FORTUNATELY, with medicine and dietary modifications, we can prevent, treat, or even reverse persistent inflammation. Changing your food allows you to observe changes in the microbiome within days to weeks, which will help to start positive change. From a disease-risk point of view, it could take longer.
The ideal starting point is changes in nutrition, behaviour, and lifestyle. Those who can maintain these anti-inflammatory dietary and lifestyle variables throughout their lives have a better chance of keeping the physical and mental function they had in their youth. It places their ageing in a completely different perspective. You will naturally experience the inflammation that comes with age, but you can far more easily overcome inflammatory issues.
Follow an Anti-Inflammatory Diet
Many inflammatory problems begin in the gut, hence we require a varied diet, rich in items that combat inflammation. Aim for at least six servings of fruit/vegetables daily. Prioritise natural, gut-friendly foods—leafy greens like kale and spinach, cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, kale, cauliflower—grains, legumes, spices, and herbs with beneficial fibre and compounds.
Choose good anti-inflammatory fats from sources including olive oil, nuts, and seeds (chia seeds, flaxseed, almonds, walnuts). Research has linked nuts to fewer signs of inflammation as well as a lower risk of diabetes and heart disease. Though 90% of UK adults lack fibre, aim to eat 50g of it daily, as it is one of our most anti-inflammatory foods that may really help control the immune system. Consume fatty fish such as mackerel, sardines, and salmon. A diet high in omega-3 from fatty fish is highly effective at reducing persistent inflammation.
Eliminate Refined Carbs
Diets heavy in processed meats, fats, sweets, sugary drinks, and refined grains are linked to higher levels of inflammation and an increased risk of coronary heart disease. Ultra-processed foods are particularly inflammatory due to their high levels of saturated fats, sugars, salt, and additives like emulsifiers and sweeteners, which can harm the gut flora and trigger inflammation.
Sugar also nourishes inflammatory gut bacteria, harming our gut flora and leading to additional inflammation.
Reduce Alcohol
Among other things, alcohol disrupts your gut flora and both gut and liver function. “All the data indicates it’s truly a toxin, essentially equivalent to cigarettes in causing chronic inflammation.”
Physical Activity
Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week, such as walking. Partly because it offers its own benefits, and partly because it helps prevent obesity, which promotes inflammation. A 2017 study from the University of California San Diego School of Medicine revealed that even one 20-minute session of moderate exercise can boost the immune system.
Sleep More
Sleep is crucial in draining toxic substances from the brain via a specialised lymphatic system that cleanses the brain. It is very active at night, and this process is essential for shutting down inflammation.
Be in Natural Surroundings
Walking in the woods not only helps us to de-stress but also exposes us to bacteria, viruses, and fungi that can enhance our own, explains Ravella. Many individuals are on screens in concrete structures and do not go outside.
De-Stress
Burnout increases inflammation. Operating in a constant state of perceived danger pushes your immune system into hyper-vigilance. Stress hormones communicate your thoughts to your immune system; hence, elevated levels of cortisol or adrenaline (the fight-or-flight signalling chemicals) shift your immune system into a high-alert condition, where even the slightest stimulus causes a massive inflammatory cascade.
Get Vitamin D
Vitamin D plays a crucial role in regulating inflammation. It helps to strengthen the body’s immune system, thereby enhancing your ability to fend off illness and disease.
Consider Intermittent Fasting
Studies on Indonesian Ramadan workers indicate that intermittent fasting may help reduce inflammation. It can lower disease risk, help prevent Type 2 diabetes, improve cardiovascular health, promote weight reduction, and lengthen life expectancy.
Reduce Exposure to Polluting Chemicals
Read labels closely, as some cleaning goods and body care items contain chemicals that may irritate us. Often, inflammation indicates the presence of an infectious pathogen. However, it is concerning if there is sterile inflammation in the absence of any kind of infectious agent. Since this is something that is often consumed, more research on the emerging role of microplastics and their interaction with the microbiota, particularly in the gut, is required. Most microplastics come from our clothing when it is washed, though you can use a water filter and avoid bottled water.
Though most microplastics come from our clothing when laundered, consider using a water filter to prevent bottled water. Avoid acrylic, nylon, and polyester. Choose natural fibres such as cotton, wool, and linen. Wash clothes less frequently, use cold water, run full loads, and consider investing in a laundry bag designed to catch microplastics or a washing machine filter.
Air quality is also key. “Every epidemiological study points to your postcode and how much pollution you inhale truly matters in terms of lung disease.” A 2019 study by King’s College London found that London had the highest levels of airborne microplastics yet recorded, with a rate of microplastic deposition almost 25 times higher than China and seven times higher than Paris.
Living in a region with significant air pollution will obviously impact your lung function; similarly, if your water source is tainted with significant levels of microplastics, that will also have an effect.
Air purifiers, especially those with HEPA filters, can efficiently eliminate airborne pollutants, including microplastics. If you live in a polluted area like London, avoid exercising outside at dawn or dusk when pollution is at its worst.
