8 Surefire Ways to Reduce Cellular Inflammation

Continued research shows how a multitude of health challenges are often due to the highly inflammatory environment your body could be struggling with.

When you hear the word inflammation you probably think of an injury that swells up into a bruise which takes a few days or even weeks to subside. Yes, this is topical, conspicuous inflammation but what you may not realize is that inflammation on a cellular level could be occurring in your body right now. Often, the body will remedy cellular inflammation but when your system is overwhelmed with any number of factors (environmental pollution, subpar diet, etc), cellular inflammation may increase.

According to several studies internal inflammation has been linked to many health challenges such as acid reflux, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, digestive conditions, depression and cancer.

The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center reports that,

“Our preliminary data from an ongoing pilot study suggest an additional mechanism, namely that the fructose content of such beverages [soda or fruit juices] triggers low-grade chronic inflammation. This is intriguing in that low-grade chronic inflammation has been implicated in the etiology of both T2DM [type 2 diabetes mellitus] and CVD [cardiovascular disease].”

These 8 surefire ways to reduce cellular inflammation may help you decrease internal strife that may be causing or leading to challenging conditions or possibly even disease.

Avoid the Evils of Sugar

As mentioned in the study above, processed sugar and high consumption of natural sugars, like fructose, could lead to systemic inflammation.

Yuri Elkaim, RD, comments to Prevention magazine about sugar intake,

“Sugar wears down your adrenal glands, or stress regulators, and thus your ability to cope with stress over time.”

Aditi Nerurkar, MD, an integrative medicine physician at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston explains,

“When we’re stressed, our body’s cortisol levels increase, and cortisol is one of the many hormones that helps regulate inflammation in the body.”

Scott Zashin, MD, clinical professor at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas also weighs in on sugars as well as saturated fats,

“They [sugar and saturated fat] cause overactivity in the immune system, which can lead to joint pain, fatigue, and damage to the blood vessels,”

Stick to fresh fruits and natural sugar substitutes like stevia, agave and raw honey but remember not to overdo it or these sugars could be just as detrimental as processed ones.

Shut Down Inflammatory Stress with Meditation

The word “meditation” could be viewed by some as an inconceivable, granola-esque, New Age practice that could never fit into one’s hectic schedule. Yet, those who have embraced it on a variety of levels report significant health benefits.

Meditation does not have to be a big production, it can be done practically anywhere and as it becomes integrated into your life studies show positive results. All it takes is sitting quietly and gently breathing in your nose and out your mouth for five, ten, fifteen minutes or more per day.

A study of the effects of meditation on inflammation published in Biological Psychiatry (7/1/16) concluded that,

“These findings provide the first evidence that mindfulness meditation [], is associated with improvements in a marker of inflammatory disease risk.”

If meditation is just not your thing, researchers report that yoga, pilates, outdoor walks, painting, singing, cooking, and other enjoyable activities can considerably reduce your stress levels as well.

Anti-Inflammatory Foods and Supplements

What you put into your body could have a great effect on cellular inflammation. Just as processed sugars and other packaged foods can have a negative influence, choosing these anti-inflammatory foods and supplements may do the opposite.

Before taking aspirin or prescribed anti-inflammatories these natural remedies are some of a variety you can use to help relieve inflammation. Add them to your diet or take in supplement form and over time the unique accumulated compounds of these remedies could significantly decrease cellular and systemic inflammation.

Turmeric – Health Media reports that, “Turmeric, the ingredient that gives curry its yellow color, works in the body by helping to turn off a NF-kappa B, a protein that regulates the immune system and triggers the process of inflammation.”

Tart Cherry Juice – A study in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (2010) concluded that, “Ingesting tart cherry juice for 7 days prior to and during a strenuous running event can minimize post-run muscle pain.”

Proteolytic Enzymes – “Systemic multi-enzyme therapy has proved helpful in cases of arthritis and related diseases, offering a wide range of benefits relative to anti-inflammatory, vasculoprotective, and immunomodulatory effects” (Nutrition Review)

Omega-3 Fatty Acids/Fatty Fish (salmon, mackerel, tuna and sardines) – A study by researchers at the University of Hawaii reported that men who ate baked or boiled fish cut their risk of heart disease [inflammation is often a factor] by 23%.

Green Tea – A Brazilian study published in Scielo concluded, “Green tea was shown to have analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties and may constitute a natural treatment option in chronic inflammatory disorders.”

Soy – “A 2007 animal study published in the Journal of Inflammation found that isoflavones also helped reduce the negative effects of inflammation on bone and heart health in mice.” (Health Media)

These 8 surefire ways to reduce cellular inflammation could help increase your quality of life. In many cases you may see a positive difference in your energy level, mood, aches and pains as well as chronic conditions. Take a look within and see if your cellular inflammation can be minimized.