Inflammation is one of the biggest challenges that we face as we grow older. As a result, getting up in the morning can be a problem for many as the aches and pains increase. Meanwhile, we are still expected to perform in our daily lives. Is this the norm?

Obviously, we would like to say no.

So what can we do about inflammation? As a matter of fact, quite a bit.

Why is inflammation so damaging?

Firstly, let’s look at what an inflammatory response is.

Your body tries to protect itself from foreign substances and trigger a healing process through inflammation.

For starters, there are several things that can trigger an inflammatory response. One of these is when tissues are injured by:

• bacteria
• trauma
• toxins
• heat
• or any other cause

Acute inflammation is beneficial

Believe it or not, this can be a good thing. This is because your body is trying to heal itself through acute inflammation. The trick is that it stops the inflammatory response afterwards. Acute inflammation begins fast and lasts for a few days to possibly a few weeks.

This type of inflammation can become severe quickly. Thankfully, acute inflammation is often easy to see or feel. For example, a person may experience pain, immobility, or swelling.

Some examples of acute inflammation

• the common cold
• the flu
• bronchitis
• headache
• hives
• joint pain

Conversely, chronic inflammation harms the body

Chronic inflammation lasts for several months to years. Exposure to a low-intensity irritant or toxin is the main culprit here.  It may also be an autoimmune response to an allergen. Basically, your body’s immune system is permanently turned on and fighting against inflammation.

However, if the irritant or toxin doesn’t go away, your body will keep sending chemicals to help repair the area of inflammation. As a result, healthy cells and tissue will begin to break down.

Chronic inflammation can seem harmless on a day-to-day basis. In fact, you may not notice or think much of it unless it begins getting in the way of daily living.

Some symptoms of chronic inflammation

• bloating
• brain fog
• achy joints
• persistent fatigue
• pain

Anti-inflammatory foods

Yes, it is mainly a lifestyle decision to reduce inflammation. So how can we reduce this chronic burning, especially as we age?

Let’s take a look at some foods that can help.

Oiling the joints

Just as we would take our cars in for an oil change, we can also introduce oils and other substances to lower inflammation. In fact, there are some oils that do the job pretty well.

For example, there are Omega 3 and Omega 7. Omega 3 is found abundantly in fish. On the other hand, Omega 7 is primarily found in coconut oil.

Omega 3 salmon boost

Ingredients:

• 4 skinless salmon fillets, about 175g
• 1 lime
• 3 tbsp clear honey
• 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
• 3 x 410g cans butter beans, rinsed
• 25g butter
• 5 tbsp crème fraîche
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 100g bag spinach, chopped

Method:

1. Grill the salmon fillets flesh-side up on the grill highest setting.
2. Finely grate the zest of the lime into a bowl, then squeeze in the juice and stir in the honey, mustard and a good pinch of salt.
3. Next, pour the mixture over the salmon and grill, without turning, for 5-6 minutes until it’s golden on top and cooked through (check the centre with a fork).
4. While that is happening, tip the beans into a saucepan and add the butter, crème fraîche, garlic and plenty of salt and pepper.
5. Next, turn the heat on to moderate and coarsely mash everything together with a masher until hot and bubbling.
6. Finally, tip in the spinach and stir into the mash until it’s hot and just wilted.

Serve the salmon on the mash, drizzled with the cooking juices.

The Golden Child - Curcumin

We spoke about the wonders of turmeric in a previous article. By introducing it into your diet, you can effectively help curb the burning sensation inflammation causes!

Turmeric Latte

This delicious drink is perfect for a winter warmer!

Ingredients:

• 400 ml milk (from almond to coconut, take your pick!)
• ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon honey
• A grind of fresh black pepper

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients in a saucepan and whisk together until hot.  Do not let it boil.
2. Pour into mugs, add a dash of cinnamon on top and enjoy!

Spicy Turmeric Ginger Gummies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup orange, carrot or pineapple juice
• 1 tablespoon turmeric powder
• 3 cm ginger root, thinly chopped
• 1 tablespoon agar agar powder or gelatin
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon stevia (optional)

Method:

1. Place the juice into a pan.
2. Sprinkle and mix the dry ingredients into the pan.
3. Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes, constantly stirring to make sure that it doesn’t stick or start setting.
4. Remove the ginger slices.
5. Leave to cool for 5 minutes and pour into ice trays or moulds.
6. Chill for 30 minutes.

These gummies will last for up to a week in the fridge.

Other anti-inflammatory foods

• Broccoli
• Olive Oil
• Blueberries
• Fish
• Nuts
• Tart Cherries
• Kelp
• Fermented foods
• Paw Paw
• Green Tea

Cut out pro-inflammatory foods

Trans-fatty acids are linked to an increase in inflammation. Knowing this, it’s best to avoid these foods as much as possible:

• margarine
• fried foods
• packaged cookies
• crackers
• processed, pre-packaged ready-made food

Exercise

Low impact exercise is a great way of targeting chronic inflammation. This includes yoga, stretching, walking and swimming.

Check your hormones

Hormones can play a big role in chronic inflammation. Because of this, we recommend visiting your integrative medicine practitioner to have your hormones assessed.

Sleep and relaxation to reduce inflammation

Getting enough rest cannot be stressed enough. Hence, cutting out stressors can have a major benefit to your health. Similarly, focusing on techniques that reduce stress can work wonders.

Supplements to reduce inflammation

There are several supplements that you can use in the fight against inflammation:

• Curcumin
• Omega 3
• Resveratrol
• Pycnogenol
• Quercetin
• Silymarin
• Berberine
• Glutamine
• MSM
• Glucosamine
• Magnesium
• Selenium
• Zinc
• Vitamin D
• Vitamin C

Exciting treatments are becoming available for inflammation and pain

One of the amazing therapies that we have been using to great effect is called photobiomodulation. We use a laser at a specific wavelength to bring down the inflammation. Consequently, platelets are activated and pain is reduced. The main colour for this is red.

Get in touch if you want to find out more!