inflammation – Be Well Solutions

Sleep as a Superpower: How Rest Fuels Recovery, Immunity, and Metabolism

Sleep affects every system of our bodies. It provides necessary renewal, repair, and energy. However, many of us do not get regular, adequate, and restful sleep. Adults are recommended to aim for at least seven to nine hours of sleep each night. Prioritizing sleep restores our mind and body, while also aiding in important factors such as recovery, immunity, and metabolism. Recovery Whether you are battling a cold, healing from surgery, or finishing an intense workout, sleep is a key component to proper and efficient recovery. It promotes the repair and growth of muscles and tissue with the production of growth hormone, which primarily occurs during sleep (Baptist Health1). Lack of sleep will elevate cortisol levels and contribute to increased inflammation in the body. This inflammation slows down the healing and recovery process. Prioritize sleep as an essential part of [...]

Stress, Sleep, and Your Immune System

Avoiding illness this time of year can be a tall task. We want to keep our immune systems strong, but are our daily habits hindering our ability to stay healthy? Let’s take a closer look at our habits with sleep and stress, and how they both can impact the function of our immune system. Our Immune System Our immune system functions as a defense against illness and germs and aids in recovery from injury or infection. It consists of organs, cells, and messenger molecules that identify and fight invaders in our body. It can even learn about previously contacted germs to create future antibodies. Many lifestyle factors play a role in our immune health. Poor health habits or hormonal imbalances can cause the immune system to become weakened or overactive, which can interfere with its effectiveness. For more information about [...]

Tags: adaptiveimmunity, balancedlifestyle, HealthyHabits, healthysleephabits, illnessprevention, immunesystemhealth, immunesystemoverview, immunesystemsupport, inflammation, lifestylefactors, sleepandimmunity, sleepbenefits, stressandcortisol, StressManagement, stressreliefstrategies, strongimmunitytips|

Decrease Inflammation with Diet

Anti-Inflammatory Foods Our bodies have a natural ability to fight off invading predators! The immune system protects us from microbes and illness every single day. This process of protection causes inflammation. There are foods that can cause inflammation too. Unfortunately, this can lead to chronic inflammation within our bodies. According to Harvard Health Publishing, chronic inflammation is the cornerstone for preventable diseases like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. What foods cause inflammation? What foods calm inflammation? What we eat can truly affect how we feel. Cause Inflammation Foods typically recommended to avoid such as high fat, processed, or calorically dense foods are the same foods that can cause chronic inflammation. According to Dr. Kielcolt-Glaser from the Department of Psychiatry at Ohio State University, these foods modulate pathways within us that increase physical, immune, and nervous system stress. Not only [...]

Tags: #WAAD, arthritis, autoimmune, diet, food, inflammation, sugar, World Autoimmune Arthritis Day|

Adaptogenic Mushrooms

The largest living organism in the world is a fungus: the almighty mushroom. At the cell level, mushrooms have more in common with humans than any other plant. Maybe that is why they seem so helpful to human health? Adaptogens are a class of herb that are thought to help us cope with stress. Types of stress range from general inflammation to fight-or-flight response. The thought is that they aid in the ability of our bodies to cope and adapt to physical, biological, and chemical stress. Consuming adaptogenic herbs can possibly help reduce physical fatigue along with depression and anxiety, enhance mental performance and immunity, and generally help you thrive under pressure. Medicinal mushrooms have been used for thousands of years in Eastern Medicine. The adaptogen class of these mushrooms have shown to reduce the effects of stress on [...]

Tags: adaptogen, adaptogens, arthritis, cordyceps, disease prevention, fungi, herbal medicine, inflammation, integrative medicine, lion's mane, medicinal mushrooms, mushroom, mycelium, reishi, stress, wellness, World Autoimmune Arthritis Day|