Understand Chronic Inflammation and 6 Ways To Reduce It

By Emma Suttie, D. Ac., AP

Chronic inflammation is like a silent intruder within your body—quietly stoking the embers of disease. The condition is so widespread that millions have it without even knowing it.

While inflammation is our body’s vital defender against cuts, infections, and other invaders, it can cause us harm if it remains in the body for too long.

Chronic inflammation lies beneath the surface and, if left untreated, can potentially ignite health problems—from heart disease to cancer. A key to our well-being lies in recognizing this double-edged sword and learning to reduce its impact.

Understanding Chronic and Systemic Inflammation

Our modern lifestyle drives much of the chronic and systemic inflammation that leads to disease. A January study published in Frontiers in Medicine found that 34.63 percent of U.S. adults have systemic inflammation.

Chronic inflammation is a prolonged, low-level inflammatory response that can last months to years. This condition often stems from underlying issues such as untreated infections, autoimmune disorders, or extended exposure to toxins or irritants. Chronic inflammation can affect specific body parts or multiple areas, damaging our health.

Systemic inflammation is a serious condition characterized by widespread inflammation throughout the body. It is also thought to be the root cause of practically every known chronic health condition.

“When someone recovers from an acute injury, trauma, or infection, and the inflammatory signals, e.g., cytokines and growth factors, continue to proliferate, then very likely the inflammation will shift from the acute to the chronic type,” John E. Lewis, a former associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, told The Epoch Times.

“When that occurs, then this dysregulated chronic inflammation becomes such that the immune system is unable to recognize when and how to shut off the response mechanisms,” Lewis, who has spent much of his career studying the effects of nutrition on the brain and immune system, said. “As this occurs, a whole set of new processes related to oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction, glycemic disruption, fat storage, and other complications begin to arise.”

Chronic inflammation’s most common causes are:

• Poor diet
• Physical and emotional stress
• Sedentary behavior
• Not getting enough high-quality sleep
• Toxins in the environment
• Lifestyle habits like smoking and alcohol

Signs and Symptoms of Chronic Inflammation

Acute inflammation becomes apparent when we scrape our knees or get a sore throat. Redness, swelling, heat, and pain indicate that the immune system is working to help the body heal.

In contrast, chronic inflammation often presents more subtly, with non-specific symptoms that can include lingering fatigue, body aches, digestive issues, weight gain, frequent infections, and mood disturbances like depression and anxiety.

These less obvious symptoms can easily be mistaken for other health issues, making it difficult to recognize chronic inflammation as the root cause. As a result, it can go unnoticed for months and even years as its signs are not as distinct as those of acute inflammation.

Chronic inflammation can cause a wide range of symptoms, Dr. Amy Myers, a functional medicine physician and author of “The Autoimmune Solution,” told The Epoch Times via email. She says that symptoms can include:

• Joint pain, muscle pain or weakness, or a tremor
• Weight loss, insomnia, heat intolerance, or rapid heartbeat
• Recurrent rashes or hives, sun sensitivity, a butterfly-shaped rash across your nose and cheeks
• Difficulty concentrating or focusing
• Fatigue, weight gain, or cold intolerance
• Hair loss or white patches on the skin or inside the mouth
• Abdominal pain, blood or mucus in the stool, diarrhea, or mouth ulcers
• Dry eyes, mouth, or skin
• Numbness or tingling in the hands or feet
• Multiple miscarriages or blood clots

6 Natural Solutions to Reduce Chronic Inflammation

If you suspect you have chronic inflammation or have already been diagnosed, there are multiple ways to combat its effects. Lifestyle choices are powerful tools to reduce chronic inflammation and restore the immune system without medication.

“Conventional medicine seeks to diagnose and medicate symptoms,” Myers said. “The problem is that it fails to get to the root cause of the symptoms and disease.”

1. Eat an Anti-Inflammatory Diet

One of the most impactful ways to reduce chronic inflammation is through food choices at every meal.

The Mediterranean Diet is well-established as one of the top anti-inflammatory diets, primarily emphasizing plant-based foods. However, it also includes alcohol, which some studies classify as potentially pro-inflammatory, Lewis said.

“Studies have shown that whole-food, plant-based diets are anti-inflammatory as well.”

According to Lewis, plant-based diets provide a broader foundation of nutrients and phytonutrients, with plant proteins that don’t have the same potential for carcinogenesis and atherogenesis as animal proteins. Certain key nutrients in dietary supplements, such as aloe and rice bran polysaccharides and properly formulated curcumin, have shown anti-inflammatory effects while improving overall immune system function.

2. Avoid Inflammatory Foods

In addition to eating an anti-inflammatory diet, we should avoid inflammatory foods.

Avoid diets high in animal fat and protein, added sugar, and processed foods, Lena Bakovic, a registered dietitian nutritionist with Top Nutrition Coaching, told The Epoch Times.

“Processed food products with long ingredient lists on their respective nutrition labels are also likely to be high in sugar content, unhealthy fats, and preservatives, amongst other chemical ingredients,” Bakovic said. “Moreover, deep-fried foods, and meat that is charred when grilled, may also contribute to increased inflammation.”

Bakovic said that adding plant foods, which are often high in antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids, to one’s diet is also helpful for preventing and decreasing inflammation in the body.

Some important dietary sources of antioxidants, according to Bakovic, include:

• Brightly colored fruits and vegetables
• Whole grain products
• Legumes such as black beans, and nuts and seeds
• Foods high in omega-3 fatty acids like tuna, salmon, mackerel, flaxseeds, and chia seeds

3. Move Your Body

Lewis also highlights the role of exercise in rebalancing the immune system and controlling chronic inflammation.

“Almost any form of exercise training that is practiced with the correct or optimal amounts of consistency and intensity would also be considered anti-inflammatory,” he said. “Proper nutrition and physical activity would be the two most important behaviors related to counteracting the effects of chronic inflammation and bringing the immune system back to balance.”

4. Get Quality Sleep

Getting enough good quality sleep is vital for reducing chronic inflammation. Research has shown that chronic lack of sleep exacerbates inflammation in the body.

A 2022 study published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine found that persistent sleep deprivation or interrupted sleep negatively affects the immune system and increases inflammation. The study emphasizes how important it is for adults to get seven to eight hours of uninterrupted sleep daily to prevent inflammation and disease—especially if they have medical conditions, according to the authors. The study found that consistently losing just 1.5 hours of sleep per night could increase the risk of inflammatory diseases and cardiovascular disease.

5. Red Light Therapy

Research suggests that red-light therapy benefits chronic inflammation.

“Red-light therapy (RLT) is a therapeutic technique that exposes you to low levels of infrared light,” Myers, who recommends red-light therapy, such as infrared saunas, to support a healthy inflammatory response, said. “Instead of traditional saunas that rely on humidity to heat up the room around you, infrared saunas emit wavelengths that you immediately absorb in your skin.”

This localized heat results in tolerable temperatures, quicker and deeper sweating, and numerous health benefits, including detoxification, relaxation, pain relief, weight loss, improved circulation, and skin purification.

6. Cold Plunges

Cold exposure has also been shown to reduce chronic inflammation.

Cold plunges trigger vasoconstriction, or the narrowing of the blood vessels, reducing blood flow to the extremities and redirecting it to the essential organs, Myers said. This process lowers inflammation by reducing blood flow to the inflamed area, reducing pain and swelling.

“Cold water immersion also has been shown to reduce the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the body.” Cytokines are proteins involved in the immune system response, acting as the front-line defense that signals the immune system to fight bacteria or viruses, she noted.

“The vasoconstriction response and reduction in pro-inflammatory cytokines contribute to the anti-inflammatory effects of cold water immersion.”

4 More Ways to Reduce Chronic Inflammation

• Avoid environmental toxins
• Address underlying infections
• Work toward a healthy microbiome—which, according to Myers, is of prime importance since up to 80 percent of our immune cells live in our gut.
• Reduce stress

“Stress is more than a feeling—it’s an inflammatory state,” Myers said. “When you are chronically stressed, your body never gets the signal to ‘cool off.’ As a result, inflammation in the body runs rampant. This suppresses your overworked immune system, leaving you susceptible to infection, autoimmune disease, and other chronic illnesses,” Myers added.

While chronic inflammation’s causes are complex, understanding its triggers and symptoms can help pinpoint issues that might seem unclear. The good news is that many natural alternatives to medication address the root causes rather than just masking symptoms. By implementing these strategies, you can restore balance to the immune system and extinguish the fires of chronic inflammation.