What Types of Exercise Reduce Inflammation?
Inflammation is a word that gets thrown around a lot—and for good reason. When inflammation is chronic (rather than acute), meaning it’s slow, cumulative, and lasting months to years, it can do a number on your health in various ways. For one, long-term inflammation wears down your immune system, which can put you at risk for issues such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, arthritis, and more health conditions.
Taking an active role in your well-being and working hard to prioritize good sleep, keep your stress levels low, and eat anti-inflammatory foods (think: cruciferous veggies, berries, pulses, and omega-3-rich fish) can help keep inflammation at bay. And it also has the potential to add years to your life. Another great way to reduce inflammation and boost your immune system: regularly getting some good, old-fashioned exercise.
“All acute exercise induces a low-grade inflammatory response that the body then adapts to, creating a longer-term, anti-inflammatory adaptation, says Stacy T. Sims, PhD, an exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist. “This is why the fitter you are, the less chronic inflammatory markers there are.”
Excerpted from Real Simple
