What is Inflammation, and Why is it Dangerous?
The World Health Organization (WHO) ranks chronic diseases as the greatest threat to human health. Worldwide, 3 out of 5 people die due to chronic inflammatory diseases like stroke, chronic respiratory diseases, heart disorders, cancer, obesity, and diabetes.
Inflammation is a normal body function, however, having excessive inflammation can be very threatening to overall health. This article will cover the two types of inflammation and lifestyle changes you can make to improve your health.
What is Inflammation?
Inflammation exists in two forms: acute and chronic. The more common of the two is acute inflammation, which is redness, heat, and swelling around tissues and joints. This occurs with minor injuries such as when you slice open your finger or hit your knee. When these types of injuries occur your immune system releases white blood cells to surround and protect the area. The process works the same way if you have an infection like the flu.
The other type of inflammation is Chronic inflammation. This involves a similar reaction as in acute inflammation, but the difference is now the flame persists. White blood cells enter the injured area and end up attacking nearby healthy tissues and organs.
Chronic inflammation can last months or years, even after the first trigger is gone. Life-threatening conditions linked to chronic inflammation include:
Cancer
Arthritis
Heart disease
Diabetes
Asthma
Alzheimer’s disease
Anti-Inflammatory Lifestyle Changes
Don’t worry, it’s not too late! Making better lifestyle choices can reduce your risk of chronic inflammation, which is the type of inflammation that leads to disease. Numerous lifestyle factors have been scientifically proven to play a part in inflammation such as lack of physical activity, poor diet, smoking, obesity, chronic stress, and excessive alcohol consumption.
Here are my top 3 SVELTE ways to combat inflammation:
Exercising: Exercising regularly decreases levels of TNF (tumor necrosis factor) and CRP (C-reactive protein), both of which are involved in systemic inflammation. One of my favorite ways to get my daily exercise in is with my QUICK and EFFECTIVE One & Done workout program. These workouts are body area specific take 7 minutes per day to get a highly effective low impact Sprint Interval Training workout.
Nutrition Plan: Food choices are one of the most important lifestyle changes. Eating overly processed foods and sugar can raise your risk of inflammation. To help combat inflammation I created the MetaBoost program with hand-selected foods from the grocery store with anti-inflammatory properties which I call my Metainfluencers. These metaInfluencers are special foods that can cause cellular combustion to burn fat, reduce inflammation, and create natural, sustainable energy. Some of the top Metainfluecers are foods such as salmon, avocado, broccoli, and more! Coldwater fish such as salmon and tuna are some of the best sources of omega-3s.
Cleanse Your Body With Natural Nutrients: The goal of a cleanse is to remove harmful foods and processed products from your diet so that your body has time to rest and detoxify. Occasional cleansing can be a great way to refresh and re-energize your physical self. My Green Smoothie Detox uses 10-days of nutrient smoothie recipes using fruits and vegetables to help rid of bloat, slim down, and increase your energy!
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Inflammation is a global problem, but with a few lifestyle changes, you can greatly reduce your risk. If you found this article helpful please share it with your friends and family! Stay tuned for more health and nutrition tips coming your way soon!
-Mere