Hidden inflammation overwhelms our immune system. It gets into a permanent defensive state, which leads to symptoms such as tiredness and exhaustion as well as chronic diseases. With these 9 measures you can effectively combat silent inflammation in the body.
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What is silent inflammation?
Silent inflammation is the term used to describe inflammatory processes in the body that go unnoticed over a longer period of time due to the absence of symptoms . These hidden inflammations can occur, for example, in fatty tissue, especially in abdominal fat , but also in the lungs of smokers. They provoke a permanent reaction of the immune system and thereby weaken it. Chronic silent inflammation increases the risk of cancer, allergies and autoimmune diseases such as rheumatism. Even if there are no obvious symptoms, the following symptoms or changes in your body may indicate it.
Symptoms: Recognizing silent inflammation
A silent inflammation is not expressed by obvious inflammatory reactions such as redness, warm swelling, fever or pain. Instead, the inflammation spreads slowly throughout the body and often goes unnoticed due to the lack of obvious symptoms . In the background, there is a constant inflammation that is driven by certain messenger substances. For example, the so-called C-reactive protein (CRP) can be detected in the blood as an inflammatory marker. However, if the values are only slightly elevated, this is not always noticeable and can be missed in routine blood tests. Silent inflammations often lead to so-called “sickness behavior” : These are behavioral symptoms such as listlessness,Tiredness , listlessness and a general feeling of illness and lethargy.
These symptoms may indicate silent inflammation:
- depressive mood
- joint problems
- concentration problems and forgetfulness
- Food intolerance or allergies
- fatigue
- dizziness
- insomnia
- visual disturbances
- excessive irritability
The silent inflammations also play a further role in the development of chronic inflammatory diseases such as narrowing of the arteries or metabolic and cardiovascular diseases.
Causes of silent inflammation
Overweight and obesity in particular are responsible for silent inflammation in the body. Abdominal fat – also known as visceral fat – produces large amounts of inflammatory messengers that are distributed throughout the body via the blood. Stress , the wrong diet with too much junk and fast food, too few fruits and vegetables or too many trans fats and lack of exercise can also trigger inflammation. The lungs of smokers also produce inflammation after years of cigarette consumption , which spreads to all organs.
Silent inflammation weakens the immune system and can promote the development of diseases such as diabetes, cancer, heart attack, stroke, dementia, mental illness, COPD , allergies, non-alcoholic fatty liver, chronic pain and arteriosclerosis.
What helps against inflammation in the body?
The following seven measures will help you fight inflammation and relieve your immune system. However, if you experience persistent symptoms, please see a doctor as soon as possible.
1. Reduce your belly fat
If the waist circumference is larger than the hip circumference, this should be changed. The less abdominal fat there is, the fewer inflammatory messengers can be produced in the tissue. Consequently, only a change in diet with a calorie deficit and a good dose of exercise in everyday life will help.
Important: The fat cells on the abdomen are particularly stubborn, which is why you should permanently adjust your lifestyle and not rely on short-term diets.
2. Eliminate inflammatory foods
Basically, there is hardly any food that is so unhealthy that we cannot enjoy it in moderation every now and then. However, if you have stubborn belly fat and increased inflammation levels, you should eliminate the following foods from your diet in the short to medium term:
- Pastries and fried foods (fries, nuggets, chips) as they contain trans fats , which are of concern even in small amounts.
- Sweets due to the high sugar or fat content.
- White flour products due to the high glycemic index and lack of nutrients.
- Eat high-glycemic fruits (bananas and grapes) to avoid fueling inflammation with sugar.
3. Eat anti-inflammatory foods
Important in an anti-inflammatory diet are vitamins C, D and E , which support the immune system, trap free radicals in the body and reduce oxidative stress. Fresh fruit and vegetables are ideal. There are even more antioxidants , e.g. B. in dark chocolate, tea and coffee varieties. You should also pay attention to your omega-3 intake . The fatty acids are present in oily fish like salmon or mackerel and help minimize inflammatory responses in tissues, eliminating silent inflammation.
Therefore, include these foods regularly in your diet:
- Flaxseed, walnuts and fatty sea fish to get enough omega-3 fatty acids.
- Blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries , as well as tea and coffee to scavenge inflammatory oxygen radicals with antioxidants.
- Broccoli, peppers and cabbage (kale, white cabbage, savoy cabbage) to strengthen your immune system with vitamin C and phytochemicals.
4. Move around in everyday life and play sports
Exercise and sport are ideal for weight reduction ! Cardiovascular diseases are prevented, the body is strengthened and more resilient, so that it stays fit into old age. In addition to a favorite sport, everyday movement should also be increased, e.g. B. by regularly walking, climbing stairs or cycling.
Tip: The classic digestive walk lowers your blood sugar level after eating and thus effectively prevents inflammation and diabetes. A brisk 20-minute walk after each meal is enough for this !
5. Pay attention to sleep duration and sleep quality
In order to reduce stress and to regenerate the body, a good night’s sleep of at least seven hours is important. In addition, sufficient sleep regulates the feeling of hunger and satiety, so that one is less prone to cravings. Eat your last meal at least two hours before bedtime to improve your sleep quality. If the stomach and intestines are busy digesting food at night, the quality of sleep suffers enormously.
6. Reduce stress
In life there are always ups and downs. Stress management is important so that you don’t fall into a deep hole every time it gets a little more difficult or stressful . Relaxation phases, yoga, meditation or simply something that is good for the body and mind reduce stress and thus prevent binge eating, obesity and silent inflammation.
7. Boost your immune system with prebiotics and probiotics
Taking lactic acid bacteria strengthens the intestinal flora and thus the immune system. Therefore, regularly use natural yoghurt, kefir , sauerkraut, miso or kombucha. Also, consult your doctor about possible probiotic cures.
8. Quit smoking
Quitting smoking is one of the most difficult behavior changes in life. However, smoking cigarettes increases inflammation in the lungs and the rest of the body. It is therefore best to get help to make quitting smoking as easy as possible . A self-help group in your area could provide the necessary emotional support. Even if you switch to a less harmful alternative , you are already doing something good for your body, for example with a tobacco heater from IQOS . After all, 95 percent fewer pollutants are produced than when smoking cigarettes.
9. Avoid regular alcohol consumption
Alcohol is also one of the pro-inflammatory substances, since the cytotoxin increases the amount of the so-called C-reactive protein (CRP) in the blood. CRP is a classic inflammatory marker that indicates infection, tissue damage, and hidden or chronic inflammation in the body. Regular alcohol consumption in particular has an inflammatory effect on your body and also damages your liver and pancreas. In addition, there is the high calorie density of 7 calories per gram, which promotes obesity, which in turn fuels inflammation. Mixed alcohol drinks or cocktails are just as harmful, as they also contain large amounts of sugar in addition to the alcohol. If you are prone to inflammation, you should therefore be even more moderate with alcoholic beverages.
