For Health’s Sake, Get Inflammation Under Control

For years, inflammation was often viewed mainly as something that happens because you are sick. Increasingly, research has made it clear that chronic inflammation can also help cause and perpetuate disease.

That is an important distinction.

Many Americans Already Have Inflammation

Research has estimated that 34.6% of American adults have systemic chronic inflammation. Another study, looking at the diets of more than 34,500 Americans, found that 57% eat a pro-inflammatory diet.

Then there is insulin resistance. More than 100 million American adults have diabetes or prediabetes, and insulin resistance itself is closely connected with chronic, low-grade inflammation.

In other words, we have created a population in which chronic inflammation is extremely common—and then we are surprised by the enormous amount of chronic disease.

Acute Inflammation Is Necessary

Inflammation isn’t inherently bad. If you cut your finger, develop an infection or injure a joint, inflammation is part of the body’s healing response.

The problem is chronic, low-grade inflammation that never completely shuts off.

Instead of helping the body heal and disappearing, inflammatory chemicals continue circulating and affecting tissues.

Chronic Inflammation Is Linked to Many Diseases

Research has connected chronic inflammation with many of the diseases responsible for much of today’s poor health, including:

In many of these conditions, inflammation isn’t simply present after the disease develops. It can participate in the processes that allow the disease to develop and progress.

What Causes Chronic Inflammation?

There isn’t one cause. Poor blood sugar control, excess body fat, smoking, chronic infections, an unhealthy intestinal microbiome, poor diet, inadequate sleep and other factors can all contribute.

Nutrition matters as well. The body needs vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, amino acids and antioxidants to regulate inflammation and repair damaged tissue.

This is one reason simply treating the diagnosis doesn’t always address everything that is going wrong.

The Best Way to Start Lowering Inflammation Is With Your Diet

There are supplements that can help control inflammation. Some have impressive research behind them.

But before worrying about supplements, look at what you eat.

If 57% of Americans are eating a diet that promotes inflammation, changing that diet is an obvious place to start.

Reduce sugar, refined carbohydrates and heavily processed foods. Eat more vegetables, whole foods, quality protein and healthy fats. Improve blood sugar control. Feed a healthier intestinal microbiome.

You don’t need a complicated “anti-inflammatory diet” to get started.

That’s why we created the Roadmap to Health. It gives you a simple way to improve your diet, control blood sugar and address some of the everyday factors that contribute to chronic inflammation.

[Start with the Roadmap to Health]