Episode 103 – Inflammation

In this episode I explain what inflammation is, why I talk about it so much as a nutritional therapist, and ways to reduce it naturally.

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What is inflammation?

Inflammation is our body’s natural way to fight infection. We elicit an inflammatory response to help fight off viruses, they don’t like heat, and basically it’s our body heating up. It should be a short term response to attack.

However, other things can cause inflammation and this is where the problem starts, because if your body is constantly inflamed then it affects the ability to deal with infection and can start to cause chronic illnesses.

Get enough sleep

Our bodies repair whilst we sleep, it is the foundation of good health. Aim for 7-8 hours of quality restorative sleep every night.

Eat well

Anti-inflammatory foods are rich in antioxidants, these help mop up any damage done during the inflammatory cascade. They include all plants, but particularly green leafy vegetables and berries. Oily fish is also a great addition to the diet, and Omega 3 helps to reduce inflammation.

Stress less

It’s easy for me to say I know, but stress is highly inflammatory. Our body is reacting to a threat and activates the sympathetic nervous system, which activates hormones such as cortisol, which are inflammatory to the body. Long term stress causes inflammation.

Try gentle exercise such as yoga or walking. Daily meditation or by simply deep breathing can all activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is vital for calm and balance.