If you’re interested in health & wellness, you’ve probably heard the term “inflammation” thrown around hundreds of times. But what exactly does it mean?
Essentially, inflammation is the body’s natural response to harm. Acute inflammation is helpful–this is the kind that comes around when we’re injured or fighting infection. But chronic, low grade inflammation is deadly. This is the kind that persists day after day in response to constant stressors, increasing our risk chronic disease and robbing us of beauty & vitality in the process.
Now, inflammation is a fact of life in the modern world, and worrying about it too much can actually perpetuate the problem, since stress increases inflammatory proteins. I’m all about striking a balance between enjoying life and maintaining health, which means prioritizing the easy, high yield habits that are proven to make a difference.
Here are my top inflammation-busting tips you can easily work into your routine:
Drink water like it’s your job. Think of your body like a giant bag of water. It depends on water for millions of biochemical reactions: things like digesting food for energy, detoxifying that extra glass of wine, regulating temperature when you’re outside in the cold, and building collagen structure for healthy looking skin. If you’re dehydrated (which 75% of us are), your body becomes stressed from the inability function normally and inflamed from the buildup of metabolic waste. So grab a large reusable water bottle and keep it with you throughout the day. It’s easy, inexpensive, and won’t interfere with your celebratory eating and drinking (although you may find your sugar cravings significantly reduced).
Get in 15 minutes of strength training. Resistance training causes the muscles to release myokines, which are messenger proteins that fight inflammation throughout the body. In addition, strength training prepares the muscle to serve an important role of glucose disposal: using up the carbs from your next meal and sparing your body a stressful blood sugar surge. Now, we live in a culture of extremes, and it may feel like 15 minutes isn’t worth it. But research shows even 15 minutes of exercise is enough to create long lasting health effects (it decreased risk of death by 22% in older adults!) No need to be fancy–bodyweight exercises like squats, lunges, planks, and push-ups will do the trick.
Load up on veggies. No matter what your diet is–vegan, paleo, keto, etc–eating a wide variety of vegetables is essential. The fiber in them supports gut health, which in turn supports a healthy immune system. The micronutrients (vitamins & minerals) ensure your body has the cofactors it needs to function properly, preventing stress and injury to tissues. The phytonutrients fight inflammation and free radicals. My advice here is simple: fill half your plate with vegetables for as many meals as possible.
Give these 3 habits a try, and you’ll be giving your body its best shot at running like a well oiled machine, with far more resistance to the daily stressors that life brings. Over time, they add up to a huge difference in your quality of life.