How to reduce inflammation

Inflammation is your body’s response to some type of offense. You can develop inflammation after an injury or exposure to an infectious agent activates your immune system. Inflammation can be transient or can be chronic and never go away. 

“Inflammation is like the body’s warning system,” explains Stuart Kaplan, MD, chief of rheumatology at Mount Sinai South Nassau in New York. “It’s telling us ‘There’s a problem here.’ So, if you experience inflammation, don’t just ignore it, like it will go away. It may go away, but it may cause a lot of damage in the process.” Here’s what you need to know about reducing inflammation in your body.

Signs of inflammation in the body

First, it’s important to note that there are actually two main types of inflammation: acute inflammation and chronic inflammation. (Some experts maintain that there is a third stage of inflammation that marks a transition from acute to chronic inflammation, which is known as the subacute stage.)

Think of acute inflammation as short-term or immediate inflammation. You experience acute inflammation right after experiencing some sort of damage to your body. When an injury (or a pathogen like a virus) activates your immune system, your body will immediately send inflammatory cells and cytokines to the affected area to help it start healing. For example, if you sprain your ankle, your ankle will probably start to swell. The swelling is a sign of an acute inflammatory response.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, common signs of acute inflammation include:

• Swelling
• Warmth or heat at the affected area
• Pain or tenderness
• Redness or flushed skin at the injury site

By contrast, chronic inflammation is the long-term version of inflammation. It develops when the inflammatory response continues even after the external threat has passed. For example, psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune disorder. People with psoriasis develop inflammation in the form of a rash on their skin because of an autoimmune system dysfunction. 

Symptoms of chronic inflammation may include: 

• Abdominal pain
• Chest pain
• Fever
• Joint pain
• Mouth sores
• Skin rash

The most common causes of chronic inflammation include exposures to toxins, cancer,  untreated acute inflammation, and autoimmune disorders. Chronic inflammation is also associated with a number of health conditions, such as asthma, Alzheimer’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. It’s important that you speak to your healthcare provider about your symptoms in order to receive the correct diagnosis. Then you can decide the most appropriate treatment to try first.

How to reduce inflammation in the body fast

You can fight inflammation by making some strategic lifestyle choices. Here are a few strategies that you might try to prevent or decrease inflammation and improve your overall health and wellness. 

1. Get some exercise

Does it seem like exercise is often recommended as a potential cure for everything? Maybe that’s because it does help with many health conditions, and a big part of it seems to be its anti-inflammatory benefits. According to a 2020 study on the effect of exercise on the body’s inflammatory response, repeated sessions of physical activity seem to improve your body’s immune system and provide protection against infectious and non-infectious illnesses. Plus, exercise can help you keep weight gain at bay, which may in turn help with goals like improving your heart health or (if you have diabetes) keeping your blood sugar levels under control.

To experience these benefits, get moving—and stay moving. If you haven’t been very active, start with a short walk and build up from there. 

2. Embrace an anti-inflammatory diet

Stock your refrigerator and pantry with anti-inflammatory foods–and then be sure to eat them! Some foods to try include:

• Spinach and other leafy green vegetables
• Almonds 
• Walnuts
• Tomatoes
• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Oranges
• Cherries
• Dark chocolate
• Salmon (or other fatty fish)
• Tuna
• Sardines
• Mackerel

In general, incorporate unprocessed whole foods into your diet. These types of fruits and vegetables are high in natural antioxidants and compounds from plants known as polyphenols, which have a protective effect against inflammation. Aim for three different colors of fruits and veggies each day, suggests Brenda Peralta, a registered dietitian, health coach, and sports nutritionist.

Another tip: Avoid butter and use heart-healthy olive oil instead. In fact, the Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes fruits, veggies, lean sources of protein, whole grains, and olive oil is one anti-inflammatory diet you might want to try. 

3. Avoid inflammatory foods

Unfortunately, some foods tend to provoke or cause inflammation. Processed foods are especially notorious, as are fried foods and foods that contain a lot of refined sugar (aka refined carbohydrates). According to Harvard, some of the foods to limit include:

• French fries 
• White bread and white pasta
• Prepackaged cookies and pastries
• Red meat and processed meats, like hot dogs and sausages
• Sugary beverages like soda

If you’re struggling to revise your eating habits and replace certain foods with healthier alternatives,consult a registered dietitian for guidance. 

4. Consider a multivitamin

If you’re not eating a healthy diet, you could be missing out on a lot of nutrients that can help you fight off inflammation. A vitamin supplement can help, but should be considered a temporary solution while you work on improving your diet. 

“While taking vitamins is not fundamental, if you don’t consume a diet high in fruits and vegetables, I often recommend it with the goal that you will eventually not need them,” says Peralta. “Synthetic vitamins are not the same, since in fruits and vegetables, you also get other key elements to reduce inflammation, like oxidants.”

5. Sip green tea

Green tea is known for promoting reduced inflammation levels, among other benefits. A 2020 study in BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care found that Japanese people with diabetes who drank greater amounts of green tea and coffee enjoyed what the researchers called “reduced all-cause mortality.” That is, their hot beverage habits seemed to have some noteworthy health benefits. You can brew up a mug of green tea at home and benefit from those anti-inflammatory effects, or order a cup from a coffee shop when you’re on the go.

6. Try turmeric

Turmeric is a distinctive yellow spice that’s popular in Indian and South Asian cuisine. According to the Cleveland Clinic, the major active ingredient of turmeric, which comes from the root of the curcuma longa plant, is curcumin. It’s often heralded for its antioxidants and its anti-inflammatory properties. For example, some research suggests that curcumin can help people suffering from ulcerative colitis. Want to give it a try? You can easily add a little turmeric to your own cooking to see if it helps you or take turmeric supplements. (Remember, it’s always a good idea to discuss taking any supplements with your healthcare provider.)

RELATED: Verified health benefits of turmeric

7. Unwind

A growing body of research suggests stress and chronic inflammation are linked. Stress may activate an inflammatory response in your brain and throughout your body, according to a 2017 review in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. In fact, researchers note that stress worsens certain diseases like cardiovascular disease and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease through inflammation. But in order to address the problem, you have to prioritize the reduction of both physical and psychological stress.

RELATED: Surprising ways stress can affect your body

8. Revamp your sleep habits

Not enough sleep on a regular basis can lead to health problems. As a 2020 study in Frontiers in Neurology noted, poor sleep is associated with higher levels of inflammatory markers in your body. Most adults need to get seven to nine hours of sleep nightly, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Additionally, the 2020 study notes that inconsistent sleep patterns are one component of poor sleep. That is, if the time you go to bed each night tends to vary wildly, without consistent wake times, you could be putting yourself at risk for inflammation. If you’re not feeling well-rested, or you know your sleep habits could be improved, it might be time to revamp them. “Sleep is not just wasted time,” says Dr. Kaplan. “The body uses that time to regenerate itself.”

9. Try bromelain

Ever heard of bromelain? No? You are familiar with pineapple, though, and bromelain is a mixture of enzymes found in pineapple. Bromelain is considered an effective defense against inflammation from injuries and infections. It’s even used in both oral and topical form to treat surgical wounds and burns in Europe. If you’re interested, consider a bromelain supplement in capsule form, since you can’t get enough from enjoying a few slices of pineapple. 

Again, be sure to chat with your healthcare provider before you start taking any supplements. “You have to be careful, especially if you are taking prescription drugs,” says Dr. Kaplan, noting that some supplements can interact with medications. 

10. Quit smoking

Cigarette smoking is associated with increased levels of inflammation in the body, too. In fact, research suggests that chronic inflammation is associated with lung cancer. But quitting can reduce the levels of certain proteins, or biomarkers, that are associated with lung cancer. 

The bottom line

After an injury, you may wonder how long it will take for the inflammation to go away. “If it’s acute inflammation, usually it takes a few days,” says Dr. Kaplan. But chronic inflammation doesn’t develop overnight, and it can’t be treated overnight, either. Depending on whether you have a chronic disease that requires medication, you may need ongoing treatment. 

You can help decrease inflammation. Your healthcare provider may suggest lifestyle and dietary changes that are designed to help reduce inflammation.

“Yes, people can heal from inflammation as long as they continue good lifestyle habits,” says Peralta. “Not smoking, good stress management techniques, less processed foods, more natural foods, and good quality sleep all play critical roles in keeping your inflammation levels low.”