Inflammation is a response created by the body that directly communicates to the immune system. The immune system is a network of organs, cells, and tissues that work as a team to defend the body against foreign matter. When the body senses injury or infection it creates inflammation so that the immune system can respond. The immune system then goes to the inflamed areas and heals, repairs or fights off foreign matter such as bacteria or viruses. It’s a completely healthy and normal process that the body is designed to perform.
Just like all things in life, there needs to be balance. Problems can occur if the body is constantly in a state of inflammation which can cause discomfort but also puts huge amounts of stress on the immune system. Chronic inflammation can lead to health problems such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, type 2 diabetes or autoimmune disorders like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis.
Just as inflammation does damage to you internally it also does damage to you externally. Anyone with a breakout is experiencing inflammation. A puffy or swollen face is also caused by inflammation. Did we mention acne? Yes, acne is in fact caused by inflammation. Let’s take a look at exactly what inflammation is, the risk factors and how you can make it go away.
Acute vs Chronic
Acute inflammation is normal. It’s the immediate response to a cut, burn, a broken bone or sore throat. It goes directly to where the injury is and alerts the immune system which area needs to be addressed. You will be able to see evidence of this after an injury. There may be redness, swelling, heat, pain or temporary loss of function. This is because antibodies and proteins are released along with an increase in blood flow. Certain hormones are also released to help clot the blood and heal the injury.
Chronic inflammation is when the body is constantly in a low-state of inflammation. There is no specific area that needs to be healed but rather the response is triggered by certain factors. These factors make the body believe that it is in a state mild of attack and asks for assistance from the immune system. This constant state of attack is what leads to more serious issues such as heart disease, stroke, cancer or autoimmune diseases. Acute inflammation is easy to spot because there will be visual obvious symptoms. However, chronic inflammation does not come with such clears symptoms. Some of these include fatigue, insomnia, depression, weight gain, acid reflux or general aches and pains. As you can see those symptoms could be disregarded rather easily.
Inflammatory Triggers
If you cut your hand or burn your arm, the body responds to heal this area. This is good and you want your body to trigger the immune system and start the healing process. The issue is chronic inflammation. This is what you do not want and there are certain factors that create unnecessary inflammation.
Poor Diet: Regularly consuming fried, sugary or processed foods is horrible for the body but also creates inflammation. These foods typically contain high amounts of trans and saturated fats which increase blood pressure. If you are doing this every single day then you might have chronic inflammation. Other foods that cause inflammation include dairy products, red meat, margarine, and MSG
Inadequate Sleep: Sleep is important for many aspects of good health. Two, in particular, are the immune system and inflammatory response. All three of these functions are regulated by the same system, circadian rhythm. This is a 24-hour internal clock that runs in the background of the brain. It moves us from intervals of sleep to being awake. When our sleep is disturbed so is the immune system and inflammatory response since they are all on the same cycles. If you are not sleeping enough of getting enough quality sleep then this could cause your body to be in a constant state of inflammation.
Smoking: Yes, we all know that smoking is bad for us. Unfortunately, that still doesn’t stop people from doing it. You may not know that smoking actually causes inflammation within the body. Nicotine activates white blood cells called neutrophils. These cells release molecules that increase inflammation. So if you are a smoker then you have chronic inflammation. Be aware that secondhand smoke contains nicotine so even being exposed to secondhand smoke puts your body in a state of inflammation.
Obesity: Regularly overeating increases the body’s immune response. This creates inflammation. Overeating causes stress to the cells responsible for converting fatty acids to energy. This surge of excessive energy caused by overeating creates oxidation stress. The body as a system that removes these stressed and damaged cells but if overeating occurs on a regular basis these damaged cells accumulate within the body which leads to chronic inflammation.
Excessive Alcohol: Drinking too much alcohol on a regular basis causes inflammation in the intestines. There is a natural balance of good and bad bacteria within the gut. However, alcohol disrupts this balance and promotes the overgrowth of bad bacteria. It’s called dysbiosis and it eventually leads to the dysfunction of the brain and liver. Dysbiosis causes inflammation and also weakens the immune system.
Chronic Stress: Stress causes a fight or flight response within the body. This releases hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. The job of cortisol is to suppress nonessential functions such as the immune system and digestion. Adrenaline increase the heart rate and respiratory rate. This expands the airways and increases oxygen to the muscles. Basically stress makes your body think it needs to either fight for survival or flee. Your body will be consumed with shutting of certain functions because it is in a state of fear. This means that your immune system will be suppressed and will not respond to inflammatory triggers as it normally does.
This is all very interesting information but exactly how does inflammation affect my skin?
Inflammation and Your Skin
The most basic thing to understand about your skin and complexion is that what goes into your body directly affects your appearance. Anyone who has had a little sugar binge and then noticed a few new breakouts can easily understand this connection. If you eat a low-grade diet then you will see the results of that on your face. It might not be the same day but within 2-3 days you will see a difference in your skin. You might not even get a breakout either. It could be increased blackheads, oily skin, rashes, a dull complexion, swelling or puffy eyes.
You want to be aware of what is going into your body as well as what is going into your body. Pollution causes inflammation along with excessive sun exposure, harsh chemicals and toxins, and low-quality beauty products. All of these factors could be doing big damage to your skin and your health.
How to Calm Inflammation
We want some level of inflammation because this is how the body communicates to the immune system. However, we want to offer an environment that allows this system to work fast and efficiently without being in a state of chronic inflammation.
The Mediterranean diet is by far the best way to nourish the body and calm unnecessary inflammation. It consists of eating lots of fish, vegetables, fruit, and healthy fats. You can also consume a moderate amount of nuts on this diet. Is consists of very little red meat and the occasional glass of red wine.
Many studies have shown that CBD reduces inflammation by suppressing excessive inflammatory responses and regulating the immune system. CBD is short for cannabinoids which are a group of compounds found in the cannabis Sativa plant. CBD cannot get you high or buzzed and is not psychoactive. These compounds have been studied and proven to offer many different health benefits.
This one should go without saying but go to sleep. Yes, get 8 hours of sleep every single night and make sure it’s quality. If you are able to do so then do it. Since life is not always ideal and sometimes that’s just impossible get as much as you can. If you are able to take a quick nap then do so.
Exercise is also very important to the health of your inflammatory response and immune system. It should be a regular part of your life just like taking a shower or sleeping. Exercising reduces fat and increases muscle mass. Both of which help to reduce inflammation.
Sunscreen protects your skin from harmful UV rays and premature aging. Everyone can agree that this is wonderful. Sunscreen is additionally beneficial because sun-damaged skin cells create an inflammatory response. Find our favorite one here!
The way you take care of your skin is also a contributing factor. Always use high-quality beauty products that contain no or lesser amounts of chemicals. This reduces your exposure to toxins which cause inflammation within the body. The more often you apply toxins to your skin the higher your risk is for cell damage, advanced aging, and chronic illnesses.
