What causes inflammation in the body: Understanding how the body responds, and recommended remedies | – The Times of India

Inflammation is often referred to as a single issue, but the fact is, it is a condition that acknowledges the body is dealing with a stressful situation. Although the occurrence of temporary inflammation is a crucial process in the healing process, low-grade chronic inflammation can be the silent contributing factor for a host of ailments, including fatigue, arthritis, indigestion, and a host of other issues. Many people turn to palliative care, never addressing the source. Lifestyle, diets, chronic stress, and the environment all factor in together, creating a complex response on the immune system’s end, which continues to be activated. The best way to deal with the issue of inflammation is to understand the causes, allowing for a more effective approach for a long-term fix.

Hidden triggers that quietly lead to chronic inflammation

According to the X post, Dr Eric Berg, check below the 10 hidden causes of chronic inflammation in the body and its response.

Some people can have gluten cause irritation to the lining of the small intestine, leading to increased permeability of the intestine, otherwise known as leaky gut syndrome. If the lining becomes compromised, then the partially digested food enters the bloodstream, and the immune system responds to the reaction, leading to chronic inflammation in the body, which can have widespread effects other than digestive issues. Food sensitivities can have the same effect on the body, placing the immune system on high alert with no manifestation of symptoms in the body.

Ultra-processed foods are highly processed using industrial processes and are composed of substances not found naturally within food. Such substances include synthetic sweeteners, modified starches, and seed oils that are often associated with inflammation due to the overproduction of free radicals. Moreover, consuming foods with such properties will eventually cause inflammation at a systemic level. This will happen because the products are not designed to be eaten to provide nutritional benefits; consequently, healthy food that has anti-inflammatory properties will be replaced.

Some of these viruses will lie dormant within the body and then re-emerge periodically, causing flare-ups of inflammation that appear and disappear. This is where stress becomes a contributing factor, as it can lead to the production of higher levels of cortisol, which can have an immune system-suppressing effect, causing the viral activities to flare up once again. Some of the viral infections will disrupt the metabolism of Vitamin D within the body.

Insulin resistance arises when the body is constantly subjected to high carbohydrate dieting and eating. This condition is usually associated with the constant elevation of the insulin levels within the body, leading to the lowering of the body’s response to the insulin. With the rise in glucose problems, the associated inflammation also increases, especially within the blood vessels and the fat tissues.

Although the body needs cortisol to handle stress and inflammatory responses, too much stress in the body or taking medications containing steroids can affect the function of this hormone. At times, the body develops resistance to the regulating effect of this hormone. As a result of this effect, the body fails to control the inflammatory reaction; instead, it has an exaggerated immune response to injuries and infections.

Previous injuries that were not fully rehabbed can silently cause inflammation in the tissues many years post-injury. A sedentary lifestyle will then further exacerbate this condition by decreasing blood flow and the motion needed to keep joints and connective tissues supple and healthy. Without this motion, stiff and inflamed tissues can form around the weakest parts of the body.

The liver needs bile to help it break down fat. When the flow of bile is reduced by low levels of bile salts, a stagnation of thickened bile in the ducts can occur. This can trigger an inflammation of the liver, perhaps producing pain in the right shoulder or upper back. Increased flow of the bile can help alleviate inflammation.

Excess iron in the body has been known to be caused in part by genetic influences and has been a prevalent issue in men; in these cases, there is fuel created in the body that boosts oxidative stress. Iron catalyses the production of these oxidants in the body; this unregulated imbalance silently affects organs in the body, like the liver and joints.

Such conditions that impair the supply of oxygen to the tissues result in a lot of stress on the entire body. Such conditions include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, liver diseases, arteriosclerosis, and sleep apnea. Deprivation of oxygen from the cells causes the cells to enter survival mode. This leads the cells to manufacture pro-inflammatory compounds.

Elevated uric acid levels are closely linked to high fructose consumption, particularly from sweetened drinks and processed foods. Excess uric acid promotes inflammation within blood vessels and is increasingly recognised as a contributor to high blood pressure. Over time, this inflammatory effect extends beyond joints and affects overall cardiovascular health.

Remedies recommended for inflammation

Fermented foods and probiotics help support a healthy gut flora, a main component in the regulation of inflammation. Beneficial bacterial flora helps to protect the integrity of the intestinal lining by suppressing immune overexpression due to harmful bacteria or undigested food particles.Vitamin D has a crucial role in maintaining the regulation of the immune system. It helps suppress overactive inflammatory reactions. A deficiency of vitamin D has been associated with increased inflammation in the body, most commonly occurring in winter.Fasting rests the digestive system and reduces the level of insulin in the body, both of which can decrease the inflammatory signals being sent out. Fasting also triggers the body’s cellular maintenance processes like autophagy, which helps the body eliminate cells that are dying and contributing to the inflammation in the body, hence alleviating the symptoms of inflammation.

Vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and kale are rich in sulphur compounds that facilitate the process of liver detoxification. These help in removing the anti-inflammatory products at the cellular level.Ketogenic Diet: A ketogenic diet can help the body resist glucose and use fats for metabolism. This can lower the inflammatory effects due to insulin and normalize blood sugar, thereby reducing and preventing the inflammatory effects.This diet eliminates plant components that could cause sensitivity reactions to some people. Also, it completely eliminates ultra-processed foods, refined sugar, and seed oils that are sources of inflammation.Cold exposure could potentially be used for the reduction of inflammation through the constriction of blood vessels and the degradation of the inflammatory mediators. It could potentially increase resistance to stress through nervous adaptation.Exercise enhances blood circulation, joint mobility, and lymphatic system functionality. Additionally, exercising activates the production of anti-inflammatory mediators and relieves stiffness and low-grade inflammation resulting from a sedentary lifestyle.Omega-3 fatty acids in cod liver oil, sardines, and salmon serve as a good means to offset omega-6 fatty acids in today’s diet that are predominantly pro-inflammatory in nature. Omega-3 fatty acids have been known to enhance heart and joint functions and strengthen the immune system by reducing inflammation.