Inflammation is a system that occurs for the protection of the body as a whole.

Inflammation is the body’s way of responding to an injury caused by either trauma, infection, autoimmune disorders, or stress

Continually overwhelming this refined system can lead to systematic inflammation allowing chronic diseases to emerge.

By balancing out our immune response, we can prevent these undesirable consequences.

In this blog post we’ll dig deeper and discover if chronic illness development and progression are linked to uncontrolled inflammation to injuries regardless of their nature – physical, environmental, psychological.

Types

We recognize two types of inflammation: acute and chronic.

Acute is caused by:

• Infection,
• Allergic reaction,
• Trauma or injury,
• Burns, cuts, wounds.

Acute inflammation is the response to sudden body damage and it lasts as long as it takes for the healing process to end.

Chronic inflammation can be caused by diseases or medical conditions like:

• Autoimmune disease,
• Lupus,
• Chronic fatigue syndrome,
• Fibromyalgia,
• Neurological disease.

Chronic inflammation often arises quietly and with no following symptoms. 

In these inflammatory diseases, inflammation continues instead of being stopped.

This can lead to immune cells keep letting out damaging chemicals and killing our own cells.

Chronic inflammation represents a major threat to health and longevity.

Inflammation process

Inflammation begins when the body senses “danger,” in the form of infective, traumatic, physical, chemical, or other challenges like radiation, ischemia, toxin exposure, environmental toxins and chemicals (e.g., additives, preservatives, pesticide residues) and even psychological stress.

The immune system cells are activated and sent to the problematic area.

They release various substances, known as inflammatory mediators and hormones.

They allow more blood to reach the injured tissue which is resulting in inflamed areas turning red and feeling hot.

They also irritate nerves and send pain signals to the brain. Which has a protective function: If the inflammation hurts, you’ll tend to protect the affected area.

Symptoms that may be signs of acute inflammation are redness, heat, swelling, pain, and loss of function. ^[1]

Some inflammations are silent and don’t cause any symptoms.

How to reduce inflammation?

Our health is influenced by many factors outside of personal choice. 

Factors that affect an individual’s health will differ.

If one system in the body is failing and if an environmental factor is affecting an individual’s health, this can lead to a dysregulation of additional systems, leading to the presence of multiple diseases or conditions.

While we can take steroids or anti-inflammatory medications to suppress some instances of acute inflammation, in chronic diseases we need to know which parts of the inflammatory route should be enhanced or muted at different stages of the disease.

The key is to balance out our immune response.

To heal, we must develop and sustain an anti-inflammatory lifestyle. 

Prioritizing an anti-inflammatory lifestyle should be a primary approach for both prevention and intervention.

This means making better food choices, engaging in less sedentary behaviors, and practicing stress management skills to activate the parasympathetic nervous system and prioritize sleep. 

• Diet – A diet low in refined sugar and high in complex carbohydrates, fiber, protein from fish, healthy fatty acids from nuts, and fresh fruits and vegetables. I learned that the best way to fight inflammation is by consuming food that will have an anti-inflammatory effect on the body (olives, tomatoes, broccoli, fruits, nuts, fatty fish, leafy greens, olive oil…). The ketogenic diet, which is also anti-inflammatory, was the most effective for me. 
• Stay active – Physical activity is necessary. If you’re not used to exercising, begin with light stretches or walk in the park. 
• Rest and relax – During sleep the body regenerates itself. That’s why it’s important to get a good night’s sleep. Get yourself at least 7 hours of sleep. In addition, relax, try deep breathing exercises, connect to nature, get some sun, or pet a dog.

Conclusion

Inflammation is the body’s way to protect the person as a whole.

Overworking this system may contribute to a wide range of chronic diseases. 

Furthermore, the development of a disease often indicates the body is in a state of multiple system dysregulation.

For the maximization of overall health and well-being when dealing with chronic illness there must be a more integrated approach to treating the person as a whole.

The solution is in balancing out the immune response with a focus on overall wellbeing.

The decision to start an anti-inflammatory diet should be considered by your health care provider to prevent any unintended effects.