Why Do We Need to Fight Inflammation?
Inflammation is actually a response of our immune system to stimuli such as infections and injuries.
Take swelling after a tooth extraction, or a sore throat when we have a fever—these are all cases of acute inflammation. It comes on fast and fades quickly, and essentially, it's the body's way of protecting itself.
But what I want to talk about today is the type we really need to take seriously to fight against—chronic inflammation.
Chronic inflammation won't cause excruciating pain, but it lingers like a tiny splinter in your body, making you feel uncomfortable no matter what you do.
Symptoms like acne breakouts, rough skin, greasy hair, diarrhea, or persistent fatigue… these common daily annoyances may be signs of long-term chronic inflammation. Also known as "silent inflammation," it is dangerous precisely because it typically doesn't trigger the intense redness, swelling, heat, and pain associated with acute inflammation. Instead, it erodes your health in a more hidden, systemic way, which can lead to various diseases, even cancer.
Below, I'll share some anti-inflammatory habits from three aspects: living environment, lifestyle, and dietary adjustments.

Environmental Tips

  1. Limit exposure to environmental toxins: Stay as far away from secondhand smoke as possible—it not only damages the lungs but also triggers inflammation in the body. Open windows for ventilation every day at home, and feel free to use an air purifier when smoggy days hit.
  2. Get moderate sun exposure: Spend 15–20 minutes in the sun every day to help your body synthesize vitamin D. Many people don't know that vitamin D cannot be obtained directly from food, and low levels of it are likely to be linked to inflammation.

  1. Build a positive social circle: Don't underestimate loneliness and toxic relationships—they are both sources of chronic stress. When under high pressure, your body will also "flare up" with inflammation. Spend more time with people who make you feel relaxed.

Lifestyle Habits

  1. Ensure quality sleep: Try to get 7–9 hours of sleep every night, and ideally, the total sleep duration should be a multiple of 1.5 hours—such as 7.5 or 9 hours. This way, you can complete full sleep cycles and wake up feeling completely refreshed. Keep in mind that sleep is the golden time for the body to repair itself and clear inflammatory factors—this is not to be overlooked.
  2. Do regular, moderate exercise: Engage in 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week (such as brisk walking or cycling). But avoid overexercising—suddenly diving into high-intensity workouts after a long period of inactivity will only leave you sore all over and trigger acute inflammation instead.

  1. Maintain a healthy weight: Excess fat tissue, especially abdominal fat, continuously releases pro-inflammatory substances. Weight loss itself is one of the most effective anti-inflammatory strategies, so we should strive to keep our weight within a healthy range. For specific weight loss pointers, see our previous pieces: one for those at a healthy weight wanting a better shape, and another for low-impact workouts for plus-size beginners.
  2. Take good care of oral health: Brush your teeth thoroughly every day, use dental floss to clean food debris between teeth, and go for regular dental checkups. Don't dismiss periodontal disease as just a "tooth problem"—it is a type of chronic inflammation that can affect the health of your entire body if left unchecked.

Dietary Adjustments

Currently, there are two internationally recognized diets that meet anti-inflammatory standards: the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet.
The Mediterranean diet has been ranked the top diet in the annual rankings released by U.S. News & World Report for years in a row, making it a globally acclaimed eating pattern.
The Mediterranean diet mainly revolves around whole grains, fruits and vegetables, legumes, nuts, olive oil, and spices. It advocates for large amounts of fruits and vegetables, with seafood and fish as the primary protein sources.
It's easy to see that the Mediterranean diet is low in saturated fat and high in unsaturated fat, plus it provides a high intake of fiber—this is extremely beneficial for gut health and blood sugar control.
The DASH diet, on the other hand, was originally developed by the U.S. National Institutes of Health specifically for people with high blood pressure. It is also regarded as one of the healthiest eating patterns.
Compared to the Mediterranean diet, the DASH diet has stricter requirements. Its most prominent feature is strict limitations on food intake. In addition, the DASH diet also restricts saturated fat intake—for example, avoiding fatty meats and full-fat dairy products—which is similar to the Mediterranean diet.
Both the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet share the following commonalities:
Avoid desserts and junk food as much as possible: Chips, energy bars on convenience store shelves, sugary bubble teas from beverage shops, and carbonated drinks in supermarkets are all inflammation "hotspots". Fast food fried items and frozen pre-made fried snacks are also major culprits of inflammation, and the trans fats they contain are particularly harmful—stay away from them if you can.
  1. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables every day: Berries such as blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, mulberries, goji berries, figs, grapes, and passion fruit are rich in anthocyanins and other antioxidants, which help reduce oxidative stress and regulate inflammatory responses. Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, kale, cabbage, bok choy, and radishes are packed with sulforaphane, which supports the body's detoxification and cell repair processes. Consuming enough fruits and vegetables also replenishes your body with dietary fiber and various trace minerals, keeping your gut healthy and eliminating the chance for inflammation to take hold.
  2. Eat sufficient whole grains every day: Don't stick to just white rice and white bread—switch to whole grains like brown rice, oats, and quinoa instead. Whole grains are more nutrient-dense, help lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases, and their dietary fiber content stabilizes blood sugar levels, preventing inflammation triggered by blood sugar spikes and crashes.
  3. Eat more seafood, less red meat and full-fat dairy products: Load up on omega-3-rich foods such as salmon, sardines, walnuts, and flaxseeds. Omega-3s act like the "firefighters" of the body, effectively fighting inflammation. Reducing saturated fat intake will alleviate inflammatory responses; as for red meat (such as steak and bacon) and full-fat milk and cheese, avoid eating them daily—cutting down on saturated fat will ease inflammatory reactions.

If you can follow these four rules, you'll already be ahead of most people, and the chronic inflammation in your body will gradually subside over time.
Finally, I want to say that fighting inflammation is not a sprint, but a lifestyle. It's not about how "clean" your diet is on a single day, but about choosing more anti-inflammatory options for your body day after day.
When you start practicing these habits, you'll notice that not only will your body feel lighter and your skin improve, but your mood will also become more stable. A body that is no longer "on fire" will reward you with a better state of being.