Inflammation Is Caused by Modern Life – and It's Preventable

It's estimated that excess inflammation contributes to 80% of major diseases and over 50% of deaths. But what if this is avoidable — and fairly easily? Several recent studies suggest that it is.

A study recently published in Nature, and reported on in the New York Times, compared inflammation blood markers in industrialized countries (Italy and Singapore) with two indigenous, non-industrialized populations: the Tsimane from the Bolivian Amazon and the Orang Asli from Peninsular Malaysia. 

What they discovered challenges everything we thought we knew about inflammation and aging. In the non-industrialized populations, the typical rise in inflammatory markers that occurs with age was largely absent. This suggests that the chronic inflammation we often assume is a natural part of aging may actually be driven by modern life—and could be largely preventable!

Looking back, the clues were there all along. Decades ago, two Harvard anthropologists conducted groundbreaking research showing that many modern illnesses were once rare—until populations adopted a Western diet. Their findings pointed to a powerful culprit: the highly processed, pro-inflammatory nature of the foods we now consider normal.

You can significantly reduce inflammation with a few simple changes to your diet and lifestyle. Start with these easy but powerful steps:

1. Cut back on sugar—it’s one of the biggest drivers of chronic inflammation.
2. Swap out white flour for whole grains to add fiber and stabilize blood sugar.
3. Boost your intake of omega-3 fats—once a staple of the human diet—by eating more fish and choosing grass-fed over grain-fed beef.

Another recent study adds to the growing optimism around reducing inflammation. It found that two potent anti-inflammatory herbs—curcumin and Boswellia—were significantly more effective than a placebo in treating arthritis, one of the most common inflammatory conditions. Multiple head on studies in the past have also shown this herbal combination to be as effective as the medication Celebrex.

An ounce of prevention is truly worth a pound of cure. Major drivers of many of our key modern illnesses (including heart attack, stroke, cancer, pain and dementia) have been shown to include excess inflammation and nutritional deficiencies, caused in large part by our modern diet.

Addressing these issues is easier than you might think. Simple, everyday changes—many of which you can do on your own—have the potential to save countless lives. Even more exciting, research suggests these changes can significantly slow the aging process, all without giving up the joy of eating well.