Smart Guide to Reducing Inflammation

31 ways to tamp down the immune system’s undercover overreaction

Katherine Hobson,

AARP

Reviewed by

Stanley Sack, M.D.

Comments

Published February 26, 2025

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When you hear “inflammation,” you may think of swelling after a sprained ankle, an itchy welt that appears after a mosquito bite or a sore throat that comes on with the flu. Those are all signs that your immune system is stepping up briefly to help heal the body or remove an invader.

But while acute inflammation usually fades when the injury or threat is over, in other cases, the body's immune system is triggered into producing an unending stream of chemical signals that promote long-term inflammation. When this happens, the process that normally defends and repairs the body can harm it. That kind of chronic inflammation “can negatively affect a host of different systems in the body,” says Wendy Demark-Wahnefried, an American Cancer Society clinical research professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. It has been linked to heart disease, stroke, some cancers, type 2 diabetes, gut ailments and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

Moreover, chronic inflammation increases with age, which may help explain why so many of these chronic diseases also disproportionately affect older adults, explains Filip Swirski, a cardiovascular immunology researcher and director of the Cardiovascular Research Institute at Mount Sinai in New York. “What they have in common is inflammation.”

Smart Guides for Your Health

Want to make sure you’re doing whatever you can to tamp down this kind of chronic inflammation and lower your risk of some of the most common age-related diseases? A lot of the work comes down to what you eat and how you spend your time. Here are some suggestions on what to do.

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UNDERSTAND THE BASICS

1. Risk rises with age

Chronic inflammation tends to increase in older adulthood; one study, for example, found that older age was associated with a host of inflammatory markers. The phenomenon even has a name: “inflammaging.” As we age, the immune system undergoes complex changes that tend to promote inflammation, Swirski says. Lifestyle may also change as we get older — we may get less exercise, eat a less varied diet or lose our social connections — all things that promote inflammation even as we are more vulnerable to it.

2. The microbiome plays a big role

In your digestive system are trillions of microorganisms known as the gut microbiome. “We know that microbes really help to shape the immune system, making sure it doesn’t over- or underreact,” says gastroenterologist Shilpa Ravella, M.D., author of A Silent Fire: The Story of Inflammation, Diet and Disease. There’s no one “ideal” microbiome. Every person’s is different and will change over their lifespan and in response to factors such as diet or exposure to toxins. What we do know is that a diverse mix of microbes is better than a homogeneous one, Ravella says. “Diversity of the gut microbiome has been tied to the increased production of compounds that support health and wellness, improved regulation of the immune system, resistance to harmful germs, reduced risk of chronic diseases and increased resilience to environmental stressors,” she says.

3. Chronic inflammation can impair your response to infections

One of the effects of ongoing inflammation is that it may make it harder for your immune system to respond appropriately to an infectious invader, such as the influenza virus. The immune response may be sluggish, or it may overreact with too much inflammation. “It’s almost like there’s static in your body,” Ravella says. That impaired immune response may help explain why older adults and people with obesity — both of whom tend to have more systemic inflammation — are at a higher risk of serious complications from infections including COVID-19 and the flu.

4. You may not know if you have it

Signs of acute inflammation tend to be pretty obvious — redness, swelling, heat, pain. With chronic inflammation, you might experience more subtle or less specific signs, such as fatigue or gastrointestinal issues, or there may be none at all. In some cases, as with gauging heart disease risk or diagnosing a chronic inflammatory disease like rheumatoid arthritis, your health care provider may order a test for c-reactive protein, or CRP, one indicator of inflammation. But the test has limits, Ravella says. For example, it can’t distinguish between acute inflammation and chronic inflammation.

5. Inflammation is just one piece of the health puzzle

While chronic inflammation is associated with a host of ailments, the relationship can go both ways, with disease leading to inflammation and in some cases, inflammation leading to disease, Ravella says. There’s more evidence of inflammation as an actual cause of disease for some conditions, such as heart disease and cancer, than for others, she says. In heart disease, for example, when cholesterol and fat build up in blood vessels, the immune system recognizes them as dangerous and sends cells to eliminate them. The inflammation that results can help turn those particles into plaque that can eventually break off and move into the bloodstream, potentially causing a blockage that sparks a heart attack or stroke. “Initially the immune cells come to solve the problem, but then they become part of the problem,” Swirski says.

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EAT SMART

6. Eat Mediterranean

“Diet is very important for inflammation,” Edward Giovannucci, D.Sc., M.D., professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, wrote in an email. Certain foods, including fatty fish, whole fruits, leafy green and orange vegetables, nuts and healthy oils such as olive oil, contain specific compounds that fight inflammation, he says. Eating those foods also leaves less room for foods that promote inflammation. One example of a diet promoting those foods is the Mediterranean diet, which has been associated with lower levels of inflammation.

7. Or Okinawan

The Mediterranean diet has been the most heavily studied, but other traditional eating patterns share many of the same characteristics, Ravella says. The Okinawan diet, originating in Japan, includes plenty of root vegetables and emphasizes plants, incorporating meat more sparingly. Traditional Hawaiian, African and South Asian diets also reflect these principles, she says. When in doubt, “pick the stuff that’s in nature,” says David Furman, an associate professor at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging in Novato, California.

8. Load up on fiber

People who consume a lot of fiber have a lower risk of a host of disorders and diseases. One reason seems to be fiber’s positive effects on the immune system. Soluble fiber, in particular, is broken down by gut bacteria into short-chain fatty acids, which can travel throughout the body to calm inflammation. Unfortunately, “we as a nation have a significant fiber deficiency,” Ravella says. The U.S. government recommends between 21 and 38 grams daily for adults, depending on gender and age, but most of us are not meeting that goal — and it may not be high enough.

Ravella says a more ambitious target is 50 grams of fiber per day. (Our ancient ancestors probably ate double that, she says.) Soluble fiber is found in foods including oats, peas, berries, apples, beans and lentils. Ravella says you should aim to get your fiber from food rather than supplements, though your doctor may recommend a supplement to address a specific problem. Helpful hint: if you’re looking to up your fiber intake, “take it slow” to avoid gas or other gut issues, Ravella says.

9. Explore fermented foods

One way to help increase the variety of microorganisms in your gut is to eat more fermented foods. One review of existing research published in 2023 found that eating fermented dairy products such as yogurt and kefir reduced some (but not all) markers of inflammation, including CRP. Some great options: Go for yogurt and kefir containing active cultures that are low on added sugars and additives. Sauerkraut and kimchi are good options if labeled as lacto-fermented, unpasteurized and kept in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. Want to try kombucha? Find one that’s as low in sugar as possible.

10. Pour yourself a cup of coffee or tea

People who drink coffee, which is full of antioxidants and other helpful anti-inflammatory substances, seem to have a lower risk of many common diseases. One study, published in 2022, found that daily coffee drinkers, even if they sweetened their drinks with a little sugar, had a lower risk of early death than non-coffee drinkers. If you do drink coffee, just be sure not to go overboard on the flavored versions that add a ton of sugar and fat. Tea, too, contains compounds that can fight inflammation and has also been linked to a lower risk of early death. (As with a lot of research on nutrition and health, researching cause and effect is tricky, since people with a daily coffee or tea habit may also be doing other things that improve their health.)

11. Spice up your meals

Black pepper, ginger, rosemary and turmeric are herbs and spices that may help lower inflammation thanks to the phytochemicals they contain. So go ahead and sprinkle them on when you cook. But be aware that they’re not a magic bullet that can make up for a generally unhealthy diet. “Spices and coffee can be complementary, but I think it would be a mistake to ignore the big factors and try to fight inflammation with only these,” Giovannucci says.

12. Avoid ultraprocessed foods

“Processed meats and ultraprocessed foods high in sugars, saturated fat, refined carbohydrates and salt will tend to increase inflammation,” Giovannucci says. People whose diets are heavy on those foods tend to have higher markers of inflammation in their blood, though individuals will vary in their response, he says. Research has also linked higher consumption of ultraprocessed foods to early death . While inflammation probably contributes to these ill effects, other aspects of ultraprocessed foods, such as their impact on cholesterol levels, also likely plays a role, he says. The bad news: those foods are deeply embedded in the average American diet, making up more than half of an average adult’s caloric intake. Ready-to-eat meat, poultry and seafood products seem to be among the worst offenders, so those are a good place to start if you’re looking to make some food swaps.

13. Don’t believe online warnings about inflammatory foods

Some foods have a bad rep for their supposed inflammatory effects — at least on the internet. One example: plant foods that are high in a protein called lectin, which can be harmful in its active, raw state. But in fact, lectin-rich foods — including beans and whole grains like wheat and oats — have health benefits, and there’s no reason to exclude them from a balanced diet unless you have certain food sensitivities or autoimmune diseases, according to the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. Just be sure to cook them properly to inactivate the lectins, i.e., don’t eat raw beans or potatoes! Nightshade vegetables, such as tomatoes and eggplant, are also high in lectins and are OK unless you are intolerant or have certain autoimmune diseases, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Gluten, meantime, definitely triggers inflammation in people with celiac disease. But there’s no evidence of harm unless you have celiac, a wheat allergy or intolerance. You also have no reason to fear seed oils as a complement to healthy meals, as with a salad dressing, according to the American Heart Association. Ravella says that replacing saturated fats with seed oils can lead to lower inflammation. Note: Olive oil (which is not a seed oil) has the most evidence behind its anti-inflammatory effects.

14. Don’t depend on supplements

It’s better to get nutrients from food than from supplements, even ones promoted for their anti-inflammatory properties. There’s anecdotal evidence for some supplements, but rigorous studies are lacking, says Swirski. An exception: if your physician advises a supplement for a specific condition. Some doctors will prescribe a combination of curcumin and Qing Dai for inflammatory bowel disease, Ravella says.

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BE PROACTIVE

15. Keep your weight in check

Much of the healthy-eating advice above may help suppress inflammation by helping you maintain or lose weight. “For most people in the U.S., excess body weight is probably the most important factor related to inflammation, especially in nonsmokers,” Giovannucci says. The relationship between fat and inflammation seems to go both ways: Inflammation promotes obesity and excess fat cells release chemical signals that drive inflammation, Demark-Wahnefried says. “Most studies show that when you lose weight, markers of inflammation such as CRP tend to go down,” she adds.

16. Mind your waistline

All fat is not created equal. Visceral fat, which accumulates within the abdominal cavity, seems to be more dangerous than the subcutaneous fat that builds up right under the skin. It may be that visceral fat secretes more inflammation-promoting chemical signals, or because it’s closer to susceptible organs. That visceral fat tends to increase your waistline, Demark-Wahnefried says. Measuring your waist can give you a better idea of your risk than BMI, which relates height to weight and can underestimate body fat in older people and others who have lost muscle mass, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. The risk of heart disease and diabetes increases with a waist circumference greater than 35 inches for women and 40 inches in men.

17. Avoid too much alcohol

Add “inflammation” to the list of reasons for drinking lightly, if at all. Binge drinking, defined as consuming four or more drinks for women and five or more drinks for men on a single occasion, is pro-inflammatory, Giovannucci says. So is heavy drinking, characterized by eight or more drinks per week for women or 15-plus for men. More controversial is whether a daily glass of wine, especially red wine, might actually curb inflammation, Giovannucci says. In any case, if you’re going to drink, it’s best to do so moderately, which means one standard drink or less per day for women and two standard drinks per day or less for men. “Standard” means 12 ounces of beer containing 5 percent alcohol, 5 ounces of wine containing 12 percent alcohol, or a cocktail containing 1.5 ounces of 40 percent (80 proof) alcohol. You (or a bartender at a restaurant) may well be used to serving more than that, so take the tendency to over-pour into consideration when you’re keeping track.

18. Quit smoking

Another great reason to stop smoking: It’s linked with inflammation throughout the body, not just in the lungs. The good news is that quitting is associated with a reduction in inflammatory markers, which may help explain the lower risk of heart disease that comes after smoking stops. Vaping has its own problems: Chemicals used in vaping can disrupt the gut barrier and trigger inflammation, according to research. It’s best to quit smoking entirely. Medicare Part B will cover as many as eight smoking-cessation counseling sessions in a year, while Medicare Part D can cover prescription drugs to make quitting easier. Check with your doctor about quit programs and support.

19. Get your heart pumping

“The benefits of exercise are enormous,” Swirski says. It can help reduce body fat, which cuts down on substances that promote inflammation. Exercise itself may have direct beneficial effects by promoting positive immune system changes, something that becomes more important as you get older. One study found that while aging led to pro-inflammatory changes in muscles and the blood, lifelong exercisers were partially shielded from these effects. The CDC recommends adults — including older adults — rack up at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise, 75 minutes of vigorous exercise or an equivalent mix of both each week. Anti-inflammatory benefits can be activated by as little as 20 minutes of moderate activity, according to one study. “Moderate” exercise means your heart rate will pick up, but you’ll be able to hold a conversation; it’s about a 5 or 6 on an exertion scale of 1-10. “Vigorous” is more like a 7 or 8 on that scale, and it will be difficult to speak for any prolonged period. (Check with your health care provider before beginning any new exercise routine.)

20. Get strong

Strength training is also likely to dampen chronic inflammation, though it hasn’t been as well studied, Swirski says. It’s associated with lower risks of many of the diseases associated with inflammation, including heart disease and type 2 diabetes. The CDC recommends two sessions of muscle-strengthening exercise per week.

21. On the other hand, don’t overexercise

“There’s such a thing as too much of a good thing,” Swirski says. If exercise is too vigorous or long, it can actually cause damage. “There’s no specific prescription because training can habituate us” to harder efforts over time, he says. But basically, you shouldn’t be pushing yourself to your maximum for hours in a session or on consecutive days. It’s good to get your heart rate up, and some high-intensity exercise can be a good thing. But don’t overdo it, he says.

22. Swap sitting for movement

Make sure you spend less time on your tush. “Prolonged sedentary behaviors,” i.e., sitting or reclining, lead to a host of bad effects on the body, including higher levels of inflammation, according to a review published in 2023. And that’s a problem for a lot of us. One study found that U.S. adults spend an average of 9.5 hours being sedentary per day, mostly during work or leisure time. (A whopping 82 percent of the average American’s leisure time was spent sedentary.) Men and older adults spent the most time being sedentary. Crucially, the harmful effects of sitting too much can occur even if you’re also getting your recommended doses of exercise. The American College of Sports Medicine suggests measures like standing up and moving whenever you need a drink of water, walking to a co-worker’s desk rather than sending an email, and walking on escalators.

“I call it the law of maximum effort,” Furman says. “Park your car far away from your destination and carry your groceries. Incorporating five to 10 extra minutes of effort can help.”

23. Sleep well

Your mom was right: a lot of problems are made better by a good night’s sleep, including inflammation. As you get older, this becomes even more important, since sleep tends to get worse with age. Insufficient sleep as well as disrupted sleep — as with insomnia — is associated with inflammation, says Michael Irwin, M.D., a professor of psychiatry and behavioral science at the UCLA Geffen School of Medicine. The more slow-wave, deep sleep you get, the less likely you are to have chronic inflammation.

“With sleep deprivation, you see a preferential loss of slow-wave sleep, and there’s a direct effect in producing cellular inflammation,” Irwin says. Inflammation stemming from something like an infection or psychological stress may also be what tips an already sleep-deprived person into depression. You can improve your sleep through steps such as maintaining a regular schedule, avoiding caffeine and alcohol, and keeping your bedroom dark. If those don’t work, “treatment with cognitive behavioral therapy is very effective,” Irwin says. Mind-body approaches such as mindfulness and tai chi can also help, he says.

24. Brush and floss your teeth

Dental health is a must, not only for your teeth but for the rest of your body. Research suggests that severe periodontitis — inflammation of the gums around the teeth — is associated with diabetes, cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and death from all causes. To prevent gum disease, brush with fluoride toothpaste for two minutes at least twice daily, floss once per day and see a dentist at least once a year.

25. Forge social connections

In 2023, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy released an advisory on loneliness and isolation. The report cites inflammation as one of the biological pathways affected by social isolation, noting that “being objectively isolated, or even the perception of isolation, can increase inflammation to the same degree as physical inactivity,” and that “lower social support is associated with higher inflammation.”

That may explain many of the poor health outcomes associated with isolation and loneliness. No wonder that social connectivity is key, Furman says. That’s especially true for older adults, who are more at risk of feeling isolated.

26. Take a mini break from the grind

Stress is sometimes inevitable. If a job or personal interactions tend to make you feel stressed, it can help to take quick breaks during the day, Irwin says. “Take five minutes so your system can calm down,” he advises. You can take a walk, do a short mindfulness exercise or do some deep breathing exercises. The key is to permit your nervous system to go back to baseline for a bit, even if you have to get right back to it when you’re done.

27. Learn to manage ongoing stress

What seems to be really dangerous is chronic stress, the kind you might get from a job that has you feeling constant pressure with little control over your own work, or from ongoing financial stress, Swirski says. In addition to addressing the root causes, an exercise program can help relieve stress and fight the resultant inflammation. So can yoga, meditation or spending time with friends.

28. Go outside and play

Microbes that protect us against inflammation and other harms evolved alongside humans to form mutually beneficial relationships, Ravella says. “They’re our old friends, and they’re very, very important for managing our immune systems.” Spending more time in nature can help you physically connect with those microbes by breathing the air on a hike or getting your hands a bit dirty. (Avoid rolling around on a manicured lawn that’s treated with pesticides.) Moreover, people who reported frequently enjoying experiences in nature had lower levels of inflammation, one study found. And spending more time in nature also means you may be walking around, which is in itself helpful.

29. Avoid or reduce your exposure to pollutants

Do your best to reduce your exposure to fine particulate air pollutants, which are linked to chronic inflammation and a host of related problems such as a buildup of plaque in the arteries, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. Vehicles, forest fires and factories can all emit these tiny, inhalable particles. One study found that an increase in that type of pollution was associated with about 18,000 years of life lost among older adults from 2016 to 2018. To minimize their effects, check your local Air Quality Index for guidance on levels in your area (There’s a mobile app). If conditions are poor, portable air filters can help reduce these particles and have been shown to lower some markers of inflammation. Other measures you can take include wearing an N95 mask outside and running the car’s air conditioner in recirculate mode while driving.

30. Review your medications with your doctor

Older adults tend to take several medications, and some of those meds can disturb the balance of your microbiome, potentially increasing inflammation. Antibiotics can reduce the diversity of the bugs that live in your gut. So can nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs , statins and proton pump inhibitors. That’s another reason to discuss all the drugs you take with your physician, including over-the-counter drugs and supplements, to make sure they’re all necessary.

31. Medications aren’t a quick fix

While anti-inflammatory medications are prescribed for specific medical conditions and diseases, they can also carry significant side effects. Ibuprofen and other NSAIDs can irritate the stomach, while more powerful drugs may suppress the immune system to a degree that leaves the body susceptible to infection. So anti-inflammatory medications aren’t something that doctors prescribe without a diagnosis and a clear medical benefit.

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Katherine Hobson is a freelance writer focusing on health, psychology, science and personal finance. She has been a staff writer at The Wall Street Journal and U.S. News & World Report.

Stanley Sack, M.D., spent 33 years practicing general pediatrics in Massachusetts and Florida. He works as a freelance writer and editor from his home in Key West, Florida. His articles have been featured in publications such as Keys Weekly and Rural Health Quarterly.