Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/1492048
L i s te n to T h e A B M P Po d c a s t a t a b m p.co m /p o d c a s t s o r w h e reve r yo u a cce s s yo u r favo r i te p o d c a s t s 85 TAKEAWAY: Taking steps to offset, decrease, and prevent inflammation is key to optimizing your current and future health. WHERE DO YOU LIVE ON THE INFLAMMATION SPECTRUM? Inf lammation left unchecked can harm the body by damaging cells, tissues, and organs, confusing messaging systems, and overworking the health response. Yet the impact of inf lammation is often overlooked, discounted, or simply ignored before anyone realizes it's even a problem. Consider that most people with chronic illnesses aren't educated by their physicians about the direct correlation of inf lammation to disease or actions they can take that will turn up or down the inf lammatory response. Right now, we all exist somewhere on the inf lammation spectrum, from no inf lammation to mild, moderate, or diagnosis-level inf lammation. We can be proactive by being on the lookout for chronic inf lammation's inf luence in our own system. And happily, we can deter chronic states of inf lammation by making some simple enhancements to our daily routine. MOODY, HURT, OR TIRED? YOU MIGHT BE INFLAMED In a new book by Will Cole, DC, The Inflammation Spectrum, Cole explains common symptoms that are often related to chronic inf lammation but may be undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. Notice whether some of the following symptoms sound familiar. Moodiness Inf lammation can affect your entire body, including your brain. Regularly feeling brain fog, erratic mood swings, or regular bouts of anxiety and depression may be associated with chronic inf lammation. Pain The urgent and intense feelings provoked by pain are your body's essential way to communicate that something needs your attention (and likely needs to change). It can be a call to action. Many autoimmune conditions are a result of chronic inf lammation, and often inf lammation and pain are coupled, as seen with arthritis and fibromyalgia. Persistent Fatigue Chronic inf lammation messes with the way our bodies respond to stress, which may lead to long-term elevated production of cortisol and stress hormones draining the adrenals. This is not only exhausting but can also present as muscle weakness, low blood pressure, and sleeplessness. This symptom is rampant and tricky in that many of us push through physical fatigue (and the body's requests to rest and restore) and instead gas up on artificial fuels like caffeine, sugar, and synthetic foods laced with excitotoxins. WAYS TO OFFSET INFLAMMATION Understanding how harmful chronic inf lammation is and knowing what to look for are important. But more crucial is empowering yourself with ways to offset, decrease, and prevent it. You can reduce inf lammation in your body by making simple changes to your lifestyle, such as the following. Add Turmeric A multitude of studies show turmeric has powerful benefits for your body and brain. Curcumin is the main active ingredient in turmeric, and it has powerful anti-inf lammatory effects. We use it in topical forms for pain relief with great success. (Scan the QR code on page 87 to watch Heath make one of our favorite tumeric-inspired teas.) Eat Whole Foods About 70–80 percent of your immune system is found in your digestive tract, affirming that food is medicine (and conversely, food may be poison, depending on your choices). The digestive tract contains gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT), a type of tissue that monitors and protects the body against pathogens. There is a high concentration of GALT in the small intestine, where your food gets absorbed. Harvard Health recommends making vegetables and fruits half of what you eat per day, particularly dark leafy greens, which are a fantastic anti-inf lammatory choice. 4 Embrace Movement A study published online in Brain, Behavior, and Immunity found that a 20-minute session of moderate exercise can stimulate the immune system by producing an anti- inf lammatory cellular response. 5 It also revealed that a workout session doesn't have to be intense to have anti-inf lammatory effects: "Twenty minutes to half-an- hour of moderate exercise, including fast walking, appears to be sufficient." Create and appreciate movement interruptions: Enjoy looking for where you put those lost keys, be glad you need to take a couple extra trips to the kitchen or bathroom, get curious about whether you can invent new and pleasurable changes in how you move your body at the table, etc.