3 Ways to Fight Chronic Inflammation and Fatigue

Do you often feel tired or find yourself struggling to perform even simple tasks? If so, this might be a sign that your body is living in a state of chronic inflammation.

Left unattended, chronic inflammation can lead to autoimmune disorders, cardiovascular symptoms, and even cancer. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) physician Chen Junru from Jinghe Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic in Taiwan provides three ways to fight chronic inflammation. As a fitness coach, I will also share methods for building a fatigue-immune body.

Do I Have Chronic Inflammation?

Ms. Chen pointed out that inflammation generally refers to acute inflammation, such as a urinary tract infection (UTI) or cellulitis, a bacterial skin infection usually following an injury. In the case of cellulitis, you know there is inflammation because you can visually see the redness and swelling at the injury site, and it will feel hot and painful. TCM, however, has another kind of inflammation, manifesting as “burning symptoms.” This inflammation is usually caused by personal habits, such as going to bed late or overeating hot and dry food. It usually shows itself in the form of oral ulcers, constipation, hemorrhoids, and other ailments.

Ms. Chen said the other kind of inflammation is chronic inflammation. This inflammatory reaction is without much immediate discomfort but silently harms the body’s mucous membrane tissue. Without treatment, chronic inflammation can develop over time into precursors of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and cardiovascular diseases. Moreover, other conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, dry skin (xerosis), and cancer may be related to chronic inflammation.

How do we know if we have it? The following are five signs your body has chronic inflammation:

1. Depression.
2. Constantly tired and easily fatigued.
3. Inexplicable skin rash.
4. Nasal congestion or sneezing without a respiratory infection.
5. Obesity.

3 Factors That Lead to Inflammation

Ms. Chen pointed out that TCM believes chronic inflammation is directly related to stress and poor sleep, resulting in a decline in the body’s self-repair capability. It is from this perspective that TCM attributes the following three factors as the primary causes of chronic inflammation:

1. Inefficient gastrointestinal system: There’s a saying that “disease enters through the mouth.” If the food we eat is slow to digest and if it accumulates in the intestinal tract, it will cause an inflammatory reaction. This is especially true for the small intestinal mucosa, with the largest number of immune cells. When too much waste accumulates, the intestines become “unclean,” reducing immune function and increasing the chance of inflammation.
2. Poor sleep quality: When you do not get enough or get poor-quality sleep, the body can’t repair itself and becomes less resilient. Since we are exposed to many inflammatory substances daily, the body’s mucous membranes are overwhelmed with even more allergens. Coupled with behaviors such as going to bed late and overeating cold food, the respiratory tract becomes more prone to allergies.
3. High stress: When the body is under stress, it secretes adrenal cortisol which reduces the production of lymphocytes in the immune system. Over time, such a reduction can affect the immune system and prompt complications such as chronic inflammation.

3 Ways to Build an Inflammation-Free Body

To build an inflammation-free body, Ms. Chen believes the most crucial thing is sufficient and high-quality sleep, followed by eliminating inflammation-causing stress. Sleep is the most critical time for the body to self-repair. Insufficient sleep, poor sleep quality, and too much emotional stress cause inflammation.

She pointed out that when inflammation occurs, no amount of healthy or medicinal food will help if the body doesn’t have time for self-repair during sleep. So how do you ensure good sleep quality?

Ms. Chen recommends exercise to help you sleep better. Although many older people engage in lots of housework, without actual cardiorespiratory exercise, they may not have any easier a  time falling asleep at night. In addition, Chinese medicine can also be used to deal with sleep disorders caused by autonomic nervous complications.

Ms. Chen mentioned that one of her patients suffered from chronic, treatment-resistant eczema. She later learned he was an engineer who often had to awaken to work in the middle of the night. This work routine deprived him of sleep and made for poor-quality rest, resulting in the body not having enough time for self-repair.

He would report that his eczema was under control when he had gotten enough rest during that week. It coincided with his eating some inflammatory food or overtime work when it recurred.

The body must have enough time to self-repair to keep inflammation at bay. After that, stress must be low and the diet quality high.

In addition to having a balanced diet and eating more antioxidant foods, Ms. Chen believes choosing a quality edible oil is essential. Reusing oil can lead to its oxidation, resulting in inflammation in the body. At the same time, overeating processed food will also cause inflammation.

Ms. Chen said that although the human body has its own repair mechanism, if all a person’s meals consist of instant noodles or processed food, serious harm may come to the body.

She encourages people to eat more fresh vegetables and fruits with antioxidants to fight free radicals and use high-quality, healthy cooking oils.

The Best Way to Recover From Fatigue

As a fitness coach, here are my three tips for building a fatigue-resistant physique:

1. Sleep at the Right Time

Sleep is the best time for the body to repair itself, but some people still feel tired no matter how long they sleep. The problem lies in whether you sleep at the right time. The 12-hour meridian health regimen of TCM divides the 24 hours of the day into 12 hours, and each corresponds to one viscera.

The period from 11:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. corresponds to the gallbladder and liver meridians. Entering deep sleep at this time is most beneficial to the liver and gallbladder’s health. In addition, the most potent antioxidant hormones known in Western medicine, melatonin and growth hormone, are also released at night, so sleeping at the right time can be more effective in restoring energy than how long you sleep.

2. Don’t Sit for Too Long

Sitting for a long time at work, playing video games, or watching TV are all sedentary activities detrimental to physical fitness. Being physically unfit will make you more tired. Set an alarm that reminds you to stand up every hour to move around for five to 10 minutes, use the restroom, drink water, or stretch.

3. Exercise to Strengthen Muscles

Both muscle strength and muscle endurance are very important. I suggest you engage in moderate-intensity exercise to train yourself. Moderate intensity is when you can sweat a little and even converse while exercising. Aim to exercise 20 to 30 minutes at this level three times a week. During exercise, the brain releases dopamine, which makes you feel happy and less tense. Sticking to this routine will help you build a body resistant to fatigue and inflammation.