Six steps to reducing inflammation

Looking back at last week’s post about cholesterol and its inflammation tie-in got my mind going on inflammation. Earlier this month, I did a piece for Parade about all the reasons we’re seeing more of it now than ever. Alarming as news like that is, I came away from the write-up feeling really empowered. There are, I learned, plenty of easy, proactive things you can do to slash your risk. Here, six tips experts say should make a huge difference. Importantly, they’re straightforward both in how they make sense and in how they can fit into your life.

Eat small meals and whole foods. When scientists fed a 900-calorie fast-food breakfast to a group of volunteers, their blood tested full of inflammatory markers for four hours afterward. Smaller, fiber-rich meals, by contrast, give the body the time to properly absorb sugars and fats. Additionally, eschewing modern Western eating habits–processed foods, sugar, saturated fat; all foods our bodies seem to mistake as intruders–for more traditional ones (like the Mediterranean Diet) is associated with lower rates of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.

Move your body. In addition to managing weight, the strain of exercise does inflame your body a little when you do it, but the outcome is a huge net gain. You’re burning sugars and fats, so you’re removing triggers. More importantly, you’re building muscle, which will keep burning them all day. Also, exercise is linked to lower concentrations of stress hormones, which in turn reduces inflammation.

Work in omega-3s. Found in fatty fish, certain eggs, and grass-fed beef, omega-3s are consumed much less now than in previous generations. “Labs have even been able to manipulate the duration and magnitude of an inflammatory attack with omega-3s,” says Charles Serhan, MD, a professor of infection and immunity at Harvard University. “I’d argue that eating a diet rich in these is by far the most important thing you can do.” Experts especially recommend eating fish and taking supplements made from EPA and DHA.

Incorporate antioxidant-rich produce, and also vitamin D. “Inflammation increases oxidization, which is brought on by heat and oxygen. It’s what ages us, and if the byproducts aren’t checked, it can destroy other cells and lead to disease,” says David Heber, MD, director of the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition and author of What Color is Your Diet? “Plants, because they’re in the sun all the time, have developed ‘antioxidant’ defenses.” Particularly potent are dark fruits (like blueberries, pomegranate, and acai), spices (especially ginger and turmeric), dark chocolate, and red wine. As for vitamin D, in addition to cancer and heart disease prevention, new studies show an inverse relationship between inflammation and this important compound, produced–interestingly–when our own bodies are in the sun. Because vitamin D is found in few foods, try adding a supplement.

Cut down on foods like simple carbs and omega-6s. Simple carbohydrates (think refined sugar, white flour, and high fructose corn syrup), omega-6 fatty acids (in corn and soybean oils, as well as corn-fed animals), and trans fats can also increase insulin and drive up inflammation. Toxins ingested from some processed foods, plastics, can linings, and even the environment may also set off physical “intruder” alarms.

Detox your mind. Stress-reducers including yoga, meditation, and sleep all significantly reduce inflammation, studies show. But here’s the real news: Almost any proactive, positive change can work. “Stress that’s compensated by physical activity, intimate or community support, or a sense that one can take action to regain control doesn’t have nearly as much inflammation associated with it as does stress when you’re feeling alone and helpless,” says David Servan-Schreiber, MD, PhD, an adjunct professor of General Oncology at the University of Texas and author of Anticancer. I like that notion of how even just one small change–if it makes you feel empowered–can have a big impact. It’s a great reminder that whether you try one or all of these ideas (or, something totally different), simply taking a step in the right direction is getting you well on your way.