When it comes to handling pains and aches in your body, painkillers and frozen peas can only get you so far. The reason for this is because most of the discomfort you feel comes from chronic rather than acute inflammation.
Chronic inflammation basically means your immune system is going bonkers and attacking things it shouldn’t be attacking. Aside from causing pain, chronic inflammation can also spur weight gain, speed up aging and increase your risk of developing heart disease and cancer.
So what’s an inflamed person supposed to do? Here are 5 easy ways to help get rid of chronic inflammation.
9) Have Some Protein Every Meal
Eating protein throughout the day can help your liver detoxify harmful chemicals that might be circulating in your bloodstream. Make sure that you go for lean protein sources like fish, eggs, chicken, grass-fed red meat, legumes and low-fat dairy.
8) Drink Green Tea
Green tea has been found by scientists to be rich in catechins, a type of antioxidant that gets rid of free radicals and helps the body detoxify itself. Doctors suggest drinking one to three cups of green tea a day helps prevent inflammation. Alos go for the organic varieties of green tea as they provide more catechins than non-organic ones.
7) Do Some Yoga
Regular exercise is beneficial for the body but did you know that exercising too hard and too often can lead to increased inflammation? Try squeezing in some restorative yoga poses in between tough workouts for pain relief.
6) Turn Down The Heat
Whenever you cook meat (pork, chicken, beef or fish) at really high temperatures, it produces polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heterocyclic amines (HCAs), inflammatory chemicals that scientists think increases the risk of you getting cancer. The next time you cook meat on direct-heat sources like on a stove or grill, be sure to keep the temperature under 300° F to prevent the formation of these chemicals.
5) Have Some Time For Yourself
A stressed out mind equals a stressed out body. And while you can’t do anything about your monthly bills or psychotic boss, setting aside time to take care of yourself can make a lot of difference in reducing stress and, in turn, inflammation. Spend some time everyday to do something that restores you rather than drain you.
4) Don’t Bring Gadgets In The Bedroom
Bringing gadgets into your bedroom is just like bringing inflammation into your life. The blue light that emanates from your smartphone could throw off your internal clock and keep you up all night. As any doctor will tell you, lack of restful sleep will lead to a surge of inflammatory hormones.
3) Avoid Sweetened Beverages
Whether you drink regular or diet doesn’t really matter at all. Countless studies have found that people who regularly drink beverages that uses artificial sweeteners and high-fructose corn syrup tend to have increased levels of insulin, which is a major contributor to inflammation.
2) Filter Your Water
One great step toward a healthier metabolism is drinking more water. Unfortunately, tap water can have inflammatory chemicals present. To ensure that you’re drinking chemical-free water, try running your water through a reverse-osmosis water filter.
1) If You Can’t Pronounce It, Don’t Eat It
Always check the food labels and beware of any weird-sounding ingredients as they’re usually overflowing with inflammatory compounds. Also avoid artificially colored drinks and food as they’ll only do bad things to your immune system.
