If your body feels persistently heavy and fatigue lingers, you should suspect your lifestyle habits before blaming a lack of vitamins. Chronic inflammation is not a grand disease but rather builds up through minor daily habits. Experts say that correcting just a few habits can noticeably reduce inflammatory responses.
According to findings published Wednesday by a Swedish research team in the latest issue of the Journal of Sleep Research, exposure to sunlight within one hour of waking raises peak cortisol secretion by 20 to 40 percent, making the transition from sleep mode to alert mode easier.
Megan Rossi, founder of London's Gut Health Clinic, also told UK's Marie Claire, "When the biological rhythm is disrupted, inflammation increases and it also has a negative impact on gut microbes." Morning sunlight, in other words, is the first step toward normalizing the biological rhythm.
Post-meal movement is also important. Eleanor Hoath, a British nutrition consultant, said, "When a blood sugar spike occurs, an inflammatory response develops in the body, but taking a short walk after eating can alleviate this," recommending a 5-minute walk after snacks.
In fact, a paper by an Italian research team published in the journal Nutrients in 2022 reported that walking for just 2 to 5 minutes after a meal lowers blood sugar spikes by 12 to 22 percent.
For diet, one can start by cutting out ultra-processed foods one at a time. Processed foods are high in sugar and sodium and low in dietary fiber, raising blood sugar and increasing the risk of inflammation. This means swapping snacks for fruit or nuts, sweetened yogurt for unsweetened plain yogurt, and processed meats for legumes or fish. Though the changes may seem small, their long-term accumulation has a tangible impact on health.
Adding polyphenol-rich foods can enhance the effect. Dark chocolate with a cacao content of 70 percent or higher, extra virgin olive oil, and berries have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. There is no need to design a new diet. Simply topping your usual yogurt with a handful of berries is enough of a starting point.
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