Have you had a splinter or a cut before? How about a sprained ankle? Do you remember the affected site to have gotten red, hot, and swollen? Your body does this so that the immune system can take action and send fighters to help ease the injury and fight any pathogen that might have gotten inside the body before it infects it.

Normal inflammatory responses usually flares up and dies down in only a short time. This activity happens on the surface, as well as within the body. However, in some cases, when inflammation and pain will not go away, it becomes chronic.

Some inflammations are not visible or easily “seen” either. If your digestive system is inflammed, you don’t see it, but you feel it as it manifests as different kinds of symptoms such as bloating, bowel issues, or gas. If an inflammation does not get resolved, it becomes a health concern. Two diseases that are linked to chronic inflammation are type 2 diabetes and osteoarthritis.

Stop inflammation from getting out of hand

Pain or any other sign of inflammation should not be a daily part of anyone’s routine. If there is a health issue that keeps bothering you every single day, even if it’s “just gas”, a visit to your functional medicine practitioner is recommended. While pharmaceutical anti-inflammatories are commonly given by health care professionals to relieve pain, some of these medications come with unwanted side effects especially when these are used for an extended period. Natural anti-inflammatory solutions are much healthier options may it be for acute care, or for an ongoing problem.

Natural and Safe solutions

The following alternatives are friendly to the guts and safe for long term use:

• Fish oil is known to be effective in reducing inflammation and hugely helps with joint conditions such as arthritis.
• Turmeric, a traditional anti-inflammatory Ayurvedic herb, has been used since ancient times and have been shown to help reduce swelling and pain in arthritic conditions.
• Boswellia, another Ayurvedic herb, has anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antirheumatic properties. It is recommended on all types of pain, but most particularly in arthritic or traumatic pain during inflammation.
• Devils claw and Jamaica dogwood are also herbs that are mixed together to support the healing process by reducing pain, decreasing spasms, and improving blood flow.
• Gut healing through foods such as bone broth

Lifestyle check

The following are known to increase the occurrence of inflammation within the body:

• Smoking
• Regular consumption of alcohol, coffee, excess salt and/or sugar
• Unhealthy weight
• Diet consisting of refined or processed carbohydrates such as pasta, white rice, white bread, and cereal
• Eating food containing trans fat such as fast food, fried food, packaged baked food, vegetable fats that is used in some margarine products
• Sleep deprivation
• Ongoing psychological stress brought on by life events. For example, unhappy at work, unhappy at home, isolation from society, caring for a loved one who is suffering
• Any recurring digestive issues that upset the good gut microbiome balance. Signs include bloating, diarrhoea, pain in the stomach area, gas.

Avoiding the above is an important step in reducing inflammation that is causing your pain or illness. Call us now if you may be suffering from a chronic inflammation and need help.