turn improve not only your symptoms but overall health.

Chronic inflammation is a long-term response of the immune system reacting to something happening in the body that shouldn’t be. Shockingly around 60% of Americans have been diagnosed with at least one chronic condition and it is estimated that 42% have more than one. Statistics show that out of every 5 deaths 3 are caused by chronic inflammatory diseases – this shows how serious and common chronic inflammation can be.

There are many symptoms of chronic inflammation, some of the most common ones include:

1. Joint pain
2. Acne
3. Weight gain
4. Anxiety
5. Brain fog
6. Unexplained body aches
7. Mood issues
8. Sleep issues
9. Chronic fatigue
10. Cardiovascular issues
11. Gut issues
12. Poor immune health
13. Diabetes

Chronic inflammation can even cause stubborn weight gain and much more! These symptoms can be in isolation or in a variety of combinations.

Fortunately, there are a number of ways inflammation can be reduced in the body with natural supplements and dietary changes, these have been outlined below.

Anti-Inflammatory Supplements

There are several supplements that may help reduce inflammation and support overall well-being. Based on the latest research, some of the most effective ones are:

1. Curcumin: A compound found in the spice turmeric, which has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer properties.
2. Fish oil: A source of omega-3 fatty acids, which can modulate the immune system and reduce inflammation in various conditions.
3. Ginger: A spice that can inhibit the production of inflammatory cytokines and protect against oxidative stress.
4. Resveratrol: A polyphenol found in grapes, red wine, and berries, which can activate a gene called SIRT1 that regulates inflammation and longevity.
5. Spirulina: A blue-green algae that can produce anti-inflammatory compounds and enhance immune function.
6. Vitamin C: Known for its antioxidant properties, vitamin C can help reduce inflammation and boost the immune system.
7. Vitamin D: Often called the “sunshine vitamin,” it plays a crucial role in immune function and inflammation reduction. It is important to get a vitamin D supplement that also has vitamin K2 so calcium is not displaced.
8. Bromelain: Found in pineapple, this enzyme has been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects, particularly in the nasal passages.
9. Green Tea Extract: Rich in polyphenols, green tea extract can help lower inflammation and protect against oxidative stress.
10. Probiotics: improving your gut health by adding a probiotic for the missing strains in your gut can help reduce inflammation. Microbiome testing can confirm which strains are going to help you the most.
11. And last but perhaps most importantly is correcting vitamin and mineral deficiencies that you are specifically missing – testing is recommended.

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These supplements, along with a nutrient dense diet and healthy lifestyle, can contribute to managing chronic inflammation. It is advisable to consult with a healthcare professional before starting a new supplement regimen to ensure they are appropriate for your individual health needs.

Diet Tips to Reduce Chronic Inflammation

Chronic inflammation can be greatly affected by what you eat.

Gluten, refined sugar, dairy, highly refined seed oils and soy are some of the worst culprits when it comes to inducing inflammation in those who are prone to it.

1. Refined seed oils – these oils are popular for deep frying, oils such as canola, soy, sunflower are highly processed and inflammatory due to the high levels of omega 6, pesticide and chemical residues.
2. Sugar – particularly refined sugar in biscuits and cakes, fruit juices and sugary yoghurt.
3. Gluten – particularly refined wheat products with no nutritional value. Gluten is highly inflammatory.

It is also advisable to reduce high glycaemic foods such as white rice, white bread, cakes, biscuits.

Along with removing the above mentioned foods, it is also important to replace them with anti-inflammatory foods that are nutrient dense. It is particularly important to:

1. Increase dietary fibre – incorporate chia seeds, apples, berries, pears, artichoke, broccoli, prunes, green peas, lentils and beans. The majority of people are not eating the minimum amount of recommended fibre. Dietary fibre is essential for optimal gut function.
2. Eat more healthy fats – such as avocado, eggs, cold pressed olive oil, raw nuts and hemp seeds and oily fish such as sardines and trout. Omega 3, monounsaturated fatty acids and oleic acid are fats that help dampen the body’s inflammatory response.

Incorporating the above foods is important but if you are still eating highly inflammatory foods, you will not see the results your body needs to heal.

Easy anti-inflammatory meal swap ideas

Breakfast

Instead of toast or cereal have scrambled eggs with pan fried tomato, onion and mushrooms or Greek yoghurt with berries and some nuts.

Snack

Instead of crackers have a piece of fruit, smoothie, humus and carrots, olives and cheese or a cup of bone broth with fresh herbs.

Dinner

Instead of pizza or pasta have a baked sweet potato and salmon with green veg or a warm lamb salad with quinoa or brown rice.

Drinks

Instead of soft drink and juice drink coconut water, chai tea, green tea and kombucha.

Summary

Ultimately an anti-inflammatory diet is about eating real whole foods that are as unprocessed, nutrient dense and contain healthy fats.

Any questions or additional thoughts? Let me know in the comments!

References

Chen, L., Deng, H., Cui, H., Fang, J., Zuo, Z., Deng, J., Li, Y., Wang, X., & Zhao, L. (2017). Inflammatory responses and inflammation-associated diseases in organs. Oncotarget, 9(6), 7204–7218. https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.23208

Furman, D., Campisi, J., Verdin, E. et al. Chronic inflammation in the etiology of disease across the life span. Nat Med 25, 1822–1832 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-019-0675-0

Nisar, A., Jagtap, S., Vyavahare, S., Deshpande, M., Harsulkar, A., Ranjekar, P., & Prakash, O. (2023). Phytochemicals in the treatment of inflammation-associated diseases: the journey from preclinical trials to clinical practice. Frontiers in pharmacology, 14, 1177050. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2023.1177050

Pahwa, R., & Jialal, I. (2019, June 4). Chronic Inflammation. NIH.gov; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK493173/

Wang, J., Chen, W., & Wang, Y. (2020). The Relationship Between Gut Microbiota and Inflammatory Diseases: The Role of Macrophages. Frontiers In Microbiology, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2020.01065

By nutritionist Chrissy

Chrissy is a university qualified nutritionist who graduated with honours at La Trobe University in Melbourne. One of her favourite hobbies is to read the scientific literature on how to optimise health. When she’s not reading, writing or working she’s with her 3 children outdoors, practicing yoga, jogging or cooking up a storm in the kitchen. Chrissy has overcome some debilitating chronic health issues (low mood, adrenal fatigue, insomnia, very bad acne to name a few) with the power of nutrients and correcting gut health, at 39 she now feels better than she did in her 20’s.