A Nutritionist’s Guide to Reducing Inflammation in the Body
What chronic inflammation actually is, how it impacts your energy, skin, mood and health - and what you can do to bring it down
Coming back from the Easter weekend trip I went on, I felt really inflamed. I felt puffy! Which I hate. But it’s not surprising given the fact that all of the following are true -
I ate a lot of sugar in the form of cake and chocolate
I ate some fried Portuguese food in a restaurant
I drank wine
I didn’t sleep well (squeaky bed bunk situation)
I didn’t get much movement in (we’re talking 638 steps on Saturday lol as it was raining all day)
Yes, I did also eat lots of veggies and I drank a lot of water, but it wasn’t enough to balance the rest out. I had a lovely weekend, but it prompted me to consider writing about low-grade inflammation - as it’s such an interesting topic!
When people hear the word ‘inflammation’, they often think of swollen joints or an injury. But there’s a quieter, more persistent form called chronic low-grade inflammation, and it can have a big impact on how we feel day-to-day.
Unlike the more obvious kind of inflammation you get from a cut or a bruise (which is short-term and helpful), chronic inflammation is more subtle. It builds over time and can quietly affect your energy, digestion, mood, skin, and long-term health.
I remember first learning about this when I studied nutrition, and my mind was kind of blown!
The good news? There’s a lot we can do with food and lifestyle to calm it down.
In this post, we’ll cover -
What inflammation actually is (and why it's not always bad)
How chronic inflammation impacts energy, mood, skin and more
The key foods to eat more of (and what to reduce)
Lifestyle shifts that help to calm the body
How I de-puff!
A simple anti-inflammatory day to try
Anti-inflammatory supplements
What I’m eating, reading and loving this week
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What is inflammation?
Inflammation is your body's natural response to harm or stress. When you cut yourself or get sick, your immune system kicks into action, sending white blood cells to fight off threats and start the healing process.
That’s acute inflammation, and it’s essential!
But chronic inflammation happens when the body stays in this ‘alert’ state, even when there’s no obvious threat. It can be triggered by -
A poor diet
Chronic stress
Lack of sleep
Environmental toxins
Gut issues
Being sedentary
Over time, this state of ongoing inflammation takes it’s toll on the body. It's been linked to everything from heart disease and type 2 diabetes to depression, autoimmune conditions, and accelerated ageing.