22 | Inflammation
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Transcript
Hello and welcome. It’s great to have you here today. Today, I’m going to be talking about something that has plagued me for many years, but for a long time, I didn’t actually piece it together. So I think for a while I was exhibiting a range of symptoms and I was kind of shooting them down, scattergun approach, until I realised they were actually all connected.
So, I am going to be talking today about inflammation and the way in which it affects the body, the kinds of health issues that can result from chronic inflammation and what you can do to reduce it yourself.
Inflammation is the body’s natural response to injury or infection or any other kind of harmful stimuli. Essentially what happens when you get injured or you get an infection is that your body is triggered into defense mode. It’ll send white blood cells and inflammatory cells to the injured site and that results in redness, heat and swelling until the injury or foreign body is addressed.
It’s a really sophisticated response, works incredibly well. The issue that we have transpired when your body doesn't stop sending these inflammatory cells, even after the danger period has passed. So essentially, chronic inflammation is when your body thinks you’re under attack, but there’s nothing to defend against.
Chronic inflammation can include a whole heap of side effects. It varies broadly. Things like fatigue, pain, gastrointestinal complications like diarrhoea, constipation, weight changes, whether up or down, and persistent infections. Contrary to what you might be thinking, if you’ve got chronic inflammation sometimes your body doesn't respond to a legitimate attack and you might have chronic persistent infections. Rashes and psoriasis is one of the most common responses of a body that is in chronic inflammation. And then there are mental health things like depression. One of the most common is fluid retention. so when your body is in this inflammatory response over long periods of time, it can lead to a range of health issues, including heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, bowel disease, Chron’s being one of the most common, and some forms of cancer.
if you think you might have chronic inflammation, you can go to your GP, and get a blood test. They’ll look for chronic inflammatory markers by measuring the c-reactive protein that’s produced by the liver. And you’ll be able to get a definitive diagnosis relatively easily. Once you’ve got a diagnosis that you’ve got chronic inflammation, most GPs would then recommend a course of steriod which you take orally to try and stimulate your body out of that cycle. Steroids themselves will likely have a range of side effects for most people, some of which include the very things I mentioned earlier, weight gain, inflammation, skin issues, and bowel concerns. And if you’re in a state of chronic inflammation and you’re trying to address all those side effects as a result of it, the last thing a lot of people want is to have medication that actually exacerbates those side effects.
So what can you do about it? Firstly, speak to your GP and make a really informed decision about what is best for you. But, in years of experimenting, lots of research and trying to better understand how my body responds, I’ve come across a number of things that have worked for me that will hopefully help you too.
The first one is not always easy, limiting alcohol and sugar from your diet. But, I know that wen I go through extended periods of not drinking alcohol it makes a significant improvement in how I feel in myself. Sugar, very much the same as well.
If you do smoke, I don’t, but if you do, quitting smoking is one of the best things that you can do to get yourself out of the chronic inflammation cycle The other thing you can do with your diet is to increase your fruit and vegetable intake, especially things like leafy green vegetables. They are particularly helpful to combat inflammation. Berries are great for anti-inflammatory properties, nuts such as almonds, walnuts in particular because they also have omega-3 fatty acids and if you like oily fish then any of these will be good - salmon, tuna and the like will be good additions to your regular diet.
Turmeric, which contains curcumin, is a really great supplement to have. You can add it to your meals. If you want a higher potency of curcumin, you can actually get curcumin supplements and take these orally. The one that’s worked more effectively for me than turmeric is Saigon cinnamon. A teaspoon a day, every day, makes a difference for me. The other things that can work for others, not for me, because I have an allergy against them, but ginger and garlic are also really high anti-inflammatory foods that you can have. The other thing that you can do that is helpful in so many ways beyond inflammation is staying hydrated. It’s a natural detoxant. You can help regulate your fluid retention by making sure that you’re drinking enough water. If you’re struggling during the cooler months, herbal teas are really good, peppermint and green in particular. Green tea has polyphenols in it that help reduce inflammation. Beware though, it does contain caffeine so if you’re trying to stay caffeine-free, green tea does contain caffeine. The other thing that you can do that helps with again lots of things but inflammation being one of them is prioritising sleep. So, make sure you’re getting seven to nine hours of sleep every night is a really important way to help regulate your inflammation levels. It drops your cortisol which can also be one of the triggers . Stress is a huge part of chronic inflammation so prioritising sleep and reducing stress is really important to minimise the side effects of inflammation.
Regular exercise goes a long way to promoting good circulation, which of course then helps with inflammation. Low impact options are generally better if you’re in a state of chronic inflammation. Things like walking, swimming, cycling and yoga in particular are really, really worthwhile options for regular movement.
I’ve mentioned stress but managing stress is huge for inflammation. It’s one of the things that actually initiates chronic inflammation in a lot of people, especially executive women. We tend to get ourselves into this patter of chronic inflammation through adrenal fatigue, which is largely a result of chronic stress, long-term periods of long hours, high pressure environments can be one of the predecessors to chronic inflammation. So, doing things like meditation, deep breathing, yoga, mindfulness practices will go a long way to supporting you to address inflammation.
Another one that’s really good for you is to go regularly to an infrared sauna. I did this for a long time and it got incredibly expensive. So I ended up buying an infrared blanket and I use that for an hour, two or three times a week. The infrared is really good for increasing circulation, releasing cytokines, which will help address inflammation. It’s great for relaxation and stress reduction, which again promotes rest and digest state which will reduce the risk of chronic inflammation continuing. It also has been known to show a modulatory effect on inflammatory pathways at a cellular level. so besides the heat and the relaxation part of it, the actual infrared has been clinically proven to actually moderate the way inflammation works at a cellular level, so really addressing cytokine release and triggering a response to that inflammation.
Because chronic inflammation has such a strong tie to gastrointestinal function, taking a probiotic can be a really good way to kind of shortcut the cycle. Get a really good probiotic from your health food store, generally one that has been stored in the fridge that has multiple strains.
The other thing you can do is regularly have yoghurt, which has probiotic properties thanks to the culture within yoghurt. Sourdough does too, but remember that once you start having sourdough breads, you potentially get the implications of grains associated with it. And some people don’t tolerate grains as well when they are in a state of chronic inflammation. Yoghurt, generally speaking, is relatively well tolerated. If dairy is an issue, there are plenty of dairy-free yoghurt options that will also provide a probiotic effect. There are also a lot of probiotic drinks available. If you’re going down that path, then make sure you choose one that isn’t loaded with sugar. Please read the ingredients and make an informed decision on that.
One of the things that I do daily is dry brushing. So I’ve got a natural hair brush that I use to stimulate the lymphatic system. It boosts circulation, helps reduce stress and promotes healing. The important thing to note here is that it’s a dry brush. Your skin should not be wet, neither should the brush - all dry. Dry brush your skin prior to showering and make sure that you have gentle upward strokes starting from your feet, working up towards your heart along your legs and then the same with your arms, starting from your hands and working up your arms towards your heart. Again with your stomach, starting from your pelvis, working up towards your heart and your back from your lower back up towards your heart. I have a dry brush that’s on a handle, which allows me to be able to do it all myself. It takes maybe two minutes before I jump in the shower every morning. If you’re new to it, maybe start two or three times a week first until your body gets used to it. It also depends on what kind of skin you have. Some people’s skin is a bit more sensitive or thinner.
Um, so if you notice that it’s scratching, then make sure you adjust your pressure. You don’t want to actually cause damage to your skin. You definitely don’t want to make yourself bleed. So the idea behind this is that it’s enough stimulation to get the lymphatic system working and boost circulation. So, my skin on my legs is generally pinkish tinge after I’ve done it. And it’s really just that response of the body to the friction and it just warms it up a little bit and you’ll get some additional blood flow. Again, pay attention to your own body. Everyone’s skin is different. So just adjust your pressure or choose a brush that might be better suited to your skin if you have really sensitive skin.
I love massage, I don’t pretend not to. I would be massaged all day every day if I could afford both the time and the money. Massage is really good for chronic inflammation, especially lymphatic drainage massage which is a lighter form of massage designed to promote the moment of lymphatic fluid back to the lymph nodes, and then the removal of any toxins as a result of that. Really important after the lymphatic massage to drink plenty of water to flush all of those toxins out so that they’re removed from the body. You generally find that you’ll get an increase in urine output anyway as a result of that type of massage if you have been storing fluid but to continue that process and make it effective, keeping your fluids up is really important after a lymphatic drainage massage.
Relatively recently, like a couple of months ago, I found out about the health benefits of jumping and, honestly, I am still in awe of it. Bouncing on a mini tamp is great for reducing inflammation. It stimulates the lymphatic system and reduces inflammation. The lymph starts in your calves. So the act of bouncing, for even five minutes a day is really helpful for lymphatic drainage.
The other thing that’s really good for increasing blood flow is cupping. It’s been used across many cultures for centuries to stimulate the removal of toxins. It’s also really good at stimulating the autonomic nervous system, so really good at triggering out of fight and flight and getting you into the rest and digest state. So, I jump in the shower. I’ve got a little suction cup, a plastic suction cup that I use in the shower with a special gel. I use that across my calves, my thighs, my butt and my stomach to trigger some circulation and really try and encourage blood flow.
When I get out of the shower, I will then floss my teeth. Then, while I am brushing my teeth, I’ll lie on the bed with my legs in the air. It’s my own modification of legas against the wall which is a standard yoga pose, which is really good for promoting lymph flow, relieving headaches, relieving leg cramps and improving thyroid function. There are so many benefits of lying with your legs in the air. I do that for kind of four or five minutes while I am brushing my teeth - eyes closed because flicking toothpaste into your eyeballs is very stingy. So, if you’re going to do it, please close your eyes. But I find that it makes a massive difference. If I’ma bit vacant, if I’m thinking about things that might’ve happened during the day and I don’t pay attention to what I’m actually doing, which I try to most of the time I’m going through my nighttime routine, I’m really trying to be mindful about it. But there are times when I get distracted and start thinking about something else. I’m not paying attention and I don’t look at my feet when I am going it and then go, you know, look at my feet just before I am about to exit legs in the air, I will really notice how much my veins have drained and how much of a difference there is in the shape of my feet and ankled between when I start legs in the air and when I finish. So I know it works for me very, very well. I do it every night religiously. I’ve anchored that to my teeth brushing so it’s really part of my daily routine now.
And the other thing that can be really helpful to promote relaxation, reduce stress, help you get to sleep faster and get better quality sleep is to lie on an acupressure mat. I generally do that most nights for 10 to 15 minutes while I’m listening to a meditation. It’s a great way to transition from day to night. I find it really soothing. It takes a little bit of getting used to the acupressure mats. They’re spiky for a reason. They’re designed to stimulate a response. So if you haven’t used one before, you might want to try starting with a light t-shirt on first and then transitioning to bare skin. But honestly, if I’ve got a headache, that’s my go-to. I’ll just lie on the acupressure mat, make sure that my head and neck are on it and it is very, very soothing. So great for headaches too, if you’re that way inclined.
I have a pretty routine-driven life. So one of the ways I deal with the fact that I have an autoimmune condition that leads to frustrating levels of inflammation at times, I’ve modified my daily routine to make sure that I start the day with a large glass of lemon water in the morning, acting to rehydrate and really promote internal cut health. I’ll then go to the gym, go for a walk or go for a run, do something physical. I’ll then have porridge with almond milk, banana and a dessert spoon of flax seeds. I then top that with a teaspoon of Saigon cinnamon. I’ll then generally have a salad for lunch, I’ll have yoghurt with berries in the afternoon for a snack, sometimes separately, sometimes together, depending on the day. I’ll try and bounce on the tramp when I get home from work or in the afternoon on weekends. Then I do cupping in the shower before I brush my teeth with my legs in the air, and then I lie on the sleep induction mat and meditate before bed. I generally try and get into the infrared blanket, hopefully twice, sometimes three times a week for an hour. I set it at the highest setting, which is about 75 degrees Celsius. I find that it is incredibly soothing for me. I always find on days when I do spend time in the infrared sauna, I have a better sleep. I’ll almost always lose weight the next day. I know it is water weight, but largely that is a sign for me that my inflammation is better under control because I tend to just store fluid everywhere, my face in particular, by my hands, my feet and my ankles are the most likely to hold fluid. I find that routine works well for me.
I’ll include links in the show notes today for the products that I use if it’s a help to anyone. I swear by these because they work for me, but I really encourage you to experiment and find what works for you. Everybody is different. We all respond in slightly different ways to things. If you do think you’ve got chronic inflammation, I really do urge you to speak to your GP, get a blood test and validate that.
If you do follow this regime, I doubt that you’re going to cause yourself any ill effects, but do listen to your body and pay attention to the signals that it sends you. There are other things that I have tried that haven’t worked for me and I’m pretty confident that this is a solid regime for me. I’m really happy with it so far, not to say that I won’t change it in the future,
Like I said, I only relatively recently found out about mini-trampolines so that’s been a great addition to my regimen. But this works for me and I hope that it helps you.
Products I use that are mentioned in this podcast
Infrared blanket - https://au.mihigh.com/
Biotyspa sculpt cup - https://biotyspa.com/collections/all/products/body-sculpt-cup
Dry brush - https://www.thebodyshop.com/en-au/body/accessories-tools/cactus-long-handle-brush
Mini trampoline - https://yorkfitness.com.au/product/york-fitness-mini-trampoline
Sleep induction mat - https://shop.bulletproof.com/products/sleep-induction-mat
