An autoimmune disease affects fifty million Americans (1). Millions more fall somewhere in the spectrum between autoimmune and inflammatory, a heart attack occurs every forty seconds, and a startling one in two men and one in three women will develop cancer (2). Although this degree of illness is not typical, it is undoubtedly widespread. And inflammation is a common factor among all these ailments.
Knowing where your inflammation levels are is crucial because chronic inflammation is so common. The only thing you can do is address what you are aware of. With the help from your physician, I recommend suggesting and doing one straightforward blood test to determine this.
Get to Know the Protein that Gauges the Degree of Inflammation
One of the most accurate methods for determining your amount of inflammation is to assess your C-reactive protein, often known as CRP (3). We all produce CRP, which is mostly made by the liver and, at normal levels, aids in the body’s defense against infections (3). You see, inflammation is not intrinsically harmful, but it is subject to the Goldilocks principle, which states that inflammation must be just right—it cannot be too high or too low, like other bodily substances like hormones and germs.
When unmanaged, inflammation can spread like a gasoline-fueled forest fire and cause harm. The CRP test gauges the intensity of your inflammatory storm.
What Causes a Rise in CRP?
If the CRP is high, it only indicates that inflammation is present and at what level; it does not tell you what is causing your inflammation. According to research, the following circumstances result in an increase in CRP: Autoimmune disorders (including lupus and inflammatory bowel illnesses [4, 5]), inflammation of the brain, cancer, chronic tiredness, depression, heart illness, high blood pressure, infections, metabolic syndrome, sleep apnea (6-13).
Upon visiting your physician, I recommend adding the high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) test to your next bloodwork. It determines your CRP levels. It measures CRP in the range of 0.5 to 10 mg/L. The American Heart Association and the CDC use the following reference ranges to assess a person’s risk for heart attack or stroke (14). CRP is typically used to measure this risk.
- Low risk: less than 1.0 mg/L of hs-CRP
- The range of average risk is 1.0 to 3.0 mg/L.
- Dangerous: more than 3.0 mg/L
- Extremely high risk: 10–20 mg/L
- More than 10 mg/L: a continuous increase in inflammation
The functionally ideal range is less than 1 mg/L because doctors practicing functional medicine strive for optimal health.
How to Reduce your CRP
I advise consulting with both your physician and a certified functional medicine practitioner to determine the cause of your inflammation if your CRP levels are above. A thorough medical history and other testing can help you solve the mystery of your inflammation. The best recommendations for returning inflammation levels to normal are as follows:
1. Examine your hormone levels.
Hormonal balance is key to good health, just like it is with inflammation. Elevated CRP levels were correlated with higher levels of the hormones, estrogen and leptin (15, 16).
2. Try to lead a stress-free life.
Raising CRP is just one of the many ways stresses may be detrimental to your health, as I have previously discussed. Those with toxic relationships or demanding occupations have been shown in numerous studies to have higher CRP levels (17). You live this existence. Make every effort to establish environment and boundaries that are good for your physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
3. Get restful slumber.
Many people significantly underestimate the effects of sleep on health. Your CRP levels will rise the less sleep you get, even for only one night (18). You may have noticed that you feel tight and sore after a restless night. All of this is made possible via CRP.
Try shutting off devices two hours before bed if you have trouble falling asleep. Another option is to watch your preferred MAX series at a more normal hour on a different day and treat yourself to a nice bath with Epsom salt and lavender oil. Inhale. You can do this, even though I realize it’s a lot to ask.
4. Practice mindfulness.
Being mindful Fighting inflammation is just one of the many advantages of meditation. In one study, participants in a mindfulness program for just six months significantly reduced their CRP in individuals with inflammatory bowel illnesses (19).
5. Eliminate trans fats.
According to one study, those who frequently eat trans-fat meals had CRP levels that are 73% greater than those of those who consume trans-fat foods seldom. Go through the food labels. When you come across phrases like “partially hydrogenated,” set it down and move on.
Related post: Make this Edit for Breakfast to Fight Inflammation
6. Boost your levels of B-cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin.
These two antioxidants work wonders in combating CRP! According to research, those with the lowest CRP levels are those who consume the highest amounts of zeaxanthin and B-cryptoxanthin in their diet (20, 21). Which foods contain the most of them? broccoli, turnip greens, collards, kale, and spinach.
7. Perform Tai chi.
A gentle Chinese martial art called tai chi has been demonstrated to lower CRP in people with type 2 diabetes (22).
8. Savor a cup of coffee.
It has been demonstrated that coffee drinkers had reduced CRP levels (23). Not able to take coffee? Green tea provides comparable CRP-lowering effects! (24)
9. Give up consuming so much sugar.
In case you were unaware, sugar increases inflammation, thus it’s important to remark. Numerous studies have demonstrated that eating more sugar raises your CRP (25).
10. Enjoy healthy sex!
It’s not scientifically proven, but having a healthy sexual life decreases CRP. A higher CRP was less common in men who had sex more than once a month (26). Additionally, sex boosts immune-balancing cells! You now have two solid excuses for turning it on.
11. Obtain your Bs.
Niacin and folate, two B vitamins, were linked to decreased CRP levels (27, 28). To maintain healthy methylation pathways, which are critical for regulating inflammation, activated B vitamins are required.
12. Get in motion.
Regular exercisers were able to reduce their CRP! (28) To get my heart rate up, I enjoy strength training, hiking, and dancing!
To Wrap Things Up
It’s clear that understanding and managing inflammation is essential for maintaining overall health. By monitoring your CRP levels and implementing lifestyle changes like improving sleep, reducing stress, and adopting a balanced diet, you can significantly lower your inflammation. Don’t forget the importance of regular exercise and mindful practices like meditation and tai chi.
Partnering with your physician to tailor these strategies to your individual needs can help you achieve optimal wellness. Small, consistent steps can lead to significant improvements in your health and well-being.
Sources |
- 1-in-5-Brochure.pdf (autoimmune.org)
- What is a Heart Attack? | American Heart Association
- C-Reactive Protein (CRP) and its Association with Periodontal Disease: A Brief Review – PMC (nih.gov)
- CRP and the disposal of dying cells: consequences for systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis – PubMed (nih.gov)
- Association Between Circulating Levels of C-Reactive Protein and Interleukin-6 and Risk of Inflammatory Bowel Disease – PubMed (nih.gov)
- Elevated c-reactive protein levels are associated with prevalent dementia in the oldest-old – PMC (nih.gov)
- CRP identifies homeostatic immune oscillations in cancer patients: a potential treatment targeting tool? – PMC (nih.gov)
- Association of C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 with new-onset fatigue in the Whitehall II prospective cohort study – PMC (nih.gov)
- CRP, IL-6 and depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies – PubMed (nih.gov)
- Statin Therapy in Metabolic Syndrome and Hypertension Post-JUPITER: What is the Value of CRP? – PMC (nih.gov)
- What’s new in Emergencies Trauma and Shock? C-reactive protein as a potential clinical biomarker for influenza infection: More questions than answers – PMC (nih.gov)
- Statin Therapy in Metabolic Syndrome and Hypertension Post-JUPITER: What is the Value of CRP? – PMC (nih.gov)
- Serum levels of magnesium and their relationship with CRP in patients with OSA – PubMed (nih.gov)
- Strategies for vascular disease prevention: the role of lipids and related markers including apolipoproteins, low-density lipoproteins (LDL)-particle size, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA₂) and lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) – PubMed (nih.gov)
- [Investigation of atherosclerosis in postmenopausal women: alteration of atherosclerosis-associated factors and vascular atherosclerosis by oral and transdermal estrogen replacement] – PubMed (nih.gov)
- Role of C Reactive Protein (CRP) in Leptin Resistance – PMC (nih.gov)
- High-sensitivity CRP: possible link between job stress and atherosclerosis – PubMed (nih.gov)
- Effect of sleep loss on C-reactive protein, an inflammatory marker of cardiovascular risk – PubMed (nih.gov)
- The Effect of Breathing, Movement, and Meditation on Psychological and Physical Symptoms and Inflammatory Biomarkers in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial – PubMed (nih.gov)
- Dietary beta-cryptoxanthin and inflammatory polyarthritis: results from a population-based prospective study – PubMed (nih.gov)
- Dietary patterns and risk of elevated C-reactive protein concentrations 12 years later – PubMed (nih.gov)
- Effect of t’ai chi exercise on biochemical profiles and oxidative stress indicators in obese patients with type 2 diabetes – PubMed (nih.gov)
- Coffee Consumption and C-Reactive Protein Levels: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis – PMC (nih.gov)
- Coffee and tea consumption in relation to inflammation and basal glucose metabolism in a multi-ethnic Asian population: a cross-sectional study – PMC (nih.gov)
- Relation between a diet with a high glycemic load and plasma concentrations of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in middle-aged women – PubMed (nih.gov)
- Is Sex Good for Your Health? A National Study on Partnered Sexuality and Cardiovascular Risk Among Older Men and Women – PMC (nih.gov)
- The Effects of Niacin on Inflammation in Patients with Non-ST Elevated Acute Coronary Syndrome – PMC (nih.gov)
- New evidences for C-reactive protein (CRP) deposits in the arterial intima as a cardiovascular risk factor – PMC (nih.gov)
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