When the body detects an intruder, it triggers a biological response to try to remove it. The attacker could be an external body, such as a thorn, an irritant, or a pathogen. Pathogens include bacteria, viruses, and other organisms that cause infection.
Sometimes, the body mistakenly perceives that its cells or tissues are harmful. This reaction can lead to autoimmune diseases, such as type 1 diabetes. Experts believe inflammation may contribute to a wide range of chronic diseases. Examples include metabolic syndrome, which includes type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.
Your risk of chronic inflammation is associated with various health factors like diet, lifestyle, and family history. Knowing these factors can help you make proactive lifestyle changes to avoid, reduce or even reverse inflammation in your body. Consider taking things that can keep your immune system healthy. Try to include multi nutrients and energizing essential oils in your food to keep yourself healthy going.
Chronic Inflammation
Long-term Chronic inflammation can last for years or even an entire lifetime. This disease often begins when there is no injury or illness present and lasts far longer than it should.
The scientists still don’t understand why chronic inflammation happens, as it doesn’t seem to serve a purpose like acute inflammation. But they know that it can cause significant changes to the body’s tissues, organs, and cells over time.
Chronic inflammation is also called persistent, low-grade inflammation. It produces a steady, low level of inflammation throughout the body, as judged by a slight rise in immune system markers found in blood or tissue. When you have chronic inflammation, your body’s inflammatory response can eventually damage healthy cells, tissues, and organs. Over time, this can lead to DNA damage, tissue death, and internal scarring.
Chronic inflammation may lead to the development of several diseases, which includes;
- Heart disease
- Type 2 diabetes
- Obesity
- Asthma
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Kidney disease
- Various types of cancer
- Depression
- Autoimmune disorders
- Osteoporosis
- Fatty liver disease
- Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease
Major Causes of Chronic Inflammation
Researchers have identified several common significant causes of chronic inflammation, many of which are closely associated with modern living and aging. These causes include;
Sensitivity: one of the causes of chronic inflammation is when the body senses something that should not be there. Hypersensitivity to any external trigger can result in an allergy.
No physical activities: An anti-inflammatory chemical process occurs in your bloodstream when your muscles move. People who do not meet minimum activity-related recommendations for optimal health have an increased risk of developing age-related diseases.
Smoking: is another major cause of chronic inflammation because smoking cigarettes lowers the production of anti-inflammatory molecules and increases inflammation.
Stress: Stress is harmful to health. Psychological stress is associated with increased inflammation. Many heart attacks and blood pressure-like cases increase due to the high level of stress.
Obesity: Fat tissue, especially visceral fat (a deep layer of fat around the abdominal organs), actually produces pro-inflammatory chemicals.
Exposure: long-term exposure to irritants, such as industrial chemicals or polluted air.
Autoimmune disorders: sometimes, the immune system mistakenly attacks normal healthy tissue, as in psoriasis. The attack on the healthy tissues of the body leads to chronic inflammation in many people.
Avoiding Chronic Inflammation
There are the following changes that you should bring into your lifestyle to avoid chronic inflammation such as;
- Lose weight
- Eating a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins
- Getting 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise per week
- Incorporate a muscle-strengthening activity at least twice a week
- Quit smoking
- Spend less time sitting down
- Walk more
- Getting plenty of sleep
- Employ stress reduction techniques like meditation or yoga
- Avoid isolation and connect with others
- See your doctor regularly
Wrapping Up!
Inflammation is a vital part of the immune system’s response to injury and infection. The body’s way of signaling the immune system is to heal and repair damaged tissue and defend itself against foreign invaders, such as viruses and bacteria. But long-term inflammation can be damaging. It can become problematic and leads to chronic inflammation, linked to certain diseases such as heart disease or stroke, and may also lead to autoimmune disorders. If you are at risk for long-term inflammation, make sure to schedule regular checkups with your doctor. However, a healthy diet and lifestyle can help keep inflammation under control.
We hope that the article will be helpful to you to understand chronic inflammation and its significant causes so that you can prevent yourself from these harmful diseases.
By Qasim, iPain Contributor
International Pain Foundation
