Managing Inflammation with Lifestyle Changes

Inflammation is an essential part of your body’s immune response system, but chronic inflammation can lead to insulin resistance. Managing chronic inflammation is extremely important to staying healthy and limiting diabetes complications.

By Janice Baker, MBA, RD, CDE, CNSC, BC-ADM

Inflammation is the body’s way of responding to what it believes is an attack. Some attacks that you can identify right away include a bump or scratch on your skin-the area becoming red and swollen but that heals quickly. A fever with the flu or infection is another example; these reactions are known as acute inflammation.

Chronic inflammation, on the other hand, occurs when your body fights the same battle every day with poor nutrition, a sedentary lifestyle, poor or inadequate sleep or even poor dental status. Some researchers think that inflammation can lead to other health conditions, like heart, liver or kidney disease, cancer or Alzheimer’s.

What can you do to reduce chronic inflammation?

• Maintain blood sugar control if you are living with diabetes. Be sure to meet with a Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE) for individualized advice and support
• Be as physically active as you can. Your doctor can answer your questions about what exercise is appropriate for you. Just increasing SPA time (Spontaneous Physical Activity, ie, breaking up sitting time), can help!
• Choose olive oil or canola oil for cooking. Eat fatty fish (salmon, sardines, and tuna) and some soy products. If you don’t like fish check with your physician to see if fish or flax seed oil are right for you. Choose lean cuts of meat and use in small portions, such as the size of a deck of cards. Include unsalted nuts, seeds, and nut butters, as well as avocados.
• Choose foods with antioxidants – fruits and vegetables of all types! (Apples, blueberries, cherries, raspberries, kale, collards, onions, garlic, and beans are a few examples). Herbs and spices can also contain antioxidants (cinnamon, rosemary, turmeric, curry powder, and others).
• See the dentist regularly and be sure to brush and floss at least twice a day. Your dental hygienist can also give you valuable information on daily dental care.
• Monitor weight changes and discuss with your doctor; especially note changes in appetite, swelling or water retention, unintentional weight loss. If you are interested in weight management concerns, meet with a Registered Dietitian for science-based advice and support. Avoid fad and overly restrictive diets that are unsustainable.

Chronic inflammation can be very destructive to the body and it’s important to get it under control as much as possible. By taking the steps above you can reduce the influence of inflammation on your body and live a healthier life!