5 Health Hacks To Effectively Lower Inflammation

There are two types of these inflammations that affect overall human body functioning: Acute inflammation and chronic inflammation. Acute inflammation happens when the body is infected or there is an injury present. The body is like a repair shop, where extra cells are dispatched when there is a cut, injury, burn, or any other type of problem. The extra cells are doing repair work; that is why acute inflammation occurs. Acute inflammation can manifest as pain, redness, swelling, and loss of function, and common topical medications can aid in its faster recovery. But the problem arises when this necessary acute inflammation becomes chronic.

Chronic inflammation, on the other hand, can happen when the repair work goes on for too long, even after the original injury or infection has healed. When healthy tissue is repaired, the visible signs of acute inflammation normally disappear. But according to the Indian Journal of Inflammation, people with autoimmune or untreated infections can develop problems with chronic inflammation. This is why lowering inflammation in the body is very important for long-term health.

5 Health Hacks To Effectively Lower Inflammation

1. Adopt An Anti-Inflammatory Diet

Through dietary interventions that include omega-3, 6, and 9-rich foods in the right manner, people can combat acute inflammation. Along with these fatty-acid-based diet changes, people need to eat fruit and vegetables available seasonally and locally. Here is why:

• Consume Omega-3, 6, and 9 Rich Foods: Walnuts, flaxseeds, fatty fish, and safe and regulated supplements like cod liver oil can nourish the body with their properties.
• Seasonal Antioxidant-Rich Foods: When a diet of fruits and vegetables, like green leafy vegetables, berries, legumes, spices, nuts, and seeds, is consumed daily, it can help balance the antioxidants in the body. When a healthy dose of antioxidants is consumed consistently, people can gain their anti-inflammatory health benefits.

Read More: Here’s How Anti-Inflammatory Foods Can Help You AchieveYour Weight Loss Goals

2. Stay Physically Active

This is an underestimated health hack, as regular physical activity is essential for lowering overall inflammation in the body. To address a lack of sleep, regular and moderate exercise, adapted to people’s lifestyles, can help reduce inflammatory markers. When people stay sedentary (stationary) for long hours, moderate- to high-intensity exercises are key to controlling inflammation. For instance, you can follow certain tailored tips to stay physically active:

• Practising simple yoga daily that are suitable for your body type can improve overall health.
• Taking a brisk walk in clean sunlight can boost mood and improve mobility.
• Controlled and safe strength training based on individual body limits and strengths can increase overall body resilience.
• Taking regular walking breaks, or nature walks when possible, can lower inflammation markers in the body.

3. Prioritise Quality Sleep

Deep, undisturbed sleep is the cornerstone for achieving a healthy control over inflammation markers. There is increasing evidence provided in clinical settings that suggests that poor sleep increases inflammation levels in the body. As per the studies published in sleep journals, 1 in 4 people in India struggle with their schedules due to stress, screen exposure, and other factors. Sleep is important, as it is a time when the body goes into repair mode; from the brain to the entire body, complete restoration happens during the rest state. Here are some tips that can help you receive a consistent sleep schedule and achieve deeper sleep:

• Establish a window of time to fall asleep in and wake up in, even during the weekends.
• Ensure the sleep environment is screen-free at least one hour before going to bed.
• You can do a moderate level of exercise if you can’t fall asleep, as this is proven to help boost a sleep hormone, known as melatonin, and its production.

4. Manage Stress Effectively

Stress is often ignored until it manifests as physical symptoms, which happen when stress hormones malfunction. In turn, they trigger inflammation in the body, leading to health issues. While effective stress management techniques are many, only certain ones can be helpful depending on your daily lifestyle, activity levels, and how much attention you are paying to your stress levels. Here are some simple stress management techniques that people can implement.

• Studies have proven that meditation can help enhance physical and mental well-being, thus lowering inflammation markers in the body.
• Multiple studies suggest that various breathing exercises like controlled yogic breathing, humming bee breathing, and pranayama can be helpful for physical and mental well-being. As a balance between the two is necessary, when it is achieved, people can lower inflammation markers.
• The practice of mindfulness can help lower the hormone cortisol, which creates multiple health issues when left unchecked.

Read More: Reduce Inflammation Naturally With These Diet And Lifestyle Modifications

5. Limit Processed Foods And Sugar

The kind of diet being consumed on a daily basis compounds in the body and its overall wellness markers. When people don’t regulate their processed food and refined sugar intake, it can worsen inflammation. Studies have recorded that a consistent diet of processed foods can lead to worsening intestinal issues in the digestive system. Along with these processed foods, if refined sugar consumption is left unchecked, it can lead to worsened internal inflammation and even chronic inflammation over a course of time. There are multiple smart and healthy alternatives that can help people limit their processed food and sugar intake:

• Consuming whole grains like wheat, oats, barley, quinoa, ragi (finger millet), bajra (pearl millet), and jowar (sorghum) that are part of the traditional Indian diet can be helpful. The key is moderate intake and figuring out the right time for consuming it.
• Switching refined sugars with natural sweeteners like stevia, jaggery, date syrup, khandsari sugar, and palm jaggery can be helpful.