If you hear the word inflamed what do you picture? The image that springs to my mind is that of an open swollen wound. Burning and hot to the touch. That is inflammation in action. Our body's acute healing processes are at work trying to battle the offending agent. We can see how this process occurs when we have an external injury that hurts. A healing cycle happens in front of our eyes as the symptoms improve from pain and swelling, then back to normal.
Now we’ve learned more about that this process of inflammation. And it’s not just restricted to acute triggers. Specifically, what has changed is more evidence of both the causes and effects of this biological process. Our immune system, a wide range of triggers and the subsequent inflammatory process is involved in many chronic physical and mental health conditions. But we can neither see these burning nor watch them repair.
Our cell’s response to inflammation works day and night to protect us from pathogens and prevent infection. But the issue we are now realising is that bacteria, viruses and known toxins are not the only assailants. Many of our everyday activities contribute to the inflammatory process in our cells. Sugar, stress, chronic infection and yes, even sitting, are all contributing to inflammatory changes that are occurring in our cells right this moment. The role of inflammation in depression is certainly something that is getting much more recognition in the psychiatric community and is discussed in detail in Dr Bullmore’s book The Inflamed Mind
Whilst these contributors to inflammation are part of everyday modern life, we know that certain activities, foods and supplements can help with the fight against inflammation.
Consistent good quality sleep, meditation and regular exercise have all been shown to reduce inflammation and support our immune system. Eating a minimally processed diet with good quality protein, increased fibre and a wide variety of fruits and vegetables are everyday steps we can take to improve our immune system's response to inflammation.
As a GP, I talked a lot to my patients about stress – asking in nearly every consultation, ‘Anything particularly stressful going on at the moment?’ People usually only acknowledged the big things – a difficult boss, an aged parent in hospital- but the small things are stressful to our bodies and minds too. It doesn’t have to be a life event to be worthy of acknowledging as a cause of your stress. Getting stuck in morning traffic can set your mind on a cycle of stress all day. When we pretend we are not stressed or annoyed this is where things get messy. By acknowledging our feeling of irritation over even small things, we can help ourselves de-stress and reduce the internal inflammation that is occurring.