Why rethinking drinking could help combat inflammation

TL;DR Inflammation is triggered by even small amounts of alcohol, so anyone who drinks regularly could benefit from cutting back or quitting if they have unresolved health issues that could be inflammation.

Many things cause inflammation, and drinking is a big one, especially at this time of the year when wine is everywhere and it’s hard to resist bad lifestyle choices. Many long-term health issues can stem from inflammation, anything from nuisance symptoms we’ve grown accustomed to, to more severe health conditions.

Inflammation affects women differently

Surprise! Women have different complications than men when it comes to inflammation. We have higher levels of inflammation compared to men, frequency of complications are often greater than men and a woman’s gut health is going to be a huge factor in inflammatory response (read more about gut health here).

But what is inflammation anyway? Let’s walk through the function of inflammation in the body and how different factors surrounding inflammation can affect our overall health.

What is Inflammation?

Inflammation is an immune response and necessary function when the body is attempting to repair or heal, however, chronic inflammation is when difficult symptoms or health conditions can arise.

The Two Types of Inflammation

Short Term

Short term or acute inflammation is the body’s natural response, typically due to an injury, an infection, virus, or other illness. This process happens quickly as the body is in repair mode.

Long Term

Long term or chronic inflammation can span years or our entire lifetime. In chronic inflammation, the body is in a constant state of alert. Long-term inflammation triggers an immune response and our immune system can end up attacking healthy tissue and organs. This may create an environment where the body’s function is compromised and diseases develop. Chronic inflammation also can increase the risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, asthma, and certain types of arthritis. 

There are many ways to manage inflammation, what’s unfortunate though is a large portion of the population attempts to treat their physical pain with alcohol. This can cause further issues and prolong current ones in the body.

What promotes inflammation?

We know the function of inflammation is necessary to heal short-term injury, but chronic inflammation is problematic. Many different factors play a role in long-term inflammation, such as:

-Diet
-Smoking
-Alcohol use
-Lack of movement
-High stress
-Poor sleep

How Alcohol Creates Inflammation

Alcohol is a depressant and as it enters the bloodstream it has an impact on our bodily functions. Drinking can cause several changes in the body that may lead to intestinal inflammation, and organ dysfunction all through the body; the liver and brain are especially susceptible.

How alcohol contributes to inflammation:

• Disrupts the balance between good and bad bacteria in the gut, a balance that affects our overall health as 70% of our immune system lives in our gut

• Contributes to inflammation in the gut which affects the whole body

• Compromises the integrity of our intestinal wall, which is our protective barrier, meaning toxins are able to make their way into the bloodstream

• Offsets the delicate balance of our gut bacteria, increasing the likelihood of chemicals called endotoxins to freely circulate in the body (endotoxins activate cells that promote inflammation and cause other symptoms)

• Dehydrates the body (proper hydration is needed to combat inflammation)

• Connection to higher levels of C Reactive Proteins (a blood test marker for inflammation)

• Depletes the body of vital nutrients

• Inhibits the body’s immune response, which leads to impairment of key functions in the body

As you may have noticed, there are many connections to gut health here. If you would like more specific information on taking care of your gut and how drinking affects it read this article.

5 Easy Ways to begin the Repair Process and Address Inflammation

Reevaluate habits

We outlined above how alcohol can contribute to inflammation in the body, lessening or refraining from alcohol consumption can help support our overall health.

Movement

Getting some type of movement each day can help reduce inflammation. If you are in pain, it can seem counterproductive to move more but it’s actually lack of physical activity that is associated with consistent systemic low grade inflammation.

Therapeutic eating 

We are all biologically unique so what contributes to inflammation in our body will differ from others. Most diets don’t honor our bio-individuality. The best diet for you is what makes you feel best and supplies your body’s unique needs.

Keeping a food journal 

Tracking food and symptoms alone can give us a window into our body in relation to food. Keeping a food journal can be helpful, as it helps you connect your feelings (physical) to your food intake. 

Hydration

Hydration is an important factor in managing inflammation. Water acts as a lubricant for our joints and aids the body in flushing out toxins. When our body is dehydrated it will pull water from other places in our body like our joints in order to distribute it where it is needed, this means toxins are unable to leave the body and inflammation ensues.

Managing inflammation will look different for everyone

If you feel inflammation could be connected to any symptoms or issues you are experiencing, connect with a healthcare professional who will honour you as an individual and help you learn your body’s unique needs.

Inflammation is a vital and necessary function in the body but chronic inflammation is where problems can begin and what we expose our body to can increase or decrease inflammation in the body. The repair won’t happen overnight but our body is so resilient, if we provide it with its unique needs and a proper environment, we can begin to undo the damage and manage our health.

Are you ready for a reset and an easy way to begin learning your body’s needs? I offer a Monthly Guided Gentle Detox and for readers of Some Good Clean Fun I am offering $100 off any Detox package for a limited time! [Note: This offer was made at the time of original publication and may be no longer available].

Sign up for the wait list here to secure your offer and you will be notified of the next session date.

Sarah Steward of The Nutrition Steward is a Holistic Nutritionist and Holistic Health Practitioner who helps people learn their body's unique needs by providing tailored, personalized plans so they can stop googling, manage their symptoms and live a full life. Sarah lives with her husband in a quiet rural space of the Carolinas. She is 11 years sober and takes everything one day at a time. Find her on Instagram or Facebook.