Fight Inflammation

You may have heard mention of inflammation and the impacts it can have on your body, but what does it all mean? What is inflammation and why should you care about it?

Inflammation is part of the body's immune response system, and it is essential to heal from injuries. It is the body's way to protect itself from harmful stimuli and irritants, including damaged cells. Exercise has long-held the reputation of being anti-inflammatory, however, exercise can actually increase inflammation in the body and be harmful in certain contexts. This can be very concerning when you think about the fact that chronic inflammation has been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, Alzheimer's and certain types of cancers. Are you confused yet? Let's clear up a few things...

To see any results from your exercise regimen, you must cause some inflammation. If you are increasing strength, stamina and performance, you are causing some amount of trauma to your muscles so that they may break down and then repair themselves to become even stronger to deal with future demands. An effective training session initiates this inflammatory response.

Really tough sweat sessions at the gym are great and highly effective for weight loss, increasing endurance and overall fitness, but should not make up every workout. Doing so will continue to pile more inflammation on your body, and can cause permanent damage. This is why every good workout program must be comprised of a variety of exercises, interspersed with some recovery time to give your workout profile some peaks and valleys of inflammation and rest.

Incorporating anti-inflammatory foods into your diet can be another effective way to combat the inflammatory effects that exercise can have on the body. Incorporating more fruits and vegetables can have a huge impact, while limiting sweets, unhealthy fats and alcohol. I love Dr. Andrew Weil's anti-
inflammatory diet pyramid as a resource: http://www.drweil.com/drw/ecs/pyramid/press-foodpyramid.html

Variety will not only keep you from getting bored with your workouts, but it can also make your time at the gym more effective, and be a bit gentler on your body. Don't get stuck in a rut - try swimming to challenge your muscles in a different way, or shake things up with a Zumba class!