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Cancer-causing, heart-damaging inflammation can hurt you stealthily: 7 steps to secure your health

Inflammation can creep in when you are battling an illness. It was meant to protect you. But if it lingers on and turns chronic, it can damage your health. Here are steps to take to stay healthy and keep inflammation at bay.

Kirti Pandey

Updated Sep 28, 2022, 05:47 IST

Don't let chronic inflammation set in.

Photo : iStock

Inflammation was meant to be a defence measure designed by nature - as a process by which the body's white blood cells and substances they produce protect us from infection with foreign organisms, such as bacteria and viruses. If the inflammatory process is carefully controlled normal healing can occur.

But this programming or coding (to put it in modern parlance) can go wrong and like a loose cannon, the guns can get trained on the very organ inflammation was supposed to protect. Like, for instance, in some diseases like arthritis, the body's defence system -- the immune system -- triggers an inflammatory response when there are no foreign invaders to fight off. To shoo away or swat an insect, you don't use a rocket launcher, right? That disproportionate defence would damage your own assets. In the same way, if the body's inflammatory response is more vigorous than necessary or persists for an extended period of time it can contribute to disease. And if this inflammatory response relentlessly carries on for a long time, without a resolution, then it becomes a major contributing factor to most chronic diseases.

Manage inflammation Harvard health suggests tips for health and wellbeing — Manage inflammation: Harvard health suggests tips for health and wellbeing
Photo : iStock

According to Harvard Health, 60 per cent of deaths in the world can be pinned on unmanaged inflammation as a cause - direct or indirect. Science has proven that chronic, low-grade inflammation can turn into a silent killer that contributes to cardiovascular disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes and other conditions.

What to do to beat inflammation?

We need highly effective, evidence-based strategies that one can use to dampen low-grade inflammation BEFORE it has a chance to compromise your health. The experts at the renowned Harvard Medical School have just published Fighting Inflammation—the Special Health Report that clearly exposes the threat that chronic inflammation poses to your health and well-being and reveals the medical and lifestyle steps you can take to protect yourself.

7 steps to fighting inflammation:

Step #1: Eat to beat inflammation. Harvard experts warn that many “anti-inflammatory diets” are not grounded in science. Harvard Health simplifies what to eat and what not to eat. Try to avoid or limit these foods as much as possible: refined carbohydrates, such as white bread and pastries, French fries and other fried foods, soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages, red meat (burgers, steaks) and processed meat (hot dogs, sausage), margarine, shortening, and lard. An anti-inflammatory diet should include these foods: tomatoes, olive oil, green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, kale, and collards, nuts like almonds and walnuts, fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna, and sardines, fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, cherries, and oranges. Dr Frank Hu, professor of nutrition and epidemiology in the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health, notes in particular fruits and vegetables such as blueberries, apples, and leafy greens that are high in natural antioxidants and polyphenols—protective compounds found in plants. Coffee, which contains polyphenols and other anti-inflammatory compounds, may protect against inflammation, as well.
Step #2: Get moving! Aerobic exercise (surprisingly little!) helps lower inflammation levels — and in fact, too much exercise may actually provoke an inflammatory response. From jogging to weightlifting, physical activity is good for you, in part because it helps your body fight inflammation. Studies show that when you start exercising and moving your muscles, your muscle cells release a small protein called Interleukin 6, or IL-6, which appears to play an important role in fighting inflammation. Other studies have found that regular exercise increases levels of another protein, called Interleukin-15 (IL-15), in muscle cells. IL-15 appears to help regulate the accumulation of abdominal fat that is thought to promote inflammation and bring on chronic lifestyle diseases.
Step #3: Manage your weight. Ask your doctor for simple strategies to help you zero in on reducing abdominal fat — the kind that produces pro-inflammatory chemicals. Step one on this topic would be to reduce sugar in your diet. No need to push yourself with military discipline or starve to lose weight and stay stable at appropriate kilos or pounds. Begin small and take baby steps that will finally lead you to a visible transformation.
Step #4: Get enough sleep. One just cannot highlight enough the importance of a good night's sleep. Everything hinges upon how well and adequately you have slept in the night. The circadian rhythm you achieve through this can give you numerous health benefits apart from giving you beautiful skin and a clear mind. Inadequate sleep not only robs you of energy and productivity it also elevates inflammation — which is especially hazardous to heart health. Read up here on Times Now Digital to learn simple doable steps to help you get a healthier and more refreshing night’s sleep!
Step #5: Stop smoking. Don't start, actually. And quit the cancer stick as fast as you can if you smoke already. Kicking the habit can result in a dramatic reduction in inflammation levels within just a few weeks, experts say. Even if you’ve tried to quit before, try again. Stop going out with your smoking partners, even for tea breaks. After 8-10 weeks, you can safely join their break outings and still be able to resist the urge to smoke. Try meditation. According to a study published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence called "Mind-body practises: an alternative, drug-free treatment for smoking cessation? A systematic review of the literature", it was found that meditation can help with smoking cessation. Practice activities such as meditation, yoga, and exercises to calm your mind and relax your body.
Step #6: Limit alcohol use. When it comes to inflammation, alcohol can be either your friend or foe. A little alcohol may be helpful, say some experts. Speak to your doctor if you may drink and if you are advised or permitted to, then how much is over the line for keeping inflammation in check.
Step #7: Conquer chronic stress. Stress is corrosive. It eats away into all things good. Silently. Chronic stress can spark the development of inflammation and cause flare-ups of problems like rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular disease, depression and inflammatory bowel disease. Learn and practice ways to help lower unhealthy stress. Do Pranayam, yoga etc. Pranayam is breathing exercises. Ancient Indian yogis understood the power of breath over mind and body and have perfected it into a science. Learn from a trained and certified yogic practitioner. Meditate. Go for awe walks. Meet friends. Write a diary. Travel. Open up. Find ways to be happy and stress-free.

The Bottom Line:

Whether you’re aiming to prevent cancer, heart disease, diabetes, dementia, or other conditions connected to chronic inflammation, the sooner you incorporate these seven steps into your life, the better!

Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purposes only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a dietician before starting any fitness programme or making any changes to your diet.

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