So you think your symptoms may be caused by chronic inflammation...now what?

This part's exciting...at least to me.  I guess I'm a bit of a nerd.

Simple lifestyle changes go a long way in reducing chronic, low-level inflammation.

As I wrote about a few weeks ago, here, chronic, low-level inflammation plays a part in many disorders, such as, high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer, dementia, Alzheimer's, arthritis and more.

When chronic, low-level inflammation shows itself as an auto-immune disease, your body is unable to turn the immune system off.  That's basically what's happening before we ever get to a disease state.

The three most common symptoms of chronic, low-level inflammation, are brain-related, joint-related, and digestive system-related.   Read more here!

The first two almost always lead back to the digestive system, or gut, even if you don't have any digestive system symptoms.

The three main causes of chronic, low level inflammation are stress, damage to the digestive system, and toxic overload from environment factors.  Read more here.

​As I wrote in last weeks post, stress and toxic overload, also cause damage to the gut.  In fact, researchers are now linking 90% of chronic diseases to an unhealthy gut.

Think about it, when you're feeling stressed, worried, or anxious, where do you feel it?  If you're like me, it's right in the pit of your stomach.

---

How can you fix it?

It's easier than you think, for the most part!

There are three main ways to reduce chronic inflammation:

1. Reduce stress.
2. Eliminate possible food triggers, hidden toxins, and possible food sensitivities.
3. ​Replace the foods and nutrients your body needs for healing.

---

Let's start with reducing stress!

My top three ways to reduce stress are:  meditation, exercise, and simplifying life.

1.  Meditation

It's taken me many years to build a consistent meditation practice.  I'm still not at the point of practicing meditation every single day, but I am getting close.  It's become more and more of a priority for me!  

Next week, I'll write a little more about meditation.  On Monday, a free 21-day meditation experience with Deepak Chopra and Oprah begins.  They do them three or four times a year.  I almost always join.  It's a really good way to begin a meditation practice or reignite a practice.

This one is called:  Shedding the Weight:  Mind, Body, and Spirit.  This one is a repeat that I've done before and I remember liking it.  We're committing to practice in my free Facebook group, Women's Wellness Circle, so pop on over to join!

---

2.  Exercise

Aerobic exercise has been shown to increase the brain’s growth hormone, reverse memory decline in elderly humans and actually increase growth of new brain cells in the brain’s memory center. 

Yes, exercise is good for your body, but I think the benefits to your mind are an even bigger incentive.  

​Exercise actually makes you feel good!

Even a nice walk can clear your head and reduce your stress.

3.  Simplify Your Life

Try simplifying your life.  

Our modern lives are so busy, we sometimes barely have time to think.  Look at your life and see what you can take out, what isn’t necessary. 

​I’ve had to severely curb my impulse to volunteer at my kid’s schools.  Of course, everyone needs to help out a little, and volunteering can actually promote well-being, but not if we’re already stressed and overwhelmed.

---

Next, eliminate possible food triggers, hidden toxins, and possible food sensitivities.

Gluten and dairy are the top two food sensitivities.  Corn, soy, nightshades, and peanuts are other common sensitivities.

​Processed foods are a source of toxins in the form of chemical substances that your body just doesn't recognize.  

They almost always can contain preservatives, artificial colors and flavors, and often hydrogenated oils.  Sometimes even if preservatives aren't listed in the ingredients, they can be in the packaging, which is still leached into the food.

---

An elimination diet can be the most accurate way to eliminate food sensitivities, food triggers and toxins.  

​There are blood tests that test for sensitivities, but sensitivities can change, especially as you heal your gut.  You could even show sensitivity to a food in a blood test because you've been eating a lot of it.

After these foods are eliminated for a specific amount of time, they can be reintroduced for a few days, one at a time, to see if you feel a difference.

---

The third step is to replace the foods and nutrients your body needs for healing.

If your digestive system, or gut is damaged, your body may not be receiving the nutrients it needs, even if you are eating your fruits and veggies.

Healing your gut can involve eating fruits and veggies that increase the good kind of bacteria in our gut, sometimes taking probiotics and eating fermented foods can be appropriate, also decreasing added sugars so that the sugar loving organisms don't out compete the beneficial organisms.

A post all about our microbiome will be coming soon!

In the meantime, I've been featuring a vegetable, fruit, seed, nut, herb, spice, or other edible each week in my Farmer's Market Friday post.  Many of them boost detoxification pathways, have anti-inflammatory properties, and improve gut function.

The benefits of eating a variety of whole foods are far reaching!

---

---

If you want to get started right away,  start with these three things:
​
1.  Eliminate gluten containing foods.  No, not everyone is sensitive to gluten, and I don't want to confuse gluten sensitivity with the severity of celiac disease, but if you have a damaged gut, gluten will not help you.
​
2.  Eat more vegetables, the greater the variety the better! ​ They all have something beneficial and add them all together and you can't help but be healthier and feel better.  
​
3.  Start a meditation practice.  Remember, you can join my group to go through the free 21-day meditation experience with Deepak and Oprah!  Join my private Facebook Group here!

That’s it.  by just by doing those three things, you will begin to heal your body.  You will increase your energy and vitality!

---

In the comments below, your experience with trying my three tips or your experience with another way of trying to reduce chronic inflammation

---

Also, be sure to also download my Vibrant Health Resource Guide by clicking below!

​Ten habits every woman must implement to revitalize her health and reduce inflammation.

Simple lifestyle changes can help you reduce inflammation so that you can not only feel better now, but reduce your risk of disease in the future.  ​