Four Foundations of an Anti-Inflammatory Lifestyle
In my previous blog, I discussed how nearly every chronic disease in the world today can be linked back to this same thing.
🔥 Chronic Inflammation 🔥
If you haven’t already, go back and review this blog to learn about the multitude of symptoms and conditions linked to inflammation, as well as the primary root causes driving chronic inflammation.
Reducing Inflammation through an Anti-Inflammatory Lifestyle
With inflammation contributing to most chronic illnesses AND many vague and bizarre symptoms…
Following an anti-inflammatory lifestyle is basic preventive medicine and is fundamental to an Integrative & Functional Medicine approach to health.
Four Foundations of an Anti-Inflammatory Lifestyle
1️⃣ Aim for an Anti-Inflammatory Diet
Think of it this way - every time you eat or drink something, you are making a choice to either increase or decrease inflammation in your body. Diets high in refined sugar, hydrogenated oils, or trans fats are associated with a higher production of inflammatory molecules. To reduce inflammation, choose healthy fats like nuts, seeds, olive oil, and avocados. 🥑 Try to fill up half of your plate with colorful vegetables and fruit, which contain antioxidants and polyphenols that protect against inflammation.🫐 If eating animal protein, opt for organic, free-range varieties when possible.
2️⃣ Make Exercise a Priority
🏋 Exercise lowers inflammatory molecules even in the absence of weight loss, so it’s important to find an exercise routine that works for you! A basic rule of thumb is to aim for 150 minutes of sweaty cardiovascular exercise each week, with 2-4 days of strength or resistance training.
3️⃣ Get Enough Sleep
💤 Sleeping at least 7-8 hours a night produces growth hormones and testosterone to modulate inflammation. If you are not getting good sleep, then it’s time to find a practitioner who will work with you on this! I offer a variety of solutions for patients with inadequate sleep, including various supplements and herbal formulas, prescription medication if necessary, and referrals to specially-trained therapists.
4️⃣ Work on Your Resiliency to Stress
Stress is a part of our lives. Period. And an elevated stress response can increase inflammation in your body. While we cannot always get rid of our external stressors, there are many tools available to help our bodies and brains become more resilient to the effects of stress - including therapy, breathwork, herbal formulas, acupuncture, yoga, and meditation - all of which can help relieve stress and make the body better able to regulate the inflammatory response. ☯️
Stay tuned for the last blog in this series highlighting nutritional supplements to reduce chronic inflammation.
Uncovering the root cause of chronic inflammation is a highly individualized process. As a board-certified Integrative & Functional Medicine physician, I can help you “think outside of the box and dig deeper with a variety of laboratory testing to help uncover the underlying root causes of inflammation in your body and create a plan personalized for you that goes beyond the prescription pad to incorporate diet/lifestyle change, nutritional supplements, holistic therapies, health coaching and more! Contact us to get started!