Inflammation: Your Natural Alert and Defense System
We have all experienced inflammation on the surface of our body. Think of what happens when you cut your arm: the area becomes red, swollen, hot, and painful. This is your immune system’s acute inflammatory response; a temporary, protective reaction designed to heal the wound and keep out infection.
But inflammation isn’t always visible. The same process can happen on the inside; in your gut, brain, blood vessels, joints, or reproductive system. Just like an external cut, this “silent inflammation” can cause swelling, pain, and damage. Because we can’t see it, internal inflammation often goes unnoticed until it begins to affect our quality of life.
Inflammation is like a Fire
I like to use the analogy of a small fire burning inside the body. For some people, due to genetics or environmental exposures, the fire is easier to start. It can be extinguished or fuelled into a larger problem depending on lifestyle, diet, and stress levels.
Left unchecked, that fire (known as ‘chronic inflammation’) can burn for years, causing disease.
Common Inflammatory Conditions
Chronic inflammation is at the root of many conditions that affect everyday wellbeing, including:
Endometriosis – Ongoing inflammation drives pain and tissue changes. Fibriods and adenomyosis are often assocated.
Asthma – Airway inflammation makes breathing more difficult and high inflammation can make exacerbations more frequent.
Autoimmune conditions – The immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissues (Hashimoto’s, Type 1 Diabetes, Psoriasis, Coeliac Disease).
Anxiety and depression – Brain inflammation is now recognised as a contributing factor. Elevated inflammation increases risk of early onset dementia significantly.
Coronary artery disease – Inflammation damages blood vessels, raising heart attack risk.
Arthritis – Joint inflammation causing stiffness and pain. Inflammation will also increase risk of gout and recurrent injury.
Irritable bowel conditions- Gut symptoms can have a knock on effect contributing to other abdominal inflammatory issues like hepatitis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, gastritis and reflux.
In fact, most modern chronic diseases can be traced back to the combined effects of inflammation and oxidative stress. Over time, the body’s healing system becomes the very thing that causes harm.
Managing Inflammation: What You Can Do
The good news is that lifestyle and nutrition are powerful tools for managing inflammation and protecting long-term health.
Food Choices Matter
Avoid or reduce: Processed foods, refined sugars, excess alcohol, and known inflammatory triggers such as gluten (for those who are sensitive).
Embrace: Anti-inflammatory foods—wild salmon, sardines, walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseeds, dark leafy greens, colourful berries, olive oil, and herbs/spices like turmeric and ginger. These are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and polyphenols that calm the inflammatory fire.
Lifestyle Habits
Move your body daily as exercise reduces inflammatory markers.
Manage stress; chronic stress is fuel for the fire. Taking moments of mindfulness, a walk around a greenspace on your work break, 5 intentional deep belly breaths when overwhelmed, or unwinding to a meditation recording before bed rather than doom scrolling.
Prioritise sleep as this is when your body repairs and regulates the immune system.
How I Can Help as a Naturopath
Supporting clients with inflammation is one of my core focuses. Together, we can:
Test for inflammation: Simple blood markers like hs-CRP give us insight into your body’s inflammatory load.
Optimise omega-3 intake: Using therapeutic doses of high-quality fish oil (wild, sustainably caught, heavy-metal tested).
Use targeted herbs: Chosen specifically for your needs, this could include turmeric, boswellia, licorice, and others can have powerful anti-inflammatory effects.
Identify triggers: Allergy or sensitivity testing to rule out foods or environmental factors that may be keeping inflammation alive.
Personalised diet and lifestyle support: Practical strategies tailored to your unique body and health goals.
Inflammation is both a friend and foe: essential for healing, but harmful when it becomes chronic. You don’t have to put up with ongoing symptoms or wait until inflammation develops into a more serious problem or disease. If you’d like to check your inflammation levels or explore natural ways to calm your body’s fire, let’s book an appointment and create a plan tailored for you.
