Chronic diseases and illnesses are the scourge of humanity – at least to those people who are suffering through them. Such chronic conditions can be extremely annoying at a minimum or debilitating or a gradual descent to a premature death at worse. The vast majority of health experts have tabbed chronic diseases as the leading cause of illness, disability, and death in America, affecting one’s quality of life on essentially a 24/7 basis.
As we’ve covered previously in this ongoing series focusing on chronic diseases/illnesses, different healthcare organizations have varying definitions for what constitutes a chronic condition in terms of timelines. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in America, for instance, categorizes an illness as chronic once it hits the one-year mark. MedicineNet, by contrast, puts the threshold at the three-month mark.
About 60 percent of those living in the U.S. are dealing with at least one chronic disease, and 40 percent of those are afflicted with two or more. Is it any wonder that chronic diseases are the leading factors accounting for the nation’s $4.5 trillion in annual healthcare costs as of 2024? Another sobering fact about chronic illnesses is that they usually don’t repair themselves and are uncurable, or at least not completely curable. As is the case with chronic inflammation.
What Is Chronic Inflammation?
Inflammation in your body is like big scoops of ice cream or a day on the beach basking in the sun: too much of a good thing can be bad for you. This is not to equate inflammation to sweet treats or loads of sun and sand, but just a passing remark to open the door to explaining the good and bad of inflammation.
There are two types of inflammation: acute and chronic. Acute is the “good” version. Its presence means you have perhaps been invaded by a virus or toxin, or injured yourself, such as spraining an ankle playing basketball or touch football, or handling heavy tools or equipment around the yard or in the workshop. Stuff happens. That swelling and discoloration you see immediately around the spot of the injury is indicative that your body is already at work effecting treatment and repair. Inflammation is the body’s natural response to injuries and even invaders, such as germs.
Your immune system is your body’s central first responder, dispatching increased blood flow, as well as antibodies and proteins to the affected area. This immune system’s first-aid kit also includes substances such as inflammatory cells and cytokines (which activate additional inflammatory cells) to the affected area, just as 9-1-1 dispatchers send out firetrucks, ambulances, and their crews to the scene of a fire or auto mishap. Inflammatory cells go right to work trapping harmful germs or toxins and healing injured tissue. This can produce pain, swelling, or discoloration, but that is fine – these are signs your body is working to heal itself.
Chronic inflammation is a different story, however (which is why we have this blog in the first place). Such inflammation can not only be a chronic illness unto itself, it can also be at the root of other well-known chronic conditions such as arthritis, heart disease, and diabetes. On its own, chronic inflammation can contribute to unwanted conditions such abdominal pain, fatigue, sleep issues, joint pain or stiffness, mouth sores, skin rash, mood disorders – the list goes on.
What Causes Chronic Inflammation?
Some of the answers to those questions that have been cited include untreated cases of acute inflammation, such as that related to an infection or injury; an autoimmune disorder in which your immune system erroneously attacks healthy tissue; or long-term exposure to irritating toxins such as industrial chemicals or air pollution. Contributing factors might also include smoking, alcoholism, or long-term stress. Age, too.
Whereas acute inflammation might last a few days, a lingering response that goes on indefinitely – i.e., chronic inflammation – puts the patient’s body into a constant state of alert with no shut-off switch. Over time that produces a deteriorating effect on your body’s tissues and organs, leaving you susceptible to a variety of aches and pains, and worse.
7 Natural Remedies for Chronic Inflammation
Although there is no known cure for chronic inflammation – or other conditions officially recognized as chronic – there are a host of natural remedies, i.e., supplements, herbs, and nutrients – that can help patients better tolerate their condition(s) and perhaps enhance their quality of life. In alphabetical order, here are seven to consider:
Bromelain. This supplement is comprised of enzymes that help digest proteins. It has shown effectiveness in treating inflammation-linked problems, such as the pain after a wisdom tooth extraction.
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). This fat-soluble antioxidant serves several roles, one of the most notable of which is guarding our cells from harm caused by free radicals. It can also work to help thwart heart disease, fend of migraines, and reduce elevated cholesterol.
Curcumin. This active ingredient in the spice turmeric has been shown by research to fix pathways that cause inflammation and root out free radicals.
Glutathione. Like CoQ10, glutathione also acts as a robust antioxidant to protect against free radicals. Deficient levels have been linked to type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and autoimmune diseases, among other inflammatory-related conditions.
Magnesium. A deficiency of this essential mineral has been linked to bolstered baseline inflammation.
Quercetin. This is a plant pigment that works as an antioxidant and a neutralizer of free radicals.
Resveratrol. This polyphenol antioxidant can expand blood vessels, diminish high blood-glucose levels, and block the activation of pro-inflammatory compounds.
There are no known cures for chronic diseases/illnesses such as chronic inflammation, but there might be relief in the form of natural remedies, like those summarized above. Be sure to discuss their use with your personal physician or other licensed healthcare professional before adding any to your daily dietary regimen.