Alkaline diets, alkaline water. Recent decades have seen us consuming a great deal of material concerning becoming more “alkaline” in general. Why?
The idea is to reduce the amount of acidity in our bodies. By reducing the acidity, some claim, you can lower inflammation. Inflammation is the enemy of health-conscious people everywhere.
Your specific dietary goals are entirely a personal choice, but it should be said that inflammation is a normal and natural process. In fact, it is a very protective process. Inflammatory responses are how we fight off all types of disease and injury.
Therefore, we don’t want to work against our inflammatory response. But how do we address excess inflammation, if at all possible?
Chronic Inflammation
It is possible to have an inflammatory response that gets triggered inappropriately. This can bring the body into a state of chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation is linked to diseases and conditions such as strokes, heart attacks, and rheumatoid arthritis.
According to the research, there are certain bodily risk factors that increase our chances of getting chronic inflammation. These include:
⦁ A poor diet: Refined foods, namely fats and sugars, loom large here.
⦁ Hormones: Low amounts of sex hormones are associated with inflammatory markers.
⦁ Disrupted sleep: No matter the reason for subpar rest, having no set schedule for adequate sleep can boost inflammation.
⦁ Weight and age: Increasing inflammation is common as we age, which partially explains why older folks are more prone to disease. Being obese also triggers inflammation.
The symptoms of chronic inflammation can include the following:
⦁ Joint pain
⦁ Fatigue
⦁ Weight gain
⦁ Mood swings
⦁ Gastrointestinal problems
Because all of those symptoms can be associated with conditions that harm your quality of life, see a doctor. But if you want to prevent chronic inflammation, or help manage chronic inflammation at home, keep reading.
Cooling Off
Here are five of the best ways to set yourself up for lower inflammation.
1. Cut out these foods.
Shift your ‘alkaline” dietary mindset to a more specific ‘anti-inflammatory’ one. Anything deep-fried or processed is the first to go. Red meat is also not recommended if you are concerned about inflammation.
2. Add these foods.
Instead of red meat, many choose cold water fish as a protein. That’s because they contain omega-3 fatty acids. However, vegans and vegetarians can still get in on the action with nuts, beans, and tofu.
3. Maintain stable blood sugar.
As any type 2 diabetic will tell you, they must avoid white carbs to keep sugar lower. Flour, pasta, and rice are to be limited. If you are prone to low blood sugar, make sure you’re getting a healthy snack exactly when you need one.
4. Exercise.
Doctors agree that exercise is a key way to ward off inflammation. And we can think of nothing better than exercise that’s targeted toward joint health - yoga! If you can incorporate sound therapy into your yoga session, which we discuss here, you’ll be doubling up on inflammation-reducing techniques.
5. Refine your stress management strategy.
Yes, stress alone can contribute to extra inflammation. Sound therapy, such as from singing bowls, is a healthy way to manage stress. In addition, make more time for meditation (just ten minutes a day!) and help cool down the long-term burn of inflammation.
Do you think you suffer from high inflammation? What works for you? If you want to share any other opinions on this topic, leave us a comment below.