From arthritis to ulcerative colitis, if you look at many diseases and conditions on the rise today, there’s a common contributing factor…
Inflammation.
Inflammation has been linked to conditions such as arthritis, cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and more–the majority of which are autoimmune-related.
Why does this happen?
When the body notices a foreign agent or antibody–whether a chemical or an allergen–it will attack the antibody.
Unfortunately, chronic inflammation occurs when the immune system begins to attack itself regularly, even without stimulation from foreign agents.
The good news is that there are concrete ways to reduce or prevent inflammation.
But the best ways to combat inflammation won’t come from your local pharmacy.
Healthy and natural practices such as an improved diet, more sleep, regular exercise, and other lifestyle modifications can make a huge difference.
Read on to discover and dive deeper into four of them…
#1: Include anti-inflammatory foods in your diet.
According to Dr. Frank Hu, professor of nutrition and epidemiology in the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health, “Many experimental studies have shown that components of foods or beverages may have anti-inflammatory effects.”
If you’re looking to revamp your diet to reduce inflammation, be sure to include plenty of the following foods…
- Tomatoes and green leafy vegetables (such as spinach, kale, collards).
- Almonds, walnuts, and other nuts.
- Olive oil.
- Fatty fish (such as salmon, mackerel, tuna, sardines).
- Fruits (such as strawberries, blueberries, cherries, and oranges).
On the other hand, be sure to avoid foods that cause inflammation–such as refined carbohydrates, dairy products, and saturated fats.
#2: Stay hydrated.
A lot of health nuts will try to convince you that beverages such as pressed turmeric juice or kale smoothies will be the magic solution to your inflammation woes.
While these beverages certainly hold their own healing properties, there’s nothing better than just plain, simple water.
How do you put out a burning fire? With water.
Water has a similar effect when it comes to reducing cellular inflammation in our bodies.
When you drink water, you’re essentially flushing toxins and other irritants out of your system.
However, be sure to get your water from sources that won’t impact your body negatively.
Consider installing a filtration system at home to ensure that your drinkable water source will only help, not hurt, your body.
#3: Make sleep a priority.
In our busy, fast-paced, and overstimulated modern society, many of us aren’t getting the recommended amount of shut-eye each night.
As the Chopra Center explains, “If you’re cutting corners in the snooze department, you’re cheating your immune system, which means it needs to kick into high gear in an effort to keep you well (hello, inflammation).”
The National Sleep Foundation recommends that people between 18 and 64 years of age should get between seven and nine hours of sleep per night. After 64, the recommended amount of sleep decreases to seven to eight hours of sleep.
Therefore, make an intention to go to sleep at a decent hour and be sure to modify your nightly routine so you can get a deep sleep.
For example, don’t have your eyes glued to your phone’s screen too close to bedtime.
#4: Develop a Regular Exercise Habit.
So far, I’ve mentioned diet, water, and sleep. It probably doesn’t come as a surprise that regular movement and exercise would fit right in alongside the other suggestions.
And no, I don’t necessarily mean running a mile every day.
According to Medical News Today, researchers in a study from the University of California-San Diego School of Medicine found that even a 20-minute session of moderate exercise can have anti-inflammatory effects.
To reduce inflammation and your risk of developing an autoimmune disease or condition, be sure you make lifestyle modifications that cover the four tips listed above.
Arthritis is one of the most prevalent autoimmune diseases. If you suffer from arthritis, check out these four natural ways to soothe arthritic pain.
