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Atherosclerosis. Diabetes. Arthritis. Obesity. Psoriasis. Asthma. Reflux. Chronic fatigue. Gum disease. Tendinitis. They’re as different as ailments can be, and they strike literally from head to toe. Yet all these varied conditions have one common symptom: inflammation.
Illustration by Steve Sanford
“Inflammation drives the aging process faster than any other biomarker,” says physician Tasneem Bhatia, author of The 21-Day Belly Fix. “As we get older, inflammation increases, in part because our bodies are less adept at digesting and processing the nutrients we need to regulate it.” It’s that growing inflammatory process that plays a role in so many diseases of aging.
Inflammation is our body’s natural response to physical and microbial attack. “When you injure a muscle or a tendon, red and white blood cells migrate to the part of the body that’s injured to help heal it,” says Jordan D. Metzl, a sports medicine physician and author of Dr. Jordan Metzl’s Workout Prescription. But chronic inflammation occurs when our bodies perceive that they’re under threat, putting our immune system in a perpetual state of attack; this dramatically increases our risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. Check out some of the common places inflammation shows up and how you can fight the fire.
Illustration by Steve Sanford
1. Brain: Alzheimer’s
Illustration by Steve Sanford
Do This: Load up on healthy fats. Inflammation can be seen in the brains of people prone to Alzheimer’s disease as much as 20 years before the onset of symptoms. Protect your brain with fat and fat-soluble vitamins such as A, C, E and K, Bhatia says. Nuts, avocados and greens dressed with olive oil are all great options.
Illustration by Steve Sanford
2. Eyes: Chronic fatigue
Do This: Swap your coffee for green tea. If you never feel completely awake, even after a solid night’s sleep, it might be due to chronic, low-level inflammation. Green tea nutrients called polyphenols can help.
3. Mind: Depression
Do This: Consider taking a prescription anti-inflammatory. About a third of people who are resistant to antidepressants show evidence of inflammation; prescription anti-inflammatories have been shown to help.
4. Mouth: Periodontal disease
Do This: Try an aloe vera rinse. While brushing and flossing are the two keys to managing inflamed gums, a recent study found that using an aloe vera mouth rinse or gel can help by killing off the bacteria that collect in hard-to-reach pockets of the gums.
5. Throat: Common cold
Do This: Embrace meditation. Although stress can cause inflammation, making cold symptoms worse, a UCLA study of stressed-out caregivers found that 12 minutes of daily meditation for eight weeks reduced their inflammation levels.
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