Top 5 Tips to Reduce Chronic Inflammation for a Healthy Body

Chronic inflammation is the body's confused, harmful response to any number of mental, physical, and environmental factors such as stress and poor diet.

There are a few simple things you can do to reverse its effects, including the following:

1. Start an anti-inflammatory diet
   Incorporate fiber, berries, healthy fats (i.e. extra virgin olive oil, flaxseed oil), and plant and fish based proteins into your diet. When choosing spices, opt for garlic, ginger, onion, rosemary, and turmeric.

2. Identify and address food allergies and infections
   If you haven't addressed a major food allergy or chronic infection, you may not be able to reverse the effects of inflammation. Try an elimination diet to rule out common allergens, such as dairy and gluten, and get your stool and blood work analyzed for abnormal bacteria, parasites, yeasts, and other gastrointestinal problems.

3. Exercise regularly to maintain an optimum weight
   Make time for 30 minutes of aerobic exercise four times per week. Then add high-intensity interval training sessions three times per week and strength or resistance training exercises two or three times per week.

4. Get ample amounts of rest
   Most doctors recommend seven to eight hours of sleep for adults. Cutting your sleep short is tough on the immune system. If it's running on overdrive to keep you healthy, inflammation can rear its ugly head.

5. Calm your mind
   Mental factors can trigger inflammation just as much as physical and environmental factors. Seek out ways to reduce stress in your life, and make a point to clear your mind at least once a day with meditation or something similar.

While chiropractic services won't cure a severe dairy allergy or work related stress, they play a key role in overall health, which is critical for minimizing inflammation. To learn more about how to reduce chronic inflammation, talk to your chiropractor.