Anti-Inflammatory Foods: What You Need To Know
Redness, swelling, and pain can be uncomfortable, but they’re usually signs that your body is working hard to heal itself. When you’re exposed to bacteria and viruses, your immune system starts working against the invaders. One of the most important immune responses to these invaders is inflammation. Inflammatory cells are released by your immune system in an effort to trap bacteria and other unwanted substances. Inflammation also aims to repair and heal damaged tissue. This can be a painful process, but it’s a vital one. Sometimes, however, your immune system triggers this response when there isn’t anything to fight against. This type of inflammation can cause significant pain and make it difficult to go about your daily life. The discomfort can be made even worse if it turns into a chronic condition.
Types of Inflammation
Inflammation can either be acute or chronic. Acute inflammation is a short-term condition that occurs when your body needs to repair damage. Once the body is healed, the inflammation goes down. Examples of acute inflammation include cuts, infections, and viruses like the flu.
Symptoms of Acute Inflammation:
- Redness
- Tenderness
- Swelling
- Pain
- Skin that’s hot to the touch
Chronic inflammation can last anywhere from weeks to years, persisting even if you have nothing for your inflammatory cells to heal. Flare ups of chronic inflammation are also possible, where a person has periods of being symptom free. In addition to the symptoms of acute inflammation, chronic inflammation can cause:
- Joint pain
- Stomach pain
- Fever
- Tiredness
- Skin rashes
Reducing Inflammation
Applying heat and ice to the affected joint can reduce swelling and provide relief. Losing weight and eating a balanced diet can also help with managing the symptoms of inflammation. Over the counter pain medications are effective at treating symptoms, especially a group of medications called NSAIDs. NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) work by reducing pain, inflammation and fever. This is done by blocking the production of substances in the body that cause inflammation and swelling. Examples of over-the-counter NSAIDs are ibuprofen and aspirin. More severe cases of inflammation may need prescription strength NSAIDs. We carries several effective anti-inflammatory medications online in the UK such as:
- Naproxen: Naproxen is an NSAID that reduces inflammation and pain in the muscles, ligaments, tendons, and joints. It can be used for rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, gout, and ankylosing spondylitis.
- Etodolac: Etodolac is an effective NSAID commonly used to treat pain, swelling, and stiffness caused by arthritis.
- Diclofenac Sodium: Diclofenac Sodium is a prescription NSAID that can be used for acute inflammation as well as chronic conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, gout, and ankylosing spondylitis.
Anti-Inflammatory Foods
In addition to taking medications, making changes to your diet can have a significant impact on your symptoms. There are several foods and beverages with anti-inflammatory properties that serve as natural anti-inflammatory remedies. These foods contain natural antioxidants and other compounds that have multiple health benefits beyond just reducing inflammation.
Anti-Inflammatory Foods:
- Olive oil
- Spinach
- Kale
- Tomatoes
- Blueberries
- Strawberries
- Almonds
- Walnuts
- Salmon
- Tuna
- Sardines
- Whole grains
On the flip side, certain foods and drinks may worsen the symptoms of inflammation. With anti-inflammatory foods, your body gets the nutrients, minerals, and vitamins it needs. Your body isn’t able to do this with other types of foods like processed foods, refined sugars, fatty foods, and refined carbohydrates. Because your body doesn’t know what to do with these types of foods, it may trigger an immune response.
Conditions Linked to Chronic Inflammation
There are several different types of chronic inflammatory diseases, with varying symptoms and severity. With chronic conditions, you may have long periods of time between flareups, or you may have frequent episodes. A few common chronic inflammatory conditions are:
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis, or RA, is a chronic inflammatory condition that affects the joints. RA can be very painful and can end up causing joint deformity and bone damage. At first, RA may only affect the joints in the hands and feet before spreading to the wrists, elbows, hips, shoulders, and knees.
Lupus
An autoimmune disease that causes your immune system to attack your organs and tissues. It can cause joint pain, a butterfly shaped rash on the face, tiredness, and difficulty breathing. If lupus spreads to the organs, it can result in kidney failure and heart disease.
Psoriasis
A common skin condition that causes scaly patches of skin that are dry, painful, and itchy. Psoriasis most often affects the elbows, scalp, knees, and torso. Flareups tend to come in cycles, lasting for a few weeks or months before going away for a period of time.
Ankylosing Spondylitis
Over time, ankylosing spondylitis causes the vertebrae in the spine to fuse together. This results in a stopped posture and can compress the ribs, making it difficult to breathe. Complications include compression fractures, heart problems, and vision changes.
Gout
Gout is a very painful type of arthritis that comes and goes. It typically affects the big toe but can occur in any joint. Gout attacks come on suddenly and can be debilitating, lasting anywhere from a few days to several weeks.
What Causes Inflammation?
The causes of acute inflammation are easier to pinpoint than chronic inflammation. Acute inflammation is usually the result of a recent injury or illness, like a cut or cold. Chronic inflammation has no one cause and, in some cases, the cause may be difficult to determine.
Potential Causes of Chronic Inflammation:
- An autoimmune disorder
- Exposure to chemicals or toxins
- Previously untreated inflammation
- Alcoholism
- Obesity
- Smoking cigarettes
Another potential cause is a history with infections. It’s thought that previously suffering from a serious infection, especially during childhood, increases the chances of you eventually developing a chronic inflammatory disease.
Anti-Inflammatory Medication Online UK
Whether you have an acute case of inflammation or have been diagnosed with a chronic condition like rheumatoid arthritis, we can help. We have severe effective medications that can reduce the pain, swelling, and tenderness caused by inflammation. To help your body heal itself faster, take this short assessment and buy effective anti-inflammatory medication online in the UK.
Authored By
HARMINDER ‘HARMY’ KAUR
BSc(hons) Pharmacy
GPhC Number: 2061107
Reviewed By
GURDEV SEHMI
BSc Pharm, MRPharmS, Independent Prescriber, Superintendent Pharmacist, Clinical Lead
GPhC Number: 2050925