At the very least, a chronically fi red up immune system saps energy and tanks your mood. At worst, it ups your risk for issues like heart disease and cancer. These smart strategies will help.
At the very least, a chronically fi red up immune system saps energy and tanks your mood. At worst, it ups your risk for issues like heart disease and cancer. These smart strategies will help.
Infl ammation is good for you in small doses. If you get a cut, for example, swelling slows blood loss and calls bacteria-fi ghting white blood cells to the injury site. Problems occur when stress, junk food, lack of exercise, or a lingering illness trigger constant lowlevel infl ammation.This makes blood stickier and thickens the artery walls, increasing your likelihood of cardiovascular disease, heart attacks, and stroke, as well as type-2 diabetes and cancer. The good news is that these simple habits can minimise infl ammation and the resulting harm.
Reinforce your gut Ingesting probiotics (good bacteria that fi ght infection) results in fewer signs of infl ammation in the heart, found a recent study presented in Nutrition Review. Your goal: Every day, eat at least one serving of probiotic-rich options such as yogurt, pickles or kimchi, or kombucha tea.
Eat more greens A mostly plant-based, whole-food diet will minimise infl ammation. Plus, it doesn’t hurt to bump up your protection with antiinfl ammatory superstars like vitamin E (up to 1,200 IU daily) and quercetin (1,500 to 1,800 mg daily), a fl avonol found in many fruits and vegetables.
Be sociable Hanging out and laughing with close friends and family is a proven antiinfl ammatory, according to researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the US. Try to have at least one meaningful social interaction (as in, take the time to have a conversation with a friend or plan a lunch date) every single day.
Flexercise The gentle movements of yoga, stretching, and walking ease infl ammation by reducing stress. Just 10 to 15 minutes daily will make a real impact.
