Welcome back. Today we are talking about inflammation.
Inflammation is a very broad term. So what is it? Is the body really fighting something trying to harm itself?Â
It’s a healing process. It’s the body either sending blood and red cells to where they need to go. Or it’s, white cells fighting off an infection, it causes a rush to that particular area of the body, which often causes pain. It’s your body’s way of saying, Sorry, I didn’t mean to knock, but something’s wrong. Inflammation can come from anything. It can come from allergies, arthritis, or a wound. Autoimmune diseases can also cause inflammation.
There’s the injury type of inflammation, that’s usually obvious, you did it and it’s painful, maybe got that little warm sensation to it. Then there’s the inflammation that can really hurt you. That’s the inflammation inside the body that you don’t see. And why can hurt you so bad, because you’re not paying attention to it, you often don’t even know it’s there. It can be lung-related, digestive tract related, or it can be organ related.
Over 70% of your immune system lives in your gut.
It’s allergy season here in Florida. I was just telling my daughter yesterday because she’s all sniffily and everything. I think your body would be better able to fight off the allergy symptoms if you weren’t fighting all the garbage you’re putting in your body. We don’t help it very much we often diminish its efforts.
So what are some of the causes? Smoking, obesity, exposure, chemicals. And obviously poor nutrition.
What can you do about it? If I can just touch on that real quick, most of them are generally environmental, and some are from injury but most likely we’re eating something bad. A lot of people like spicy food. That can cause some inflammation. Try to recognize that there is some inflammation that is chronic. You do need to see a doctor for some cases. I would recommend trying an elimination diet or changing some behavior first. Gluten for example, which we’ve talked about many times before, is a huge cause of some autoimmune diseases and a lot of inflammation.
What helps? Certain foods and supplements. Obviously, anti-inflammatory foods, your olive oils, your high fibers, your nuts, your fishes, your fruits, and vitamin D. We also don’t get enough sunshine or fresh air. Vitamin D is imperative to reducing inflammation. We’re fortunate here in Florida, little yard work and you get a good dose. Some places, think Seattle or Portland, where it rains all the time. It’s a little harder to get vitamin D and you may need to supplement for that. Curcumin and Turmeric are good supplements to help reduce inflammation as well.Â
The bottom line here is to pay attention to your body. If you’re constantly in a state of pain, your stomach hurts, have migraines, or other things going on. Try to get to the bottom and to the core, like we’ve talked about before. Just don’t take a pill just
Email us at Snackcast@yes.fit or post in the group on Facebook with any questions or topics. We’re happy to address them. That’s it. Appreciate you tuning in. Keep moving
