Inflammation is a significant part of our body’s defence mechanism that plays a vital role in our healing process.
Inflammation is a part of the body’s natural healing system that helps fight injury and infection. When a body detects an intruder like virus, bacteria, pathogens or toxins, it activates the immune system. The immune system sends out the inflammatory cells. These cells trap the invaders and start healing injured tissues. The healing process can begin with swelling, redness, pain or bruising. In a few cases, the immune system triggers inflammation where there are no invaders to fight off. The immune system acts as if the tissues are infected. Since there is nothing to heal, the cells that protect the human body, begin to destroy healthy organs, joints, veins and arteries.
Types of Inflammation
There are two types of inflammation, short-lived or acute inflammation and long-lasting or chronic inflammation.
Acute Inflammation
Acute inflammation is an immediate, adaptive response to sudden body damage. For example, if you cut your finger, the body will send inflammatory cells to heal the cut. These cells start the healing process that could last from hours to days.
There are a few vital signs of acute inflammation.
- Swelling and heat
- Pain
- Redness or bruises
- Loss of function
- Tiredness and energy loss
- Fever
Acute inflammation lasts for fewer days, but when it fails to settle, it transforms into subacute inflammation lasting from 2 to 6 weeks.
Chronic Inflammation
Chronic inflammation places the body on high alert all of the time. When inflammatory cells activate in the absence of damage or infection, it has a deleterious influence on the tissues and organs. These cells target joints and tissues, resulting in significant damage, discomfort, and deformity. Chronic inflammation can last months or years. According to experts, it could also play a role in disorders ranging from cancer to stroke and from joint soreness to arthritis.
Signs of chronic inflammation included:
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Abdomen, chest or joint pain
- Weight loss or weight gain
- Depression and anxiety
- Skin rash or mouth sores
- Muscular weakness
- Balance issues
- Dry eyes
- Brain issues
- Blood clotting
These signs can range from mild to severe.
Causes of Inflammation
1- When inflammation happens, it raises the blood flow to the area of injury that may cause redness and warmth.
2- Sometimes flow of fluid or chemicals may cause swelling.
3- Exposure to toxins or industrial chemicals may also cause inflammation in the body.
4- Untreated acute inflammation may also be a result of chronic inflammation.
5- Smoking may cause inflammation.
6- Chronic stress or depression may also be a result of inflammation.
7- Obesity may also cause inflammation.
8- An autoimmune disorder makes your immune system attack your healthy organs and cause inflammation.
9- Lack of sleep may also cause inflammation.
10- An unhealthy diet may also cause inflammation.
Health conditions that are associated with chronic inflammation
Chronic inflammation is involved in the process of many health conditions such as:
- Cancer
- Type 2 diabetes
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Heart diseases
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Asthma
- Hepatitis
- Chronic ulcers
- Tuberculosis
Food and inflammation
Doctors acknowledge that the best way to get rid of inflammation is not by taking regular medicines or performing surgeries but by taking care of your diet. An anti-inflammatory diet may help to fight against inflammation for good.
Science has proven that inflammation can become a silent killer that contributes to severe health conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, type-2 diabetes, arthritis and other diseases.
The food that we eat can significantly affect inflammation in the body. Some foods with certain ingredients can trigger inflammation, so let’s discuss some of them first.
Foods to Avoid
- White bread, pasta, pastries, sweets, some cereals, cakes, cookies, and all processed foods that contain added sugar or flour are examples of refined carbs.
- Sodas, soft drinks and all other sweetened beverages
- Red meat and processed meat like hot dogs
- Some vegetable oil like soybean oil
- Processed snack foods like chips and crackers
- Artificial trans fats as in margarine, shortenings
- Foods with gluten may trigger the symptoms of inflammation
- Plants in the nightshade plant family, such as eggplant, peppers, and potatoes, should also be avoided. Despite the limited evidence to support this, a person can try removing them from their diet to see if their symptoms improve.
Foods to Eat
Let’s discuss some anti-inflammatory food that helps to manage inflammation in the body.
- Fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, cherries, avocadoes, grapes,
- Vegetables like spinach, kale, broccoli, mushrooms, sweet potatoes
- Fatty fish like tuna, salmon, sardines
- Beans, nuts, Chia and flax seeds
- Healthy oils like olive oil
- Spices like turmeric, black peppercorns, cinnamon, ginger
- Dark chocolate and coffee
- Green tea
How to Treat Inflammation Naturally
Inflammation does not always require medical treatment. Acute inflammation can be treated by changing a few lifestyle habits. Let’s discuss some of them.
1- Always try to maintain a healthy weight.
2- Quit smoking
3- Eat more fruits, vegetables, omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants. Eat less processed, sugary, fried food.
4- Make time to exercise regularly.
5- Manage stress with yoga, meditation and deep breathing exercise.
6- Not getting enough sleep may trigger inflammation 7 to 8 hours of sleep is necessary to relax the body and mind.
7- Green tea leaves have polyphenol compounds that help to reduce inflammation. Try switching caffeinated drinks with green tea.
8- Treat yourself with massage therapy. Massage may decrease inflammatory substances by increasing white blood cells in the body which may help to fight diseases.
9- Grab a handful of nuts like peanuts, almonds, cashews and walnuts. Nuts have anti-inflammatory effects.
10- Hydrate yourself. Lemon water is one of the most amazing drinks to reduce thirst and inflammation.
11- Support your good gut bacteria by consuming prebiotic foods like fibre-rich seeds, whole grains, nuts, beans and lentils alongside fermented foods like yogurt and kimchi that are naturally high in probiotics.
12- Spice up your meals with herbs and spices like turmeric, ginger and cinnamon.
13- Try anti-inflammatory teas.
14- Drinking apple cider vinegar daily helps to fight against obesity and improves heart health and blood sugar levels.
15- A warm bath is always beneficial to the body’s relaxation. Soaking in warm water with Epsom salt helps flush out toxins and heavy metals while reducing inflammation. Baking soda is a naturally alkaline chemical that can aid in the detoxification of the body. By removing toxins from the body, the combo among those two in a bath aids in reducing inflammation.
16- Hot and cold therapy can also be used for physical injuries and also helps to reduce inflammation.
17- Eating cloves on empty stomach is one of the best home remedies for inflammation.
Best Anti-Inflammatory Juice Recipe
Mix all the ingredients and grind them together.
Inflammation Treatment
The treatment plan for inflammation depends on various things like the type of disease, age, overall health and what symptoms an individual has.
Diet, rest, a few home remedies, and healthy lifestyle modifications can help lessen the symptoms of acute inflammation.
For chronic inflammation, it is necessary to visit a healthcare provider.
Let’s discuss some treatments for inflammation.
- Medication: Many drugs may ease aches and swelling and prevent inflammatory symptoms.
- Surgery: When inflammation harms joints or other organs, doctors may advise surgery.
- Supplements: Certain supplements like vitamins and zinc may reduce the symptoms of inflammation.
- Steroid injections: Some doctors recommend steroid injections to decrease the inflammation of certain joints or muscles.
Hijama Cupping Therapy
Hijama cupping therapy is a traditional alternative medical treatment practiced in different cultures. The ancient Egyptians, Chinese culture, Arabic medicine, Greek medicine, and Prophetic medicine all practiced other types of cupping. Even though the crux of performing cupping is to alleviate the pain by increasing blood circulation and eliminating the toxins from the body. Cupping also helps to reduce pain and inflammation and increases blood flow which provides relaxation and well-being to the body.
When the suction is applied to the skin through cups, it reduces inflammation. The vacuum-like suction from the cups causes micro-trauma to the targetted areas. The suction causes the body to release an array of chemicals, fibroblasts and white blood cells to the targetted area triggering the healing process.
The negative pressure of cups draws stagnated blood out from deep tissues and organs using the body’s transport mechanism. The incisions allow the release of stagnated blood. Only stagnated blood is released. The replacement of inflamed, acidic blood and lymph grants enough space for nutrient-rich blood to penetrate the tissues. Dead blood cells and inflammatory modulators are flushed out of the body. Removal of these stagnated dead cells also removes chemical stimulation of pain receptors that provides instant relief, new blood cells, fresh oxygen and healthy nutrients that allow the body to repair, rejuvenate, and speed up the healing process.
Our immune system creates inflammation to protect our body from infections. Sometimes with autoimmune diseases like certain types of arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and multiple sclerosis, our immune system attack healthy cells. Hijama cupping therapy strengthens the body’s resistance and eliminates pathogenic factors to prevent illness. It regulates the function of blood and promotes good health. Hijama influences the formation of blood as it increases red and white blood cells and changes acidic blood into alkaline blood that purifies the blood. Hijama also cleanses the pathogens and irritants that cause inflammation. Hijama performed on specific points on the back and front increases immunity by increasing the white blood cells.
Hijama cupping therapy regulates blood circulation and enhances the body’s defence system. The proper flow of blood is vital to control and unify the organs via blood vessels. The flowing of blood is the life force to nourish tissues and enhance the immune system. Inflammation Hijama Treatment Remedies For Inflammation Inflammation Treatment
