INFLAMMATION, ALLERGIES AND IMMUNITY

Do you feel inflamed? Do you have any permanent pain or discomfort, is your skin altered, is your intestine damaged, do you feel tired or are your defenses low? Do you perceive a constant reaction to natural substances such as pollen, dust or even certain foods? If your answer is positive, you may need to manage chronic inflammation and support the balance of your immune system.

Inflammation is a natural and necessary process for our body, in which our immune system is activated when we need to stop damage, restore tissue and eliminate “waste”. The immune system creates inflammation to protect the body from infection, disease or injury. Without this process, we would not be able to recover from many common conditions, but when this inflammation persists longer than necessary and no longer serves the purpose of repair, it can be very harmful to our body. This is when we talk about chronic inflammation, a more complex process that can end up causing dysfunction and that facilitates the appearance of diseases or other health disorders.

Chronic low-grade inflammation can occur even when there are no obvious injuries, it lasts for at least more than 6 weeks, it can occur without apparent pain or damage, but it keeps the body in a state of constant alert, which over time can generate damage to tissues, organs and systems. It is usually difficult to detect, since its symptoms are subtle, but unfortunately have great impact at the cellular level (oxidation, mitochondrial failure, aging).

Some symptoms of chronic inflammation:

Mood disturbances

Fatigue (lack of energy)

Gastrointestinal problems (constipation, diarrhea, reflux)

metabolic alterations

Body ache

Recurrent infections

IMMUNE BALANCE

Our immune system needs to be directed so as not to react to harmless molecules and maintain a balanced response, reacting in the right amount and for the right time. If the response is excessive or prolonged, it can lead to chronic inflammation.

As we name it at the beginning, inflammation is a natural part of our immune response, it allows a specific area of ​​our body where a potential threat is located to be identified and directed by the immune system to fight the threat. This inflammation should be temporary and resolve after the immune system has dealt with the threat. However, inflammation can become long-lasting when it has difficulty “turning off” due to the cumulative effect of genetic and environmental factors, including diet, exposure to stress, lack of sleep, nutrient deficiencies, air pollution. due to oxidative stress, cigarette smoke, consumption of hydrogenated fats or foods cooked at high temperatures.

If our immune response is overly sensitive to immunological challenges from our external environment (e.g. exposure to dust mites, pollen), we may become more susceptible to developing allergies and constantly experience sneezing, runny/itchy nose, red, watery eyes, itching, congestion, cough, runny nose, itchy skin, rashes and even changes in our eating behavior.

The immune response can be affected by various factors (or a set of factors) such as a shortage of foods that provide immune-supporting nutrients ( vitamin C , zinc , vitamin A and vitamin D ), lack of antioxidants (fruits, vegetables) to prevent damage and protect ourselves, constant exposure to stressful situations, alteration of the barriers of our skin, lungs and intestine.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

How can we balance our immune system to prevent or reduce inflammation and allergies? How can vitamins, plant extracts, live bacteria, and other immune-supporting nutrients in supplements help?

The key to supporting your immune system is to reduce stress on the body by controlling your diet, lifestyle and increasing your intake of key nutrients.

Lifestyle recommendations

Ensure a good sleep and rest routine, reducing exposure to blue light at night (TV, telephone, laptop, etc.), sleeping in a room with a suitable temperature for you, free of external noise.

Incorporate relaxation time into your daily routine, practicing mindfulness, conscious breathing or meditation.

Reduce exposure to environmental toxins by eating more natural or organic foods, avoiding plastic, and using natural skin care and cleaning products.

Practice movement daily and try to spend time in nature to manage stress and promote self-care

Nutritional Recommendations

Reduce exposure to pro-inflammatory foods such as processed foods, refined grains or those containing gluten, dairy products, sugar, products based on artificial sweeteners, and alcohol.

Increase your consumption of fish, nuts, vegetables, fruits and seeds to obtain a wide variety of antioxidants and essential fatty acids.

Add anti-inflammatory herbs and spices to your meals, such as turmeric, ginger, rosemary, and cayenne pepper.

Enjoy a diet rich in a wide variety of different colored plants to ensure a diverse daily intake of nutrients that support the immune system.

Include foods rich in probiotics: sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, kombucha to help your gut bacteria.

Supplementation Recommendations

Vitamin C Powder: Powerful antioxidant vitamin to protect against inflammation and modulate immunity.

Zinc Methionine: mineral of great importance to support defenses, immunity, allergic response and to support seasonal allergic sensitivity.

Nutrisorb D3K2: to support the proper functioning of the immune system and the inflammatory response.

Omega 3: To modulate low-grade chronic inflammation, provide cardiovascular, antioxidant and cognitive protection.

Probiotics: To improve the intestinal barrier of defenses, restore the balance of intestinal bacteria, protect from the entry of pathogens and support the immune system.

Would you like to receive guidance? Write to us at nutricion@biocarechile.cl so that our team of nutritionists can guide you.