A Discussion on Inflammation

For many years now, concern about inflammation has been a frequent undercurrent of my functional health classes. It is a big topic, and as is typical with big topics, many people have heard a thing or two about it. You may have drawn certain conclusions, perhaps that it’s not a good thing, that it’s something you probably should avoid. While these are accurate conclusions, there remain gaps in understanding. Where does inflammation actually come from? What exactly happens in the body when it is present? 

This piece offers an introduction to inflammation, which I hope will provide you with a solid foundation of understanding. A gratitude I have for inflammation is that it begins to reveal the undeniable truth that everything is connected. Physical health, mental health, emotional health, relationship health, access to joy and perception of pain, behaviors and memory, all interwoven. In pulling on one string, you pull on them all. In healing one place, there is a ripple to them all. 

Inflammation is well understood when it is acute, and site specific. Acute indicates a heightened injury or infection, and site specific indicates the symptoms are localized to one area. This could be a sprained ankle, or a sinus infection. Chronic, hidden or systemic inflammation is more nuanced. The most direct and simple explanation for inflammation is that it is an upregulation of your immune system. Your body is trying to do what it was designed to do, except that due likely to overwhelm on the system, it functions maladaptively.  The body needs a healthy inflammatory response. In a healthy body, your immune system is kind of like a watchdog, keeping an eye and an ear out for signs or indicators of a potential threat. Pathogens, toxins, bacteria, chemicals, etc. If a threat is spotted, the immune system upregulates and mobilizes by sending out organic chemical responses. These responses may include cytokines, histamine, white blood cells, antibodies and mast cells, among others. Once the offense to the body has been diminished, the immune system returns to baseline. The chemical messengers decrease, and the immune system and body can recover. Imbalance begins to arise when the immune system is repeatedly and relentlessly activated, and the chemical messengers are being secreted in a continuous way. The body is not designed to have these at such prolonged concentration, and when this happens, it alters functioning. 

This is where the connection between all things emerges. The nervous and immune systems are not independent of one another but instead work together and are in constant communication. Nervous system activation in a stress response impacts immune activation, and likewise immune system activation by either an internal or external stimuli, will activate the nervous system. Accompanying each stress response is a cortisol surge and a blood sugar spike, involving the adrenal glands and the pancreas. Your heart rate changes, blood pressure, respiration, digestive function, gut microbiome function, pancreatic, liver and spleen function and even brain function change. The body is only designed for a moderate frequency of this. Over time, with repeated activation, there is additional strain on your organs and systems, increased wear and tear. Function declines, until eventually the body produces a symptom to wave the red flag and alert you to trouble at home. The hope being that you will self-correct and realign your habits and health. In the absence of change, the symptoms will become louder and they will often multiply. At this stage, there may not be anything that shows up diagnostically, but you may sense something is off. Initially, symptoms are rarely the actual issue, they are just an alarm your body uses to get your attention. This is inflammation. 

There are many contributing factors to these processes in the body. Here I name a few. This is not an exhaustive list, but it is extensive. Please don’t let this overwhelm you. Just pick a few things to start bringing mindfulness to and gradually change them. As those changes become habits, bring in a few more. Make it a practice of self-study, notice how you respond to the addition or removal of things, and opt for sustainable change over a cycle of burnout.

Environmental: agricultural pesticides, herbicides and fungicides, artificial colors, artificial flavors, artificial sweeteners (aspartame, Splenda, Nutrasweet), mold toxicity, heavy metals, air pollution, VOC’s (volatile organic chemicals), fabrics and upholstery off gassing, carbon monoxide from roadways, vaping chemicals, tobacco, household cleaning products that are chemically based, chemical based skin care, hair care  and cosmetics, unfiltered water (may have metals, microplastics, pharmaceuticals)

Internal: underlying infections, Lyme disease, oral health issues, gingivitis, parasites, candida, thrush, recurring yeast infections, viral load – Epstein Barr, Herpes Simplex, recent Covid infection, dysbiosis in any of the microbiomes (gut, oral, skin, brain, vaginal, penile), H. pylori, history of radiation or chemotherapy treatment

Food: sugar, alcohol, wheat, gluten, peanuts, unhealthy fats (hydrogenated fats, trans fats, rancid oils, oils taken past their smoke point), specific seed oils (canola, sunflower, safflower), GMO foods, factory farmed animal proteins and dairy products, corn, soy, dairy products, peanuts, nightshades (eggplant, potatoes, bell peppers, tomatoes), bottom feeder shellfish (shrimp, crab, lobster), refined flour products, soda, diet soda, fast food

Lifestyle: unhealthy sleep patterns, sluggish lymphatic circulation, too much or too little exercise, smoking, late night eating, excessive medication use, unmanaged stress / strain on the nervous system, high conflict relationships, excessive screen activity, loneliness, unhealthy patterns with mind altering substances, history of unresolved traumatic experiences

Symptoms that may indicate higher levels of inflammation: fatigue, skin rashes, eczema, psoriasis, hives, joint pain, muscle aches, mouth sores, chest pain, acid reflux, heartburn, recurring or chronic constipation and/or diarrhea, all autoimmune presentations, depression, anxiety, weight gain, weight loss, blood sugar instability / prediabetes / insulin resistance, PMDD, abdominal pain, headaches, menstrual irregularities, sudden hair loss or shedding, hypertension, allergies, asthma, neurodegenerative presentations (Alzheimer's, Dementia, Parkinson’s)

I’d like to offer a gentle reminder of the importance of not being hard on yourself if any of these things are present, but instead to start where you are and take the next step toward healing. Adopting an anti-inflammatory lifestyle is an act of both reducing inflammatory foods and behaviors as well as increasing health supportive choices. I have outlined below foods and lifestyle changes that support a reduction in chronic inflammation.

Foods that have anti-inflammatory benefits:

●      Whole foods, unprocessed

●      Fresh fruits and vegetables, even more so if they are local and with fewer food miles

●      Foods high in antioxidants and with a high ORAC value (oxygen radical absorbance capacity): Antioxidants will inherently help reduce inflammation. This would include all richly pigmented fruits and vegetables – berries, beets, dark leafy greens, goji berries, acai, clove, cinnamon, oregano, walnuts, sumac

●      Cultured / Fermented foods: sauerkraut, kim chi, kvass, coconut water, kefir, raw apple cider vinegar

●      High enzyme foods: microgreens, sprouts, cultured foods

●      Nutrient dense broths – bone broths, mushroom broths

●      Sea vegetables – dulse, wakame, kombu, hijiki, nori

●      Ginger

●      Turmeric

●      Therapeutic mushrooms – reishi, shitake, corydceps, chaga, lions mane, turkey tail

●      Foods rich in EFA’s, particularly Omega 3’s: avocados, hemp seeds, chia seeds, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, sardines, mackerel, wild caught salmon, pastured animal proteins

●      Liver supportive foods: lemon, artichokes, asparagus, daikon radish, burdock root, beets, organic and pastured organ meats

●      Moringa, spirulina, chlorella

●      WATER! This is one of the fundamental ways you support all your detox pathways.

Lifestyle practices that support lowering inflammation:

●      Monitor your screen time, not just social media, but also news, and general screen time. Consider shutting off wifi during sleeping hours if that is an option.

●      Sleep with your phone away from your head and body.

●      Ensure some of your sleep is before midnight. 

●      Maintain adequate hydration – at least half your body weight in ounces of water per day.

●      Weave in mindfulness and stress resilience practices daily. Consider  restorative yoga, meditation, prayer, breathwork, gentle walks, time in nature, creative projects and art making, playing music, taking baths, journaling, quality time with meaningful connections

●      Balanced exercise, the Goldilocks principle, not too much and not too little

●      Sauna

●      Prioritize gut health and daily bowel motility. Many toxins are eliminated through stool. It’s important for your body to be able to evacuate its burdens in order to function optimally.

●      Dry skin brushing for lymphatic circulation

●      Red light therapy

●      Massage

●      Acupuncture

●      Grounding

●      Increase live plants in your home

●      Salt lamps for negative ions

●      Intermittent Fasting – if adrenals and thyroid are healthy

Recipes:

Coconut Refresher – great for hot days or after exercise to re-hydrate

• ½ cucumber

• 2 celery stalks

• 1/8 c. cilantro

• ½ inch fresh ginger root

• 1 brazil nut

• Freshly squeezed lemon or lime

• 1 cup coconut water

• 1 cup filtered water

• 1/2 c ice

Blend all in high-speed blender and drink.

Carrot Slaw– eat 1 Tb. daily

• 2 medium carrot, grated

• 1 Tb. dulse flakes

• 2 tsp. coconut oil

• ¼  tsp celtic sea salt

• 2 Tb. raw apple cider vinegar

Mix all together and eat with meals.

Basil oregano pesto – eat 2 Tb. daily

• 3 c. fresh basil

• 2 Tb. fresh oregano

• 1 lime, juiced

• ¾ c. extra virgin olive oil

• 1/3 c. pine nuts

• 1 Brazil nut

• 3 cloves garlic

• Sea salt to taste

Mix all together in food processor 

Teas:

Tulsi tea for managing cortisol levels

Ginger tea – thermogenic and anti-inflammatory

Lemon balm tea – soothing to the digestive system and the nervous system

Milk thistle – liver support

To explore a collection of anti-inflammatory supplements I have put together, click the link here. There is no need to start them all at once, just choose a few and start there.

Please reach out and share your story!

Take good care,

Bridgette