Inflammation is an important part of your immune system. When there is an injury the body responds by inflaming the area so antibodies can enter the area and healing can take place. When there is a virus or bacteria injuring the body the body fights it by inducing systemic inflammation in the form of a fever. The fever creates an environment where germs cannot thrive making it easier for the body to kill them. I most of the time the inflammation is temporary and beneficial. But inflammation can also be chronic and become the problem rather than the solution. Fortunately, there are many things we can do for ourselves, read on for easy to use and evidence-based tips for controlling inflammation.
Inflammation has been implicated in:
Asthma
Rheumatoid arthritis
Atherosclerosis
Multiple sclerosis
Systemic inflammatory response
Many common aches and pains
Here’s what you need to know about how to reduce chronic inflammation.
Do some stretching
Dogs know this instinctively and athletes and coaches for many years have recommend stretching for sore muscles and achy joints. Scientists have known for a long time that it really works. Recent genetic studies have begun to understand why it works. When you stretch you give a genetic signal to activate a master gene called NF-KB. This activates many other anti- inflammatory genes and begins the healing process.
Chinese Herbs for Inflammation and Infections
Used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries there are many natural herbs that fight inflammation that are currently receiving more respect in western medicine as scientists seek to find alternatives to many of the drugs we use that cause addiction and side effects. According to a study reported in the National Center for Biotechnology Information of the National Library of Medicine the
Chinese herbs such as Yu Jin (tumeric), Ginger (sheng jiang) Ru xiang (frankinsense of biblical fame) and Ban Lan Gen a common herb for fighting the flu have all been shown to reduce inflammation.
Read more on Chinese Herbs and Inflammation
Read the original Study
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4003708/
Avoid foods that increase inflammation
Many foods that can contribute to inflammation. Foods that are high in unhealthy fats (including saturated and transfats), sugars, preservatives and refined carbohydrates. Avoid deep-fried foods, high carb foods like bread and potatoes and red meat are also pro-inflammatory foods.
Anti-inflammatory foods – Go Mediterranean.
A review of 17 studies published in 2014 in the journal Nutrition, Metabolism & Cardiovascular Diseases found that the Mediterranean diet—which focuses on fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fish, and healthy fats such as olive oil—was associated with lower levels of inflammation.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/foods-that-fight-inflammation
Foods that can help reduce inflammation, include many of the foods we know we are supposed to be eating anyway like:
Antioxidant -rich foods
Colorful fruits and vegetables, such as leafy greens, avocados, beets
Whole grains
If you like bread like I do stick to whole grains so at least there is some nutrition to it. Another good tip is to get good bread from a bakery and have the slice it real thin. That way you can have your bread and keep the carbs to a minimum.
Fish and other foods that contain omega-3 fats
Omega-3 fats play a role in altering the inflammatory process and regulation of pain. Salmon, tuna, trout, mackerel
Soy-based foods, walnuts, pecans and ground flaxseed are also good sources of omega-3 fats.
In honor of the 50th anniversary of Woodstock!
Smoking Pot could help
Read more from the MAYO clinic
Cannabinoids are potent anti-inflammatory agents and they exert their effects through induction of apoptosis, inhibition of cell proliferation, suppression of cytokine production and induction of T-regulatory cells (Tregs). In this review, we provide an in-depth description of all four different mechanisms and we further discuss the immunosuppressive properties of cannabinoids in the context of inflammatory and autoimmune disease states, triggered by cellular rather than humoral components of the immune system.