Chronic inflammation is a gradual process, and so is its reversal, particularly if you've experienced prolonged inflammation. However, embracing a comprehensive approach—rather than seeking a quick fix—is key to taming inflammation and witnessing noticeable improvements.

If you’re experiencing common signs of inflammation such as brain fog, digestive issues, skin problems, joint pain, consider integrating these five straightforward healing practices and observe how your body responds:

Focus on Your Diet & Get the Right Nutrients

Managing chronic inflammation begins with your dietary choices. Essentially, your first line of defense against inflammation is the very next meal or snack you consume. Research indicates that a diet with pro-inflammatory components significantly increases the risk of weight gain and accelerated aging.

To restore balance, it's essential to reduce your consumption of inflammatory foods and increase your intake of anti-inflammatory options. The latter category comprises wild-caught fish, abundant non-starchy vegetables, low-sugar fruits like berries and avocados, raw nuts and seeds, as well as cultured and fermented foods. Consider that our ancestors maintained a nearly equal ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids in their diets, whereas today, we often consume omega-6 fatty acids at levels up to 20 times higher. As a result, we are consuming fewer anti-inflammatory foods, and the inflammatory ones we do consume are negatively impacting our health.

Even if you're avoiding well-known culprits like sugar, gluten, and other highly reactive foods, inflammatory ingredients can still find their way into your diet. Vegetable oils, nut milks, and nearly all processed foods available in grocery stores can fuel inflammation. If you are not following an anti-inflammatory diet and adopting the additional lifestyle changes outlined here, supplements alone won't yield significant benefits.

However, when combined with the right diet, supplements can assist in maintaining normal inflammatory processes:

• Curcumin: Derived from  turmeric, curcumin supports regular inflammatory processes, offers antioxidant properties, and aids in gut health.
• Fish oil: EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), the two primary anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids, are vital inhibitors of inflammation in the body and are often lacking in the American diet. Research has shown that these omega-3s can promote normal inflammatory processes, both in the gut and throughout the body.
• Probiotics: These beneficial microorganisms support the maintenance of a healthy gut flora balance, and emerging evidence suggests they can also contribute to regular inflammatory processes. It's advisable to select a high-potency probiotic from a reputable company specializing in gut health.

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Limit Environmental Toxin Exposure

Our daily lives expose us to 700,000 toxic chemicals,  majority of which lack thorough human safety assessments. These chemicals pervade our surroundings, from fire retardants in furniture to heavy metals in cosmetics, emulsifiers in household cleaners, and preservatives in our food. Unfortunately, these toxins can disrupt hormonal balance, overstimulate our immune systems, and increase the risk of diseases, including cancer and autoimmune conditions. Chronic inflammation often plays a central role in these health issues.

To reduce your toxic burden, consider taking control of factors within your reach:

• Check the Ingredients of Your Deodorant: Toxins and chemicals in most deodorants such as aluminum trigger inflammation. Make sure to research what chemicals you are putting on your body on a daily basis.
• Remove Plastics from Your Bathroom: Plastic leeches at 77 degrees Fahrenheit, meaning shampoo bottles and toiletry containers exposed to the heat and humidity of a shower are exposing you to unwanted toxins. Swapping these containers for glass bottles can help reduce your toxin load.
• Detox with IV Therapy: The Next Health Detox IV is formulated with ingredients to cleanse and reboot your system. This IV includes taurine to improve the metabolization of toxins, vitamin C which works as a powerful antioxidant, zinc to help remove heavy metals, and nearly ten other nourishing vitamins and minerals.
• Test Your Toxin Levels: If you’re worried about your inflammation levels, our Total Tox Burden Package is one of the most effective ways to gain an understanding of how inflammation (and toxins) may be affecting your health. Customize your detox journey with this analysis of 90 biomarkers (includes Environmental Toxins Test, Mycotoxins (Mold) Test, Heavy Metals Test).

Manage Stress with Social Engagement

Stress is a significant and often overlooked contributor to inflammation, even when individuals maintain healthy lifestyle habits such as diet and exercise. This is where the remarkable power of human connection comes into play. By nurturing loving relationships with physical touch such as hugs and cuddling, you can actually activate repair genes in your body that reduce inflammation.
‍The opposite is also true in that studies show when in you engage in unfulfilling, emotionally draining, and/or hurtful relationships, the genes for inflammation are activated, increasing your risk of chronic disease.‍The same goes for having no relationships as loneliness is becoming known as one of the greatest compromisers of health. To emphasize its importance, some experts say smoking cigarettes is actually better for your health than chronically feeling lonely. When you consider the research, that may really be true- according to the National Institute on Aging the health risks of prolonged isolation are equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Social isolation and loneliness have even been estimated to shorten a person's life span by as many as 15 years.‍Here are some tips for staying social and supporting your healthy inflammation levels:

• Make time for regular calls, texts, video chats or in-person meetups with friends and family. Social interaction releases dopamine which improves your mood and well-being.
• Build new friendships or rekindle old ones. Join a local sports league, book club, volunteering opportunity, or take up a new hobby. Making new connections helps combat loneliness and provides a support system.
• Be generous with compliments and positivity. Compliment others sincerely and spread kindness whenever you can. Making others feel good boosts your own mood and self-esteem.‍

Prioritize Quality Sleep

A staggering forty percent of Americans fall short of the recommended seven hours of nightly sleep. Surprisingly, this figure represents a one-hour reduction in sleep duration compared to 1942, despite the technological advancements designed to simplify our lives. However, the issue extends beyond sheer inconvenience; it poses significant health concerns.

Research findings align with observations from my clinical practice: Sleep deprivation can initiate or worsen inflammation.  Sleep deficiency disrupts the body's inflammatory markers, promoting unhealthy dietary choices, excessive caffeine consumption, and heightened stress levels throughout the day. Maintaining inflammation at bay necessitates a consistent eight to nine hours of uninterrupted sleep each night.

To enhance your sleep quality, prioritize sleep hygiene. An hour before bedtime, power down your electronic devices, shield yourself from sleep-disrupting blue light with blue-spectrum-blocking glasses, dim the lights, and indulge in a good, paper-based book to read.

Utilize Cold Therapy

Cryotherapy is the fastest way to reduce inflammation. In just three minutes, the -150 degree temperatures trigger blood vessels to constrict and decrease circulation, limiting the ability of immune cells to inflame tissue throughout the body. This is why cold therapy and ice baths are known to be great for post-workout recovery.‍Plus, after you may experience a variety of benefits including:

• Get sick less often
• Promote collagen production for glowing skin
• Think more clearly
• Relieve stress
• Reduce anxiety
• and more

The Takeaway

“Achieving” a health goal such as lowering and combating inflammation levels can be difficult to do on your own. Our medical experts and wellness team are here to empower you to achieve optimal health and answer any questions you may have along the way.‍Have questions about what may be the best way for you to reduce inflammation and achieve other health goals? Request a complimentary consult today

Call or text: (310) 295-2075

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