Hi Gorgeous,
Trying to decode the signals our bodies send us can feel like a giant puzzle sometimes. Why do we feel great some days and crappy on others? And what do those nagging symptoms really mean?
I know how frustrating this kind of uncertainty can be. You want (and deserve!) to feel great. And you can. It all starts with connecting the dots between your lifestyle choices—the foods you eat, how much sleep and exercise you get, the stressors you face on a daily basis—and your overall well-being.
Because the truth is, those internal and external influences have the power to nourish us, but they can also trick our bodies into thinking they’re under attack and send our immune systems into total chaos. That’s the root of chronic inflammation, which is exactly what I want to talk with you about today!
Over the past decade, I’ve renovated everything from my grocery cart to my makeup bag to my mind in an effort to upgrade my immune system. And as I moved from a stressful life full of fast food, toxins and bad boyfriends to a more balanced existence filled with plant-based nourishment, inner growth and conscious living, I started experiencing the perks—chronic inflammation decreased and my body started working with me to heal and rebuild.
Want to start connecting the dots in your own life? First, let’s learn about acute and chronic inflammation, since they play very different roles in our everyday health.
What is inflammation?
Acute inflammation is your body’s natural and helpful immune response to tissue damage. When you fall off your bike, the cut swells, reddens and feels… inflamed! These are all signs that your immune system is busy at work sending white blood cells to the site of your injury to repair the tissue. In this situation, inflammation is our friend—we couldn’t live without it.
Chronic inflammation is your body’s confused and damaging immune response to a barrage of environmental, physical and mental invaders, which come in the form of things like poor diet, toxic chemicals and stress. I’ve written about chronic inflammation in all of my books because it’s such a major (and often unrecognized) factor in our health challenges. It’s also the type of inflammation we’re focusing on today. Here’s chronic inflammation in a nutshell from my cookbook, Crazy Sexy Kitchen:
…There’s a silent (yet violent) kind of inflammation that can take place without you even knowing it. What you eat, drink, and think (stress!), environmental toxins, smokin’, booz- in’, and even a couch-potato lifestyle can create a fiery cascade of inflammation in your body. When your body hits an inflammatory overload, your defense system gets so overwhelmed and confused that it literally doesn’t know the difference between the invader and you. As a result, your well-meaning immune system turns on itself, destroying healthy cells, tissue, and everything else in its wake. It’s like when Al Pacino played Tony Montana in Scarface. He mows down everything in sight, yelling, “Say hello to my little friend!”
The dangers of chronic inflammation
Over time, chronic inflammation wears out your immune system, which may lead to chronic diseases and other health issues, including cancer, asthma, autoimmune diseases, allergies, irritable bowel syndrome, arthritis, osteoporosis and even (gasp!) appearing older than your years. Unfortunately, these challenges are often only treated with drugs and surgery, which may provide temporary relief from the symptoms, but do not treat the root of the problem. In addition, these drugs (and their side effects) sometimes only add to your health problems.
Could it be that many of the pills in your cabinet are just band-aids and that the key to health lies in your daily diet and lifestyle choices? That’s certainly what I’ve found to be true.
But I’ve got good news! There are plenty of simple practices you can incorporate into your daily life to fight chronic inflammation. Here are my top 5 anti-inflammatory tips to get you started.
5 simple ways to kick chronic inflammation’s butt
1. Eat more whole, plant-based, nutrient-dense foods.
Crowd out the foods that cause inflammation (refined sugar and flour, processed junk, animal products, etc.) by eating a beautiful cornucopia of whole, plant-based foods. Dark leafy greens, tomatoes, nuts, berries (cherries in particular), olive and flax oil, hemp seeds, turmeric (or more specifically, curcumin, which is a naturally occurring chemical with anti-inflammatory properties), and ginger are all anti-inflammatory powerhouses. Eating them on a regular basis will flood your body with the vitamins, minerals, cancer-fighting phytochemicals, antioxidants, fiber and other goodies it needs to recover from chronic inflammation.
Here are a few of my favorite recipes with some of those inflammation-fighting ingredients:
- Turmeric Milk
- Classic Green Lemonade
- Antioxidant Boost Smoothie
- Tomatoes & Herbs
- Crazy Sexy Kale Salad
There’s more where that came from—my cookbooks, Crazy Sexy Kitchen and Crazy Sexy Juice, are both packed with delicious anti-inflammatory recipes!
Oh, and don’t forget to stay hydrated. Proper hydration helps decrease inflammation and can even prevent it from happening in the first place, so drink up, buttercup!
2. Get down with your gut!
Your gut holds approximately 60-70 percent of your immune system, so it’s a great place to start if you want to reduce chronic inflammation. And if your gut is in bad shape, your immune system might be in some serious trouble. One easy way to start improving your gut health is by adding a high quality probiotic to your daily routine. The FloraMend Prime Probiotic from Thorne Research, Ultimate Flora from Renew Life and Jarro-Dophilus EPS from Jarro Formulas are some of my personal faves. And if you want more tips and resources to help you take care of your gut health, check out my post here!
If you’re experiencing prolonged bloating, gas or other digestive discomforts, taking digestive enzymes with meals can help you get more nutrition out of your food, as well as improving digestion and boosting your immune system. Check out my blog here for more info on digestive enzymes, prebiotics and probiotics!
Another potential explanation for inflammatory symptoms could be leaky gut syndrome. This condition may occur if your intestinal lining is damaged, therefore allowing bacteria, undigested food and other toxins to literally “leak” into your bloodstream. The leak triggers an autoimmune response and a host of painful inflammatory symptoms. If you think you may have leaky gut, ask your doc to help you get a test done!
3. Find an integrative MD you trust, and work together to identify potential food sensitivities and chronic (or hidden) infections.
Speaking of doctors, finding the right one is a critical part of nipping chronic inflammation in the bud. A good integrative MD will take a holistic approach by looking at your habits and the way you lead your life, then helping you identify and address possible chronic inflammation triggers. Here are two in particular that they might be on the lookout for:
Food sensitivities: Gluten, soy, dairy, eggs and yeast are just a few of the common problem foods that might be wreaking havoc on your immune system every time you sit down for a meal. If you think you might have a sensitivity or allergy, start paying close attention to what you’re eating and how it makes you feel. If your symptoms persist, fill your doc in on what you notice— they may suggest a blood test or elimination diet. You can find more info about food allergies and sensitivities here.
Chronic infection: Bacteria, viruses, yeast, parasites—oh my! These guys could be hiding out in your body just under the radar and dragging your immune system down. If chronic infection is a suspect in your inflammation mystery, your doc may ask for blood work and/or a stool sample to analyze. Yes, your poop say has a lot to about what’s goin’ on inside, so listen up!
4. Relax and rest more.
Your body is hard at work repairing and restoring your glorious cells while you sleep. Most doctors recommend 7-8 hours of sleep per night. If you’re cutting corners in the snooze department, you’re cheating your immune system, which means it needs to kick into high gear in an effort to keep you well (hello, inflammation!).
Stress goes hand in hand with a lack of sleep and a laundry list of demands in our daily lives. Unfortunately, when you’re stressed out all the time, you’re also producing more of the hormone cortisol—inflammation’s BFF. You can reduce chronic inflammation by focusing on stress reduction, whether it’s through more sleep, yoga, meditation, long walks, less technology or a much needed vacation. You know I love to take every opportunity I can to remind you to take a chill pill!
Hi Kris,
I accidently came across your youtube with marie Forleo and I must say, how much I fell in love with you and your work after watching that video. Thank you for making the difference in this world by your marvelous work.
I’ve been have been suffering from vit D deficiency for about a four-five years which gives pain in every joint of my body and nothing seems to work for me. Unfortunately, I have to rely on vit D capsules every day which make me feel dependent and unhappy.
I’ll explore your website and emails and youtubes to try my luck with natural food with medicinal properties.
Thank you oncce again for making the difference.
Great information! I had a feeling I had a chance of facing a chronic inflammation problem after treating SIBO. Started in my calf, mri even showed inflammation in my calf. Now inflammation is from head to toe, with excruciating pain, that doesn’t go away. I’ve been on a clean diet for a year and it seems my body is just turning on its self. I have an RA appointment soon. In the mean time I do get spouts of relief adding suppliments to my diet. D3, B, C, E, omega 3, magnesium taurate and Epson salts baths. Even with this pain I still.use my eliptacle 2 minutes every 1 or 2 through the day. Moving is very important. I am on the probiotic you suggested for a year now. For leaky gut L-Glutenmine helps to build the intestinal flora, bone broth, I make my.own ginger root, turmeric and green tea. Enzymes are important digestive and systemic they have alot of anti inflammation properties and with leaky gut it helps digest food. Eat clean. I take greens daily as well. I’m sensitive to gluten, dairy and sugar my pain gets worse if I try and cheat. I need further testing to rule out auto immune diseases but until my appointment time arrives the things I’m doing do help. Thanks for the info.
Thanks so much for all the great health information. I’m passing things on to my lovely daughters to help them be healthier as well. My oldest daughter has lots of IBS problems and at age 25 is not mensturating. I sent her the link on allergy testing. I’m wondering if celiac may be the cause.
I personally intend to work on reducing my chemical intake even more this week. I plan to implement a single change in that area each day for 7 days and then I’ll move on to another area on the list to reduce inflammation.
I am so excited to get started on improving my health! I feel like “Sue Heck” from the TV series “The Middle”. I’m going to declare this the year of Jill!! Kinda like a New Year’s resolution ( I started my own version of a weight loss program) in January and have lost 10 lbs so far. This is my time. It’s my turn to focus on me! My health is important. I am a Mom and a caregiver (husband has cancer) and I often come in second, third or fourth in line where health is concened. It’s time to focus more on me! Thanks for the help Kris!
Kris,
I am so excited that my friend Hailey connected me to you. It’s like the dots are starting to connect. I was just recently diagnosed with RA and am trying to focus more natural way. This idea of a functional MD is something I want to look into. I keep hearing about leaky gut and being that my SED rate is incredibly elevated I think it really does come back to my gut. I have removed sugar, dairy and now gluten to see what is up.
I really want to start cleaning out more and think I need a really good cleanse to rid more toxins. Any suggestions and how to find a functional MD too.
Hello,
I always get confused as to what to do. I am trying to eat a plant based diet but I have some issues. I am pre diabetic. I have several food allergies that I know of. Dairy, egg whites, green beans, carrots, . I use soy milk for cereal and smoothies because I can tolerate it better than anything else. I already by choice do not eat beef, or pork or any shell fish.
I have psoriasis…and when I eat foods that I have an allergy to my psoriasis welts up and I feel horrible. I believe in more natural remedies. But it is hard to find someone in my area that I trust who could help me.
The main thing I notice when I eat all plant base is that I feel tired. I feel like when I eat a little meat I have more energy. I would love to find a GOOD practitioner in my area. I am in Long Beach, California. Could you recommend someone.
I am stage 4 metastisized breast cancer in both my lungs. That means I had a double mastectomy, chemo, and radiation the first round. Four years later, I was diagnosed with the same cancer, but in both lungs. We are doing a hormonal therapy first. We found it early and and the amount of disease is minimal. However, the words incurable and inoperable are part of my diagnosis. Statistically, I’ll be lucky to live 5 years. I am hoping diet and medicine can get me more time.
Hi kris,
Your book is giving me hope to fight my newly dignosed cancer with a sexy firey attitude. I am 51, just Dx with breast ca. It is a stage I I but a very aggressive high grade tumor. Barely a month past lumpectomy, sent node biopsy and port placed my 1st round chemo was last thurs! Sat was rough….nausea, no appetite or strength to make green shakes . I did wake up to make lemon water with special Alkaline h20… It must not have liked my body ph…it quickly found its way to my puke bucket. I have always been an exerciser but a diet soda and processed food junkie!
Your book, inspiration and savvy attitude inspire me. I am really trying to change my life and use this as opportunity to be healthier than ever. I am going to combine your way of life with the traditional 7 months chemo and 6 weeks(30 RXT treatments ) to follow. You will make me feel sexy even bald!
Ok, question: on days with no appetite , lemon water and green shake the last thing appealing due to nausea… Oh and ginger root and tea causes me to gag…. Any tips to stay away from acidic foods…sat the only thing finally stayed down was Gatorade….I know that is full of sugar probably feeding those microscopic ca cells .
Thanks for your story. Grateful for any tips!
it is tough to do without support, when already exhausted.
Great information in a great article!
Dear Kris.
I love the information you are giving out. I myself am healing from H.Pylori and leaky gut, My NHS doctors do not believe in leaky gut or candida but I had tests completed with Genova diagnostics and it is great to be able to get extra advice on line… My mother has secondary lung and pancreatic cancer. I took her off cow’s milk, and changed to almond milk, I encouraged her to juice up 4 veg and 1 fruit every morning and within 3 days her insulin levels had come down 6 points. In just over a week we she is between 6- 8 points lower. She looks amazing. Thank you for sharing your zest for life and information
Warmest wishes to you Linda
I just recently experience bateria in my stomach although it’s just a little I was scared to death have under went so many test and they all came back negative although my doctor said it’s something dormant in my body they don’t have a clue what their up against.
I LOVE YOU MS. CARR, AND I LOVE YOUR TESTIMONY AND ALSO YOUR CONTRIBUTION TO THE DOCUMENTARY-HUNGRY FOR CHANGE-.
MY MAIN CONCERN WITH MY HEALTH IS CHRONIC SWEATS AND HOT FLASHES… AND I MEAN CHRONICALLY SEVERE, TO SAY THE LEAST. IT ONLY HAPPENS WHEN I HAVE TO ELIMINATE WASTE FROM MY BODY… URINE AND/OR BOWELS. ONCE THE ELIMINATION HAS PASSED THE FLASHES DIMINISH OR DECREASE AT LEAST. DO YOU KNOW OF ANY CASES OR TESTIMONIES THAT INCLUDE THIS PROBLEM AND/ OR ITS REMEDY?????????????????????????????????????
SINCERELY,
FROM MY HEART TO YOURS,
TINA
This was very helpful!
Hi Kris,
Right this very moment I am struggling with hives that now cover about 3/4 of my body. Went to see my dermatologist and we have to get this figured out. Yes I am also under a ton of stress…
This has a come to head and I just can’t imagine that I stumbled on to you by accident…
I am going to really give this a try!!!
Thank you 🙂
Kris you are an uplifting, motivating friend! I’m 54 and have put myself at the back of the train making sure everyone else is taken care of (I raised my 2 daughters and am now raising two of my 4 grandchildren). I’m a cop and my body has been giving me signs for years now (I’m also retired Navy and that took a certain toll on my bod), after 2 partial knee replacements, back issues, and loss of part of my left lung (due to cryptococcal pneumonia). I have never eaten great, but I used to work out all the time, aerobics and lifting weights, and now you’d wonder if I ever exercised at all.
I’m going to start these changes that you have given me. I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time, but haven’t made the time or effort to do this for myself, but as I’ve picked up in your articles, it’s not just me I’m doing this for. I need to make sure I’m here, healthy and happy, for my grand kids, particularly the two I’m raising.
So I will be following you and listening closely for your knowledge, tips, and motivation.
Thank you for all you’ve done and sharing your resiliency with us! You are amazing!
I want to get rid of this jaw pain in my face I crack every time I eat any thing! SO much pain it is does not get any better with time. I would hope that this will help me for now since the doctor just wants to take blood tests. I cannot image if I could do this on my own??? Thank you again for this
louise
Hi Kris, Everything you mentioned above is what other people are saying. I have made the dietary changes – drink kefir milk, water and kombucha daily, have cut out processed foods, take oral chelation, chlorella, antioxidants, omega 3 & 9, have cut out chicken and the nightshade family as well as sugar. The only dairy I have is cheese and kefir milk. I bake my own bread with kefir milk and organic, stoneground flour. I have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis. The pains in my hands are the worst but I only take pain killers when it gets unbearable. By the way, the above changes have certainly healed my sinuses and reduced my migraines down to maybe one a month so something is working. Maybe I should just be more patient. I unfortunately can’t eliminate the stress at this stage of my life but try to manage it daily. Any more suggestions or advice you can offer? Many thanks.
Hi and thanks for the info. I have been put on a FODMAP diet for IBS do you know much about it? I’m still learning 🙂
Hi Khris, your information is inspirational.I am 42 and have had a weight problem all my life,yo yo dieting I feel very unhealthy and depressed.I lost my mother to uterus cancer four months ago and scared that I’m heading down the same path.Your information is over whelming and a lot to absorb.But this sounds like the wake up call I need!
I will leave a clean copy in the comments
I need help with my IIN course and don’t know who to contact. I relapsed and was extremely sick for a long while and I’m back on my feet and need to take a test I missed. Can you help?