Inflammation is your body’s response to an illness, injury or something that doesn’t belong in your body. Inflammation is a normal and important process that allows your body to heal. Fever, for example, is how you know your body’s inflammatory system is working correctly when you’re ill. But inflammation can harm you if it occurs in healthy tissues or goes on for too long. Inflammation can cause pain, swelling or discoloration. These are signs your body is healing itself. Normal inflammation should be mild, and pain shouldn’t be extreme. But inflammation can also affect parts of your body you can’t see. There are habits you can do daily to help ease inflammation in your body. Below are 9 habits that could ease inflammation in your body.
Proper Sleep
We all know that getting proper sleep is vital to our health. When you don’t get the sleep you need, your body may kick inflammation up a notch. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every night and day. We all know that phones can be addictive but put them away for the sake of your health. You may want to opt to sleep in a cool, dark, and quiet room.
Walking
Walking is very important if you want to live a healthy lifestyle. It takes as little as 20 minutes of moderate exercise. Taking a brisk walk on your lunch break or walking your dog are options. This will head off an anti-inflammatory response in your body. Health guidelines call for 30 minutes of physical activity a day, 5 days a week. If you currently don’t work out at all, 20 minutes is a great place to start.
Add Spices to Your Dishes
Dial up the flavors in your dishes and give your health a boost by trying out some of these spices. Turmeric, rosemary, cinnamon, cumin, and ginger show they may slow down processes in your body that lead to inflammation.
Fasting
This is something I’ve done for a while now and that’s fasting. A common method involves only eating between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. daily. Research shows intermittent fasting may be more than just a fad. Eating only during a fixed window of time each day can have anti-inflammatory effects. Long-lasting inflammation can raise your risk for conditions including heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.
Greens is Your Best Friend
Greens such as collards, broccoli, kale, and spinach have antioxidants. The greens and other compounds that can help reduce inflammation. They can help keep day-to-day damage to your cells to a minimum. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends that women eat at least a cup and a half of dark green vegetables every week. Men ought to eat two.
Less Alcohol and More Green Tea
A glass of wine with dinner isn’t going to do much harm. But too much alcohol can raise toxin levels in your body. This turns on inflammation, which can damage tissues and organs. If you drink at all, do so in moderation. I’ve done less alcohol drinking and have turned my attention to green tea. It’s packed with compounds known as polyphenols that fight off free radicals. These molecules can promote inflammation in your body.
Dieting
Refined carbohydrates, red meats, and fried foods raise inflammation in your body. Swap out unhealthy foods for inflammation-fighting fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, and fish. Plan your menu around foods such as tomatoes, blueberries, almonds, walnuts, lentils, and salmon.
Lose Weight
If you’re fasting or changing your diet then you may be trying to lose weight. If you’ve got a few pounds to lose, getting rid of them could ease inflammation. Excess weight, on the other hand, can make it worse. That’s part of the reason obesity and overweight are risk factors for so many health conditions.
Stop Smoking
We all know smoking is bad for you and your body. Smoking comes with a laundry list of harmful effects. Higher levels of inflammation are one of them. Decide to quit and pick a day to do it. You don’t have to go alone, though. There’s a lot of options out there to help you to stop smoking.
