How to Fight Inflammation and Avoid Autoimmune Diseases
The following article was written by Heinen’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Todd Pesek, MD.
Your remarkable immune system protects you from a wide range of diseases including viruses, bacterial infections, cardiovascular disease and cancer, which are among the leading causes of sickness and mortality today.
The basic underlying cause of disease is inflammation; however, some inflammation is normal—it’s your body’s way of healing itself.
The Basics of Normal Inflammation
When thinking about your body’s normal inflammatory response, use the acronym D-I-R-T:
Defend: A healthy immune system first identifies trigger signals and then mounts appropriate responses to fight off foreign invaders and heal damaged tissues. This is an “inflammatory response” you might notice if you’ve ever had an injury that got hot or swollen.
Internally Regulate: Once a threat is neutralized and the issue is resolved, the immune system quickly turns off the inflammatory response.
Restore: The immune system then repairs and rejuvenates damaged tissues, resolving the inflammation.
Tolerate: In balance, your immune system tolerates normal parts of your body, like your organs, glands, connective tissue, and joints. It also harmonizes with your microbiome and the food you ingest.
Chronic Inflammation Explained
Sometimes, inflammation doesn’t shut down as it should. If internal regulation fails, the inflammatory response isn’t quickly turned off once the threat is neutralized, which stalls the restorative process. When this happens, inflammation becomes chronic, leading to a loss of tolerance. This is when your immune system fails to differentiate self from non-self, attacking normal body systems. This results in autoimmune diseases.
Autoimmune diseases include rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, inflammatory bowel disease, thyroid disease, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, allergies, and asthma, among others. Millions are afflicted by these conditions, rooted in chronic inflammation.
The Broad Impact of Chronic Inflammation
Unchecked inflammation is not just the basis for autoimmune diseases but also cardiovascular disease, cancer, obesity, diabetes, depression, and neurodegenerative diseases like dementia. It’s all inflammation. Cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in the U.S., is closely linked to inflammation. Health management depends on managing inflammation, yet many people are not actively addressing it before it becomes a problem. Surprisingly, fighting inflammation is easier than you might think, as two major contributors are a pro-inflammatory diet and stress.
Ready to support your immune system so it supports you back? Great! Let’s get into the simple habits you can implement now!
How to Control Inflammation
- Stay Hydrated: Drink pure water, and plenty of it!
- Control Your Stress: Stress drives inflammation, so find ways to manage it, like meditation.
- Sleep Well: Sleep is the universal tonic for everything! Don’t skimp on it.
- Move Your Body: We are meant to be in motion. Walking every day is a great start if you’re currently sedentary.
- Adopt a Diet Full of Club Fx-approved Whole Foods: A Club Fx-approved whole food-based diet includes eating mostly whole foods that are calorie-sparse, nutrient-dense, and mostly plant-based. The Produce, Meat, Seafood and Dairy Departments at Heinen’s are the ideal places to shop.
- Start a Supplement Routine: In addition to the essential supplements, which include a whole food multivitamin with B-12, vitamin D, iodine, zinc, and probiotics, consider adding bioavailable curcumin (turmeric) and quercetin (a flavonoid in many fresh fruits and veggies). This lineup will further promote your efforts to balance inflammation, support your immune system, and promote gut health, which all support to your cardiovascular system as well.
Key Takeaway
Controlling inflammation is the foundation of optimal health. By making simple lifestyle changes and supporting your immune system, you can take proactive steps to reduce inflammation and enjoy better overall well-being. Commit to these practical strategies today and experience the transformative benefits for your long-term health.
