Being obese or even just overweight tends to go hand-in-hand with chronic inflammation. Exercise may not only be able to reduce inflammation by aiding in weight loss and reducing joint inflammation, it can also help reduce inflammation by making you feel less stressed.
Many doctors suggest incorporating an exercise routine into your daily routine. However, before you start or stop any exercise, be sure to speak to your doctor or health care team.
Elevated cortisol levels caused by stress can be another cause of inflammation. Highly stressed people also tend to have higher levels of the inflammation marker interleukin-6. When individuals remain in a stressed state, their heart rate and blood pressure experiences an increase, causing the blood vessels to work harder, which usually leads to inflammation.
If you find ways to manage your stress, you may be able to reduce chronic inflammation naturally.
Many experts suggest that as little as 20 to 30 minutes of exercise a few times a week may lead to lower levels of inflammation. The main goal is to lead a less sedentary lifestyle, which can feel increasingly hard as more people work from home due to the pandemic.
Even if you do not like exercise you can still find ways to be more active. Cleaning your house, playing tag with your kids, or doing yard work can count as exercise. A recent study found that people who exercised often had the lowest levels of inflammation, even if their exercise routines were not leading them to lose weight.
Another tip for incorporating exercise into the work day is to set alarms every hour to remind yourself to get up, stretch, and walk around. Even if it’s just for a few moments, you may find yourself feeling less tired throughout the day.
In addition to exercising, you may also want to consider trying meditation. Having a meditation practice has been shown to also help lower cortisol, which then helps reduce stress and fights inflammation.
If natural methods do not seem to be working to reduce inflammation in your body, you could speak to your doctor or health care professional about trying medication. In the next slide, learn about commonly-prescribed pills that may help reduce inflammation.
