Physical exercise and daily activity are crucial for a long and healthy life. While it’s easy to move about, exercise and be active in our younger years, even relatively easy tasks become more difficult with age. This can lead to a much lower quality of life – which compounds alongside physical health and snowballs over time.
Probably the most common physical ailment as we age, broadly speaking, is the presence of inflammation. When we injure or otherwise push ourselves too far, the body responds with this critical yet annoying response. While it’s absolutely natural and common for occasional inflammation to appear after select activities or injuries, many falsely assume that constant inflammation is just a fact of life.
Today, we’ll talk about how you can fight back against inflammation and reduce – or even eliminate outright – its presence in your day to day life.
Change Your Diet
Chronic pain in the form of inflammation can make even the most active of people lose hope, but giving up and giving into the ailment is not an option. Even for those who cannot bring themselves to engage in strenuous physical activity, one simple change – improving your eating habits – can have a huge impact in a short period of time.
In many people, a low-carb diet can almost immediately produce substantial differences in the amount of inflammation present in the body. This is because many common forms of carbohydrates exacerbate inflammation in those who are already struggling with conditions such as obesity.
In short, an anti-inflammation diet will avoid sugary substances, refined carbs, alcohol, processed foods in general, and various trans fats and oils. It also cannot be overstated that drinking an adequate amount of water throughout the day can make a tremendous difference in inflammation.
Add in Some Supplements
A wide variety of dietary additions that are not necessarily food can help accentuate an anti-inflammation diet. Many of these supplements can be consumed easily in capsule form or added to existing dishes during each meal (here are some for example).
An assortment of oils – such as Omega-3 fatty acids – can reduce your body’s inflammatory response and simultaneously help lubricate parts of the body that are prone to irritation. Dietary additions such as those found in many eastern cuisines – like turmeric and cumin – also have well-known anti-inflammatory properties that are considered to be vital in lowering the rate of disease in countries such as India.
Other additions in the form of herbs and supplements include ginger, white willow bark and cat’s claw. When consumed properly and alongside a powerful inflammation-fighting diet, the effects are substantial.
Start Exercising
Probably the last thing anybody suffering from debilitating inflammation wants to hear is that they must move about more – but this is a highly effective, if difficult, way to combat inflammation. While not every form of exercise will be ideal for those struggling with this problematic reality, studies show that 20 minutes per day of exercise can reduce inflammation throughout the body.
Generally speaking, those suffering from inflammation who want to take control of their lives once again should focus on a variety of low-impact exercises. This is because inflammation that inhibits exercise and mobility generally affects the joints. Some common examples of quality exercise that can reduce the presence of inflammation include simple walking, cycling, swimming and other water aerobics, and even yoga.
Despite the value of low-impact exercise, it is also generally advised that you engage in some exercises that directly affect the joints or parts of the body that are experiencing chronic inflammation. While acute injuries should not be exacerbated, low-level chronic inflammation in joints need to be exercised to minimize many inflammatory issues.
While some forms of inflammation need chronic and professional treatment, many forms can be treated by simply making a few lifestyle changes. Through the use of exercise, better dietary choices and a choice of supplements, people of all ages can take control of their lives once again, be active and enjoy each new day.
