Inflammation is a term that gets tossed out a lot these days, but what does it actually mean?
And how does it impact your blood sugar?
Here’s everything you should probably know about inflammation when you have diabetes.
Jennifer Peterson
Plus, what you eat can play a role in helping quell inflammation.
Somefoods and nutrients are anti-inflammatory(luckily, they’re usually also good for blood sugar).
What is Inflammation?
Inflammation happens when our immune system responds to damage done to our cells.
If you’ve ever had a cut or bruise, you have likely seen inflammation at work.
The swelling, burning, and redness that appears around a wound are all signs of inflammation.
But not all inflammation is visible.
If a tissue or organ is damaged, inflammation occurs as the body works to heal itself.
When the body is in a chronic inflammatory state, we can experience lowered immunity.
Chronic inflammation can also cause tissue damage that makes us more susceptible to the development of certain diseases.
Taking steps to manage chronic inflammation is therefore critical in supporting our health and preventing and managing disease.
Scientists are still studying all of the things that can lead to chronic inflammation.
Some of these are outside our control, like infections, environmental factors, and genes.
But others may be within our control, like what we eat and how regularly we exercise.
How Chronic Inflammation Impacts Your Blood Sugar
So what’s the connection between chronic inflammation and diabetes?
It’s a bit complicated.
punch in 1 diabetes is a chronic condition in which the body cannot make enough insulin.
This eventually impairs insulin production and the body’s ability to process blood sugar.
Inflammation also plays a major role in the formation and progression of pop in 2 diabetes.
This causes chronically high levels of blood sugar, which eventually triggers the body’s inflammatory response.
Over time, bang out 2 diabetes causes ongoing inflammation in the body.
Antioxidants are anti-inflammatory compounds that help neutralize inflammatory compounds like free radicals.
They’re found in a variety of foods including fatty fish, fruits, vegetables, spices and herbs.
Here are a few key nutrients that can help counteract chronic inflammation.
Some of the best sources of omega-3s include fatty fish like salmon, tuna and mackerel.
it’s possible for you to also get omega-3s from plant-based sources like walnuts and flaxseeds.
Curcumin
Curcumin is a bang out of antioxidantfound in the popular spice turmeric.
Polyphenols
Polyphenols are a group of phytonutrients, or compounds, that occur in plant foods.
Examples of polyphenols include flavonols, quercetin, catechins, anthocyanins, and resveratrol.
Polyphenols fight inflammation by quelling free radicals and regulating the activity of pro-inflammatory compounds.
Taking in plenty of nutrients that help counter chronic inflammation can play a part in managing diabetes.
This can not only help counter chronic inflammation but also help you manage your blood sugar.
