November 14, 2024 – Four lifestyle choices may help prevent or reduce chronic inflammation, according to experts quoted in a Nov. 6 Consumer Reports article: following an eating pattern such as the Mediterranean diet, maintaining a healthy weight, staying physically active, and managing sleep and stress.
Inflammation is a normal step in the body’s response to illness or injury, and usually subsides once a threat is eliminated. Other exposures such as pollution, stress, or unhealthy foods can also trigger the immune response. If inflammation persists, it can result in tissue damage and increased risk of cardiovascular disease and other conditions.
Edward Giovannucci, professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, recommended in the article that people watch their waist size—aiming for 30 inches or less for women and 35 inches or less for men. “Belly fat is the worst kind of fat for inflammation,” he said.
Giovannucci also noted that alcohol can be pro-inflammatory and recommended that people who drink have no more than one glass a day.
Read the Consumer Reports article: 4 Ways to Reduce Inflammation
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