Tips to Help Avoid and Reduce Inflammation
Inflammation is the body’s natural response to either infection or injury. Several factors contribute to inflammation, which includes stress, diet, exercise, and current lifestyle habits. Additionally, common symptoms of inflammation include redness, swelling, discomfort, and irritation. Here are a few tips on how to prevent and treat inflammation within the muscle tissues:
Stretch Before and After Exercise
Research suggests that stretching is a great way to reduce inflammation in the body. High-intensity workouts can leave the body feeling sore and worn out. Implementing static and dynamic stretches into your workout routine can help lower the chance of injury during exercise and also improve the body’s range of motion. Furthermore, studies have shown that stretching can also improve the body’s circulation by increasing the amount of blood flow to the muscles. When this happens, it may help decrease muscle tension, which ultimately reduces inflammation in the body.
Altogether, it is imperative to stretch before and after every workout. Stretching before a workout helps warm-up the muscles before exercise, which is great for flexibility and posture to help prevent muscle pulls or strains. Secondly, studies show that stretching after a workout helps cool down the body and decrease muscle tension to prevent inflammation from occurring after exercise.
Eat Anti-Inflammatory Foods
Diet plays a major role in every aspect of a person’s life. Unhealthy foods are one of the primary causes of obesity. Unfortunately, obesity has been linked to inflammation and other health factors. Research shows that foods that are high in sugar, sodium, fructose, corn syrup, and artificial ingredients have been linked to excessive levels of inflammation in the body. For this reason, it is crucial to take a good look at your diet. Eating anti-inflammatory foods such as vegetables, nuts, whole grains, broth, fruits, and chia seeds have been shown to help lower levels of inflammation within the body.
Reduce Levels of Sleeplessness
The body needs rest to heal, repair, and reset. When the body is not rested, this can cause stress, which may ultimately lead to inflammation. Studies suggest that eight hours of sleep is a sufficient amount of time to allow the body to fully rest and recover for the next day. Research shows that meditation and massages have been proven as a great method to help prevent restlessness at night. Massages are an amazing way to reduce muscle tension to allow the body to become at ease, which may help make it easier to fall asleep. Furthermore, meditation allows the mind to become free, which places the body in a state of relaxation to promote sleep.