7 steps to an anti-inflammatory lifestyle
Chronic inflammation has been linked to a higher risk of various health conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers. Over time, persistent inflammation can negatively impact overall wellbeing, making it important to adopt habits that help keep it under control.
The good news is that lifestyle changes can play a key role in reducing inflammation and supporting long-term health. In this guide, we’ll explore how an anti-inflammatory lifestyle can benefit your health and share seven practical steps to help you get started.
What is an anti-inflammatory lifestyle?
An anti-inflammatory lifestyle is when someone takes a proactive approach to try to reduce their risk of inflammatory health conditions by making certain lifestyle choices.
There are no hard and fast rules as to what constitutes an anti-inflammatory lifestyle, but people aiming to reduce their risk of inflammation will typically:
- Eat foods known for their anti-inflammatory properties
- Avoid foods that are linked to inflammation
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Choose cleaning, washing and cosmetic products that don’t contain chemicals linked to inflammation
- Avoid certain chemicals like phthalates and parabens, which have been linked to some inflammatory health conditions.
Benefits of an anti-inflammatory lifestyle
One of the main reasons people choose to follow an anti-inflammatory lifestyle is because it may help to reduce their risk of some chronic health conditions linked to increased inflammation, such as:
- Heart disease
- Type 2 diabetes
- Asthma
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn’s or colitis
- Autoimmune diseases, like rheumatoid arthritis or lupus
- Some cancers
- Dementia and Alzheimer’s
However, following an anti-inflammatory diet can also help improve mental health, support weight loss, reduce blood pressure, and boost cognitive function. So, there are many reasons to try incorporating some anti-inflammatory choices into your lifestyle.
7 steps to an anti-inflammatory lifestyle
1. Diet
Eating certain foods has been found to help prevent inflammation in the body from occurring and reduce or resolve existing inflammation. That’s because certain foods have anti-inflammatory properties, which help the body heal from the damaging effects of inflammation.
While there is no one-size-fits-all approach to diet, the Mediterranean diet has been linked to lower inflammation levels. This Mediterranean diet involves eating a high fibre diet that includes lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds and olive oil. Lean protein sources, like eggs, chicken, dairy products and fish are eaten in moderation, while ultra-processed foods and red meat are eaten rarely.
However, following the Mediterranean diet isn’t the only way to eat an anti-inflammatory diet, there are other methods you can try, including:
- Aiming to eat the rainbow – this means eating lots of different coloured fruits and vegetables each week
- Eating more fibre – fibre plays a key role in healthy digestive function but many people don’t get enough in their diet
- Make sure you are getting enough omega 3 – ideally, you should aim for at least two portions per week, with oily fish offering one of the best sources, although vegan alternatives are also available - learn more about the anti-inflammatory properties of omega 3
- Use olive oil when cooking – replace saturated fats like butter or highly processed seed oils with extra virgin olive oil where possible
- Use spices to season food - ginger and turmeric have anti-inflammatory properties, which can help reduce inflammation
- Limit your intake of known inflammatory foods – this includes ultra-processed foods, saturated fats, refined carbohydrates and sugary foods
2. Exercise
People who exercise regularly typically have lower levels of inflammation, suggesting that there could be a link between the two factors. Although the exact reason is not known, exercise can help to improve circulation and improve lymphatic flow, which could help reduce inflammation.
To help minimise your risk of chronic inflammation, it is important to:
- Get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week – ideally 30 minutes a day over five days and
- Do two muscle-strengthening-based workouts per week, such as resistance training, weights or yoga
Regularly exercising can also help you maintain a healthy weight, which can also play a role in reducing your risk of chronic inflammation.
3. Sleep
Although often overlooked, sleep is vital to our overall health and wellbeing. Not getting enough sleep or having poor quality sleep regularly has been linked to weight gain and various inflammatory health conditions, including type 2 diabetes.
When we sleep, our bodies have a chance to rest, grow and repair, so it is vital to reducing inflammatory responses in our body. Most people need between seven to nine hours of sleep per night, although this isn’t a hard and fast rule, and may vary from person to person.
Learn more about why sleep is important for your health.
4. Stress
Stress is a natural aspect of life and can come in various forms, from physical stresses such as a threat of danger to mental and emotional stresses, like work pressure or family disagreements. Although not always pleasant, our bodies are adept at handling short-term stresses that form part of normal life.
However, when you experience prolonged periods of stress, known as chronic stress, it can start to impact health and contribute to increased inflammation and risk of inflammatory health conditions.
As a result, learning to manage stress is a vital skill for your overall wellbeing. One of the best ways to do this is by finding activities you enjoy that enable you to switch off from things that may be causing you to feel stressed. However, you may also find speaking to someone, trying cognitive behaviour therapy or practising mindfulness and breathwork beneficial.
Learn more about how to reduce your stress levels.
5. Weight
There is some research to suggest that maintaining a healthy weight may play a role in keeping inflammation under control. For example, people who are overweight or obese tend to have higher c-reactive protein (CRP) levels than those of a healthy weight. CRP is a protein produced by the liver that rises in response to inflammation in the body. Learn more in our guide to inflammation blood tests .
Although the reasons for this are not fully understood, it is thought that fat cells, especially those found in the abdominal area, produce and secrete compounds that contribute to inflammation.
Maintaining a healthy weight can be challenging, so following a healthy, well-balanced diet, exercising regularly and seeking support from healthcare professionals and friends and family is key.
6. Dental hygiene
Looking after your oral hygiene is also imperative if you want to follow an anti-inflammatory lifestyle. That’s because gum disease has been linked to an increased risk of other inflammatory health conditions, like heart disease and Alzheimer’s.
To maintain your dental hygiene, it is important to:
- Brush your teeth for at least two minutes, twice per day to remove food particles and plaque
- Floss regularly to get to areas your toothbrush cannot reach
- Visit your dentist twice a year for checkups
- Avoid eating or drinking sugary snacks and drinks in between meals
7. Avoid exposure to chemicals
To follow an anti-inflammatory lifestyle, it is also advisable to reduce your exposure to chemicals.
Chemicals can be found in everything from the foods we eat to the products we use to clean our houses, so it’s not possible to avoid them entirely, but you can take some extra precautions:
- Try to eat local, seasonal and organic fruits and vegetables whenever possible
- Always wash any fruit and vegetables thoroughly before eating to remove any chemical residue
- Avoid reheating food in plastic containers
- Choose cleaning products that contain natural, less harmful ingredients
- Check washing and cosmetic labels and avoid products with known inflammatory chemicals
- Always wear gloves when handling cleaning products
- If carrying out any DIY, like painting or decorating, wear PPE to reduce your risk of exposure to harmful chemicals
Take a proactive approach to managing your health
One of the best ways to monitor your health and keep an eye on your risk of many chronic health conditions is through regular Full Body Health MOTs.
Comprehensive health MOTs offer tangible insights into your health, so you can make informed decisions about the lifestyle choices that may best improve your health. At Bluecrest Wellness, our health MOTs are designed to provide you with insights into key health metrics, like your blood pressure, weight and cholesterol levels, and your risk of certain health conditions, like heart disease and stroke. This enables you to take a proactive approach to maintaining optimum health.
All our health assessment packages can be booked across the UK, making it easy for you to find a location convenient for you. Plus, you can be confident that we will deliver fast, efficient and accurate results as we have established links with leading UK laboratories and are fully accredited for a wide range of tests. In addition, alongside a comprehensive Results Report, you get free 24/7 access to a GP helpline for a year following your tests.
