Most people know that autoimmune diseases such as rheumatism can trigger inflammation in the body. But, did you know that it also works the other way around and that silent inflammation can trigger or promote certain diseases?
Table of Contents
Silent inflammation increases your risk of these diseases
Chronic inflammation can go almost unnoticed for years or only cause non-specific symptoms such as fatigue , for which those affected tend to think of nutrient deficiencies or poor sleep as possible causes. The symptoms are consequently tackled without recognizing and addressing the underlying problem. Fortunately, doctors can use blood levels of inflammation and markers of inflammation, such as C-reactive protein (CRP), to tell if there is increased inflammatory activity in the body. However, according to these studies , if the silent inflammation goes undetected, it can increase the risk of the following diseases in the long term:
- Arteriosclerosis and other cardiovascular diseases (heart attacks, strokes),
- allergies,
- Muscular dystrophy,
- diabetes mellitus ,
- Osteoporosis,
- mental illnesses like depression (as researchers from Yale University Medical School found in this exciting study ),
- Alzheimer’s dementia ,
- chronic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatism, psoriasis or Crohn’s disease ,
- increased susceptibility to bacterial and viral infections (e.g. coronavirus).
Possible causes of silent inflammation
The causes of silent, chronic inflammation are diverse and in some cases still unexplained. Researchers currently assume that the following factors are causal:
- Excess abdominal fat, as it is hormonally very active,
- pathogens such as bacteria, viruses or fungi,
- Autoimmune diseases such as rheumatism or vasculitis.
7 tips against chronic inflammation
- Reduce your belly fat
- Eat anti-inflammatory foods
- Cut out inflammatory foods
- Move as much as possible in everyday life
- Make sure you get enough sleep and sleep quality
- Quit smoking
- Reduce your alcohol consumption
