The stress and chronic pain cycle
HOW IT STARTS AND HOW YOU CAN END IT
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Good sleep hygiene keeps our immune systems healthy
response – and those of us living with chronic inflammatory conditions are already combatting this inflammation on a daily basis.
New research is now being carried out to investigate the use of anti-inflammatory agents to treat depression, which means lifestyle is not only key to easing the symptoms of our condition, but also to helping our mental health too.
An antiinflammatory lifestyle
Beating inflammation is not just about food. It's about everything from sleep to mindfulness and exercise, avoiding lack of sleep, alcohol, stress and being sedentary.
Stress, as we know, is sometimes unavoidable, but as long as we are mindful of it and do the things that we know will minimise it then we are helping our bodies to manage its effects.
Superfood smoothies won't do an awful lot if you're not sleeping properly and you've been sitting at a desk all day. I am still on medication and would never advise anyone to stop theirs. But it's the things we can do alongside our medication – big and small – that can ease the inflammation overload that stress brings. Exercise: A study has found that one 20-minute session of moderate exercise can act as an anti-inflammatory. It doesn't matter how you move, just get moving. For mindfulness and light exercise, yoga or a walk in the park are my go-tos.
Nutrition: Typically, the average person's diet is highly inflammatory (low in fibre, high content of meat, ultra-processed foods, saturated fats, refined produce, sugar, alcohol), while the Mediterranean diet is largely cited as the most anti-inflammatory you can find.
It's the foundation of all my recipes, keeping them packed full of nutritious fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, beans, herbs and spices, as well as unsaturated fats and omegas. Alongside that I aim for a low intake of meat and dairy foods. Sleep: Good sleep hygiene is essential for keeping our immune systems healthy and inflammation in check. Changes such as reducing our caffeine intake and cutting use of our digital devices will help. Mindfulness: It may sound like a cliche, but breathing exercises and staying mindful actually work. Whether its writing, drawing, listening to music or taking a walk in the woods. Find time to be grateful for the things you do have rather than the things you don't.
■■Emily's new book, Beat Arthritis Naturally (£14,99; Yellow Kite) is the ultimate guide to living well with arthritis, at any age. It's out on May 13.