A guide to understanding inflammation

Inflammation has recently become a hot health and wellness term, but what does it mean? It may seem like inflammation is a catchall cause for illness. That’s not the whole story. Inflammation is a normal part of your body’s healing process.¹ Let’s dig in.

Inflammation is how your body responds to illness, injury or germs.¹

Your body sends out inflammatory cells and cytokines when it detects an injury or something that isn’t supposed to be there, like a virus.¹ During this healthy response, “immune cells rush to the area,” says Sonya Angelone, M.S., R.D.N., a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics who specializes in inflammatory conditions. These cells flag the affected area and release special molecules to get rid of the “outsider” and help protect you from infections, she explains.

Short-term or acute inflammation may look like a fever, swelling or mild pain. It should only last a few hours or days.¹

When inflammation lasts a long time, it is called chronic. This chronic inflammation, explains Angelone, motivates your immune system to trigger an inflammatory response when there’s no actual danger.

Chronic inflammation can hurt your body instead of healing it.¹ It may get better and worse over time.

Chronic inflammation may be caused by autoimmune disorders.² These illnesses cause your body to see healthy tissue as dangerous. Environmental irritants like air pollution may sometimes cause chronic inflammation.¹

Your diet, stress levels, and the use of tobacco and alcohol can all play a role in triggering chronic inflammation.¹

Symptoms of chronic inflammation can range depending on how severe they are and how long they last. Symptoms may include:¹

Chronic inflammation has been associated with health issues like high blood pressure and heart disease.³ Here are a few ways that may help to lower chronic inflammation.

Eating a healthy, mostly plant-based diet, such as the Mediterranean Diet, can help lower your risk of chronic conditions.⁴ The Mediterranean Diet has this benefit because it limits foods that may cause inflammation and includes foods that may lower inflammation. A simple guideline: Choose foods that are as close to whole and unprocessed as possible, says Angelone.

For instance, excess sugar stimulates your liver to make fatty acids, which can produce inflammation, Angelone says.  

“High-sugar foods can increase uric acid levels, which drive inflammation and can lead to insulin resistance,” explains Angelone.

See below for foods to add to your diet that may help with inflammation and foods to avoid that may make it worse.

Exercising regularly has many health benefits. Exercise may help make your heart strong, improve your mood and help keep your weight in a healthy range. Staying fit may also help prevent inflammation-linked conditions such as cancer, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.⁹

It’s not just food choices or activity level that can cause inflammation. Angelone says stress can send your body into attack mode, too. Cortisol is a stress hormone that helps control your body's inflammation. Stress can keep cortisol from doing its job, leading to increased inflammation.¹⁰

There are several ways that may help manage stress. They include:

• Laughter
• Meditating
• Practicing yoga
• Relaxing hobbies like reading or listening to music
• Time with family and friends

Making healthy choices may help reduce and stop long-term inflammation. For example, quitting tobacco use can reduce the chance of many health problems, including inflammation.¹¹ If you use tobacco, talk to your provider about ways to help you quit.