Lifestyle interventions associated with lower inflammation levels
Updated: Dec 8, 2022
Below you will find lifestyle interventions from the scientific literature that are associated with lower inflammation levels, but how each of these impacts you personally will vary. So, feel free to choose from this list or choose something else you have been meaning to implement and see what type of impact it has on you.
Always seek the advice of your physician or another licensed health care provider with any questions you may have regarding your health and before undertaking a new regimen.
Chart: Lifestyle Changes Associated with Lower Inflammation Levels
References below
Example quantities and time periods studied
The below chart shows example quantities and time periods used in studies of the impact of the habit on hsCRP/CRP. Note that studies were conducted in a wide range of participant health levels. In addition, at times, supplements were used as the habit. There is varying quality of supplements and the natural source may be an alternative.
Category | Habit studied | Example quantities studied | Example time period studied | Notes and References |
Nutrition | Berries (Bilberry) | 330 mL bilberry juice/day (diluted to 1 L using tap water) | 4 weeks | Data based on a single study Reference 1 |
Nutrition | Berries (Cranberry) | 450 mL/day of high polyphenol cranberry extract beverage 240 mL two times/day of low-calorie cranberry juice | 8 weeks | |
Nutrition | Cinnamon | 2, 500mg capsules of cinnamon (Cinnamomum burmannii bark ground into a fine powder) twice a day | 8 weeks | Data based on a single study where participants started with very high CRP due to Rheumatoid Arthritis Reference 1 |
Nutrition | Curcumin | 500 mg curcuminoids with 5 mg piperine capsules twice per day Two 40 mg capsules of Nanomicelle curcumin (Sina Curcumin®) per day | 8 weeks - 3 months | |
Nutrition | Garlic | Garlic capsules (250 mg capsules) twice per day Garlicin capsule 400 mg/day | 12 weeks to 3 months | |
Nutrition | Ginger | Two 500 mg capsules twice a day One 1000 mg tablet twice a day | 8 weeks | |
Nutrition | Magnesium Supplement | 320-450 mg/day | 7 weeks - 6.5 months | |
Nutrition | Mediterranean Diet | Variations of a mediterranean-style diet. | 12 weeks to 2 years | Data based on a meta-analysis across studies. Studies included had MD dietary or provision of dietary factors relevant to the MD with at least two components from the following list required: - High monounsaturated/saturated fat ratio (use of olive oil as main cooking ingredient), - Low to moderate red wine consumption, - High consumption of legumes, - High consumption of grains and cereals, - High consumption of fruits and vegetables, - Low consumption of meat and meat products and increased consumption of fish, - Moderate consumption of milk and dairy products Reference 1 |
Nutrition | Mediterranean diet + Olive Oil | Mediterranean diet supplemented with 50mL/d of extra virgin olive oil | 12 months | |
Nutrition | Strawberries | 1 cup of freeze dried strawberry powdered beverage twice per day at least 6 hours apart; each cup contained 25 g of freeze dried strawberry powder, which is equivalent to ~250g of fresh strawberries | 6 weeks | |
Nutrition | Tart Cherries | 240-480 mL/day tart cherry juice | 4-12 weeks | |
Nutrition | Vegetarian Diet | Vegetarian Diet | 52 weeks+ | |
Exercise | Aerobic | 5 days/week, 45 minutes exercise sessions | 16 - 52 weeks | |
Exercise | Strength Training | 3 days/week, 3 sets, 10 exercises, 8-12 repetitions | 12 weeks | |
Stress | Mindfulness | Interoception and present-moment focus; began with a 3-day retreat, followed by weekly 2-hour group sessions and 30 minutes of practice daily. | 3 months | Data based on a single study, effect only shown for participants who were male and had relatively higher inflammatory levels at baseline Reference 1 |
Stress | Yoga | 70 minutes (10-minutes warm-up, 40-minutes standing or seated yoga postures, 20-minute relaxation); 2 times a week for first 2 weeks, then 3 times a week | 8 weeks | |
Sleep | No electronics (e.g., smart phones) in bedroom | | | |
Sleep | Sleep/wake at the same time daily | | | |
Sleep | Exercise during the day | | |
References for Chart: Lifestyle Changes Associated with Lower Inflammation Levels
Nutrition
Anthocyanin containing berries (e.g. blueberry, cranberry) Xu, Lin, et al. "Anthocyanins, anthocyanin-rich berries, and cardiovascular risks: Systematic review and meta-analysis of 44 randomized controlled trials and 15 prospective cohort studies." Frontiers in nutrition 8 (2021). (Link)
Tart Cherries Gholami, Ali, et al. "The beneficial effect of tart cherry on plasma levels of inflammatory mediators (not recovery after exercise): A systematic review and meta-analysis on randomized clinical trials." Complementary Therapies in Medicine 68 (2022): 102842. (Link)
Cinnamon Zhu, Changyou, et al. "Impact of cinnamon supplementation on cardiometabolic biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials." Complementary Therapies in Medicine 53 (2020): 102517. (Link)
Cinnamon Vallianou, Natalia, et al. "Effect of cinnamon (Cinnamomum Zeylanicum) supplementation on serum C-reactive protein concentrations: A meta-analysis and systematic review." Complementary Therapies in Medicine 42 (2019): 271-278. (Link)
Curcumin (found in turmeric) Ferguson, Jessica JA, Kylie A. Abbott, and Manohar L. Garg. "Anti-inflammatory effects of oral supplementation with curcumin: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials." Nutrition Reviews 79.9 (2021): 1043-1066. (Link)
Garlic Taghizadeh, Mohsen, Zahra Hamedifard, and Sadegh Jafarnejad. "Effect of garlic supplementation on serum C‐reactive protein level: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials." Phytotherapy research 33.2 (2019): 243-252. (Link)
Garlic Darooghegi Mofrad, Manije, et al. "Garlic supplementation reduces circulating C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor, and Interleukin-6 in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials." The journal of nutrition 149.4 (2019): 605-618. (Link)
Ginger Morvaridzadeh, Mojgan, et al. "Effect of ginger (Zingiber officinale) on inflammatory markers: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials." Cytokine 135 (2020): 155224. (Link)
Magnesium Supplement Mazidi, Mohsen, Peyman Rezaie, and Maciej Banach. "Effect of magnesium supplements on serum C-reactive protein: a systematic review and meta-analysis." Archives of Medical Science 14.4 (2018): 707-716. (Link)
Mediterranean Diet Schwingshackl, L., and G. Hoffmann. "Mediterranean dietary pattern, inflammation and endothelial function: a systematic review and meta-analysis of intervention trials." Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases 24.9 (2014): 929-939. (Link)
Olive Oil Schwingshackl, Lukas, Marina Christoph, and Georg Hoffmann. "Effects of olive oil on markers of inflammation and endothelial function—a systematic review and meta-analysis." Nutrients 7.9 (2015): 7651-7675. (Link)
Strawberry Gao, Qi, et al. "Effects of strawberry intervention on cardiovascular risk factors: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials." British Journal of Nutrition 124.3 (2020): 241-246. (Link)
Vegetarian Diet Craddock, Joel C., et al. "Vegetarian-based dietary patterns and their relation with inflammatory and immune biomarkers: a systematic review and meta-analysis." Advances in Nutrition10.3 (2019): 433-451. (Link)
Exercise
Resistance Training Costa, Rochelle Rocha, et al. "Effect of strength training on lipid and inflammatory outcomes: systematic review with meta-analysis and meta-regression." Journal of Physical Activity and Health 16.6 (2019): 477-491. (Link)
Exercise in General Hammonds, Tracy L., et al. "Effects of exercise on c-reactive protein in healthy patients and in patients with heart disease: A meta-analysis." Heart & Lung 45.3 (2016): 273-282. (Link)
Exercise in General Fedewa, Michael V., Elizabeth D. Hathaway, and Christie L. Ward-Ritacco. "Effect of exercise training on C reactive protein: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised and non-randomised controlled trials." British journal of sports medicine 51.8 (2017): 670-676. (Link)
Aerobic Exercise Zheng, Guohua, et al. "Effect of aerobic exercise on inflammatory markers in healthy middle-aged and older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials." Frontiers in aging neuroscience 11 (2019): 98. (Link)
Sleep
Sleep Disturbance and Duration Irwin, Michael R., Richard Olmstead, and Judith E. Carroll. "Sleep disturbance, sleep duration, and inflammation: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies and experimental sleep deprivation." Biological psychiatry 80.1 (2016): 40-52. (Link)
Sleep Duration Grandner, Michael A., et al. "Sleep duration, cardiovascular disease, and proinflammatory biomarkers." Nature and science of sleep 5 (2013): 93. (Link)
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