How Does Inflammation Impact Your health?

By Mehru Khan | March 30, 2022

If you are trying to be healthy, it can be challenging when your results seem slow, or non-existent. 

You could be ticking all the right boxes, but finding that nothing is changing and you’re still feeling sluggish. One underlying cause that many people struggle with that can impact your health, as well as your progress, is inflammation. 

Inflammation plays a vital role in your body. For example, if you injure yourself, inflammation within your body is a natural response that is triggered to help you heal the injury, or fight any subsequent infections. It is a defense mechanism that is supposed to be short-lived and only occurs for healing and repairing. 

In some cases, inflammation can become chronic, which, unfortunately, comes with a plethora of health issues because your immune system will attack the healthy organs and tissue in your body. This can lead to problems such as obesity, difficulty losing weight, heart disease, diabetes, cancer and rheumatoid arthritis. 

What causes inflammation?

There is a range of medical conditions that can cause inflammation, such as autoimmune disorders, untreated infections, exposure to toxins, and much more. 

Lifestyle can also be a major factor in inflammation. Here are some examples:

Not getting enough sleep 

Sleep plays an important role in your health because it is a restorative process your body goes through to regulate the systems in your body, such as digestive health, immunity and hormone production. Irregular, poor quality or insufficient sleep can be disruptive to your body, its ability to regulate itself, and cause inflammation. 

Not eating a nutritious diet 

If you live on a diet of sugary, processed food and supplements, then it is unlikely that your body is getting the vital vitamins, minerals and nutrients that it needs to function adequately. Malnutrition and insufficient food intake can be a factor of inflammation in your body. 

Too much exercise 

Exercise is great for your health, but if you are over exercising, then you may be putting too much unnecessary stress on your body. Over exercising alone can cause inflammation, but if it is paired with insufficient fuel through nutrition, it can become dangerous.  

Signs of inflammation

Unfortunately, inflammation is not visible, so it is not easy to spot just by looking at someone. Inflammation concerning an injury or an infection may show up as hot, painful, red, swollen or even loss of functioning. Inflammation can also be present in your body through your lifestyle, and show itself in a variety of different ways, such as joint pain, sore muscles, bloating, and stomach pains. If the inflammation continues without resolution, then you may start to spot more serious signs, such as chronic stress or diabetes. 

How to improve inflammation 

Inflammation can impact your health and the progress of your goals, but it does not have to be permanent. With a range of practices, you will be able to reduce the inflammation your body is experiencing, and live a healthier, happier life. 

Consult a medical professional

It is important that you first consult a medical professional to assess your situation and identify any underlying causes. There are many reasons why inflammation may occur, and a medical professional will be able to provide you with tailored advice to help your situation, especially if it is concerning a medical condition, infection or illness, as opposed to simple lifestyle changes. 

Change your diet 

Eating a balanced and nutritious diet is one of the best ways you can reduce inflammation in your body. The food you consume can impact your health immensely. Consider adding foods such as tofu, fish, walnuts and soybeans into your diet, as they have a high level of omega-3 fatty acids in them. Fill your plates with fresh fruit, a variety of vegetables and limit the carbs and refined sugars that you consume. You can also supplement your diet with additional remedies that will help your body fight inflammation, for example, CBD which can come in the form of a tea. You should research CBD tea benefits to see how it can help you.

Reduce stress

Stress is a contributing factor to the inflammation in your body. Unfortunately, you cannot completely avoid stressful situations, but you can avoid your triggers, and learn how to manage your stress accordingly. Consider practicing yoga, meditation, or doing some calming breathing exercises. 

Exercise 

Exercise is a great way to reduce stress, as well as reduce excess body weight. Both of which are contributing factors to inflammation. You can prevent inflammation through exercise, as well as reverse any you are experiencing. 

Inflammation can impact your health in a variety of ways. It is important to understand how it impacts you, so you can take steps to change your habits. This will enable you to live a healthier, happier life.