What is Inflammation and Why Are We Fighting It
The term “anti-inflammatory” is a bit of buzz word these days, and it seems like everyone is trying to reduce inflammation – but do you know what inflammation even really is? Do you know where it comes from or why it’s so “bad”? Is it something that you, personally, should be trying to fight?
Today, we’re going to talk about exactly what inflammation is, the different types of inflammation, what causes the “bad” kind of inflammation and what you can do to prevent or reverse it.
Before we begin, I’d like to officially introduce myself to anyone who is new here. My name is Nicole and I’m a Certified Holistic Nutritionist who specializes in teaching others how to live anti-inflammatory, immunity boosting, low toxicity lifestyles. And I’m thrilled to have you here
So, what is inflammation exactly? To put it simply, inflammation is a natural and necessary immune system response to injury, illness, and pathogens. Inflammation occurs when your immune system senses a threat and sends out white blood cells to the affected area(s). In the event of a respiratory virus, this may look like fever, mucus (to trap and remove the virus), and inflammation of the lungs. In the result of a wound, this may look like swelling, redness, and the area around the wound feeling tender or sore. This type of inflammation is called acute inflammation. It lasts for days to weeks, gradually reaching its peak and then slowly declining as the injury or illness poses less of a threat. This type of acute inflammation is a perfectly normal immune system response and is necessary to keep us alive.
There is, however, a second type of inflammation and we call this chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation is a type of prolonged inflammation that a person can experience for weeks, months or even years. It’s caused by subtle, repetitive lifestyle habits (often more than one) that expose the body to substances that it constantly must protect itself from. Often, the common culprits are our food, our personal care products, and toxins in our environments. Chronic stress can also lead to chronic inflammation. This type of inflammation is thought to be the underlying cause of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, cancers, autoimmune diseases, and even some mental health disorders.
The reason you’ve been hearing so much about the need to fight inflammation recently is because chronic disease has become a true epidemic in our country. Over 50% of Americans are living with at least one chronic health condition. The realization that chronic inflammation is leading to chronic disease has sparked a great interest in the desire to reduce inflammation.
So, the question now is, how? Well, we know that anti-inflammatory medications are readily available, both by prescription and over the counter. Your first thought might be that this type of drug regimen could be beneficial, however, caution should be advised with taking anti-inflammatory drugs, and for good reason. As we’ve already discussed, inflammation is a normal and natural part of our immune function. Drugs, both over the counter and prescription, work by interfering with our body’s natural systems. Routinely taking drugs that interfere with how the immune system functions and lead to more problems than solutions over time.
Instead of relying on anti-inflammatory medications, I recommend fighting chronic inflammation at the source, that is, with the food we eat, the personal care products we put on our skin daily, and the environments we’re breathing in.
This might sound like a lot at first, and if you don’t know where to start it can be overwhelming. That’s why I’ve written out specifically what to change and how to start. It’s essentially a series of simple swaps that are not only going to be more practical long-term, but also affordable.
Ready to learn more about how to use food to heal inflammation? Click here!
Want to learn what personal care to swap to fight inflammation? Click here!
Searching for ways to make your environment less inflammatory? Click here!
Food, personal care, and environment truly are (in my opinion) the three pillars of determining health and fighting chronic inflammation. I hope this post clarified any questions you had about the anti-inflammatory craze and helped you feel more empowered to take back control of your health! Make sure to subscribe below to get more anti-inflammatory, immunity boosting tips delivered straight to your inbox!
Until next time…
- Nicole