Healing Chronic Inflammation Through Your Diet

​Unfortunately for many, inflammation is a part of everyday life. Like we discuss here at Sprouting Health, inflammation can increase if we are not physically, chemically, and emotionally balanced. So, what are some signs of chronic inflammation? And how can we lower these inflammation levels naturally?
 
Signs of chronic inflammation include balance problems, insulin resistance or high blood sugar, muscle weakness, diarrhea, low back pain, fatigue, brain fog, blood clots, memory problems, and many more! Some people may equate these things as to just a matter of stress – but we must remember, these symptoms are not normal!
 
The good news is, that people everywhere are starting to learn that the best way to reduce inflammation comes from what is inside our refrigerator, not just things we are picking up at the chemist.
 
When our immune system identifies a foreign object (like a chemical – food, fluid, plant, etc.) in our body, the inflammation process begins. Although inflammation can be a good sign that our body is working hard to defend us against harmful chemicals or foreign objects, sometimes inflammation can persist and over time can contribute to the development of cancer, heart disease, arthritis, depression, and Alzheimer’s.
 
Many experimental studies have shown that components of food or beverage may have anti-inflammatory effects and if you choose the right anti-inflammatory foods for your body, you may be able to substantially lower the risk of illness.
 
The more anti-inflammatory and healthy foods that we put in our body, the better we will feel for longer periods of time. Particularly, fruits and vegetables such as blueberries, apples, and most importantly, leafy greens, will help contribute to lower inflammation levels and ensure you are full of antioxidants and other protective substances.
 
Dr. Frank Hu, a professor of nutrition and epidemiology in the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health says that some inflammatory foods like refined sugar, gluten and dairy can cause excess inflammation in our brains and bodies and can be a contributor to the development of chronic health diseases in the general population. Dr. Hu also states that a healthy diet is beneficial not only for reducing risk of chronic disease, but also for mood improvement, function in daily living, and quality of life.
 
1. Harvard Health Publishing. Foods that fight inflammation [Internet]. 2021 [cited 2023 Jun 21]. Available from: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/foods-that-fight-inflammation#:~:text=Anti%2Dinflammatory%20foods,-An%20anti%2Dinflammatory&text=green%20leafy%20vegetables%2C%20such%20as,%2C%20blueberries%2C%20cherries%2C%20and%20oranges