How to Reduce Inflammation in the Body Naturally

Inflammation can be a good thing. When you scrape your knee or fight off a virus, your immune system triggers a short-term response to protect you and start the healing process. This kind of acute inflammation resolves within a matter of hours or days.

The problem arises when an inflammatory response doesn’t turn off. When it persists for weeks, months, or even years, it becomes chronic inflammation. That’s a serious problem with long-term health impacts.

The good news is that there are things you can do to influence this process, including following an anti-inflammatory diet, reducing stress, and engaging in regular exercise. These healthy habits can help reduce inflammation and boost overall wellness.

How Reducing Inflammation Will Improve Your Health

Research consistently links chronic, systemic inflammation with an increased risk of metabolic issues, heart disease, accelerated aging, and chronic diseases. (1)

Inflammation itself isn’t the enemy, though. Acute inflammation is a normal part of a healthy immune response that helps the body clear damaged cells, fight infections, and initiate healing. It becomes an issue when it shifts from a short-term reaction to a long-term one.

Chronic inflammation often begins with signals that something in the body is out of balance, such as high blood sugar, oxidative stress, or elevated cortisol levels. Over time, this ongoing response can damage tissues instead of repairing them. 

This is why chronic inflammation is associated with issues like low energy, weight gain, joint pain, blood sugar instability, and cognitive decline. 

Fortunately, taking steps to reduce inflammation in the body has the opposite effect. It reduces oxidative stress, protecting your cells from damage, and supports heart health. It makes it easier to regulate your blood sugar, helps keep your gut microbiome balanced, and so much more.

By embracing lifestyle changes that support your body’s healing process, you can naturally help restore balance and reduce inflammation throughout the body. It starts with diet.

1. Eat More Anti-Inflammatory Foods

Improving your diet is one of the quickest ways to reduce inflammation in the body. Many cases of chronic inflammation start with blood sugar spikes and nutrient imbalances. Not to mention the overload of sugar and chemicals found in modern processed foods. (2)

Shifting toward whole, unprocessed, nutrient-dense foods gives your body the antioxidants, polyphenols, and healthy fats it needs to calm inflammation at the cellular level. A low-carb, keto diet can naturally support this shift. 

Removing refined sugars and grains addresses one of the biggest diet-related causes of inflammation. Keto also encourages whole foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids that help support a balanced immune response. 

Foods to Prioritize

These powerful anti-inflammatory foods give your body what it needs to prevent inflammation from the inside out, thanks to rich antioxidants, healthy fats, and natural phytonutrients:

• Avocados: High in monounsaturated fats, potassium, and antioxidants, avocados promote balanced blood sugar.
• Berries: Blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries are rich in fiber and polyphenols that support a healthy gut and regulate oxidative stress.
• Extra virgin olive oil: This is a staple anti-inflammatory fat rich in oleic acid and polyphenols. (3)
• Fatty fish: Salmon, sardines, anchovies, and mackerel are rich in EPA and DHA, omega-3 fats known to reduce inflammatory markers and support brain and heart health. (4)
• Fermented foods: Sauerkraut, kimchi, and unsweetened yogurt support the gut microbiome, which plays a major role in regulating inflammation.
• Herbs and spices: Turmeric, ginger, garlic, cinnamon, and rosemary contain anti-inflammatory compounds that support immune system balance. 
• Leafy greens: Spinach, kale, arugula, and chard provide vitamins A, C, K, folate, and antioxidants that help protect cells from free radical damage. (5)
• Nuts and seeds: Walnuts, chia seeds, and flaxseeds are full of healthy fats, magnesium, and plant-based antioxidants. If you’re following keto for inflammation, choose lower-carb nuts.

Plant-based foods like beans, lentils, and whole grains like brown rice also boast anti-inflammatory properties, but they’re higher in carbs and limited on a ketogenic diet. 

Foods to Limit or Avoid

Try to limit or avoid these foods as much as possible to combat inflammation:

• Deep-fried foods (e.g., French fries and donuts)
• Excessive alcohol
• Processed meat (e.g., bacon and bologna)
• Refined carbohydrates (e.g., white bread and pastries)
• Refined sugar and sweeteners
• Sugar-sweetened beverages (e.g,. sodas and juices)
• Trans fats (e.g., margarine and shortening)
• Ultra-processed foods

Although some studies show a link between red meat and inflammation, others show that high-quality, lean cuts of meat can have a place in a healthy diet when sourced well. (6) If you’re following a Mediterranean diet or a version of it, you can opt for more poultry or fish.

2. Rethink How You Cook and Shop for Food

Natural ways to reduce inflammation aren’t only about what you add to your grocery list, but also how you prepare your food. 

High-heat frying can create oxidized oils and inflammatory compounds. Gentler methods help preserve nutrients and keep fats stable, maintaining the foods’ anti-inflammatory effects. Here are a few quick ways to reduce inflammation in the body — starting in the kitchen:

• Steam or sauté vegetables to retain antioxidants.
• Roast or bake proteins instead of frying or grilling.
• Use stable fats like avocado oil, coconut oil, ghee, or butter for cooking.

It’s also important to shop with awareness. Be sure to read ingredient lists thoroughly. We love a keto-friendly snack, but some packaged “keto” products are still ultra-processed and not always healthy. 

Avoid hidden sugars that can show up under names like “maltodextrin” or “dextrose.” Watch for hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils, too. They indicate the presence of trans fats, a known driver of inflammation.

Most importantly, choose whole foods whenever possible. Look for single-ingredient lists, fresh produce, pasture-raised meats, and minimally processed staples. These can all be part of an anti-inflammatory diet. 

3. Move Your Body Regularly

Research shows that consistent physical activity boasts big anti-inflammatory benefits. (7) You don’t need intense workouts to see those benefits, either. Moderate movement that raises your heart rate — like brisk walking, light cycling, swimming, and strength training — all count.

Exercise also helps you maintain a healthy body weight, reducing the strain on your muscles, bones, and organs and improving your insulin sensitivity, a major source of inflammation. (8) All that sweat during exercise can also help detox the body from potentially inflammatory toxins. 

4. Prioritize Sleep and Stress Management

Chronic stress and bad sleep are major drivers of inflammation because they raise cortisol, your body’s primary stress hormone. While cortisol helps you respond to immediate threats, too much of a low-grade, persistent stress response can damage tissues and increase inflammation.

This doesn’t just result in insufficient sleep. It puts you at a higher risk for heart disease and neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s. (9)

To get a handle on it, start with managing your stress. Weight loss, reducing exposure to toxins, and adopting a healthier diet are all ways to reduce physical stress. Emotional stress can be more challenging.

Practices like mindfulness meditation, journaling, deep breathing exercises, Tai Chi, and yoga are all linked to lower cortisol and reduced inflammation. Look for mind-body classes in your community or online videos. Even 5 minutes per day can make a difference.

From there, look at your sleep habits. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night to give your body the chance to repair, restore, and regulate its immune function. If you short yourself on that time, you put yourself at risk for serious health conditions tied to inflammation.

That’s why chronic sleep deprivation is related to obesity and type 2 diabetes risk, mental health issues, high blood pressure, and more. (10) Create a consistent bedtime routine, reduce screen time before bed, and make your sleep environment a place for rest, not stress.

5. Stay Hydrated

Staying hydrated is a great way to reduce inflammation. Try for 8-10 cups of liquid per day, more after you exercise or if you live in a hot climate. Choose healthy drinks without added sugar or artificial chemicals, or opt for water instead. 

We’ve heard it a million times before, but our bodies are mostly water. Every cell relies on adequate hydration to function properly. When you’re dehydrated, cells shrink and the fluid around them decreases.

This creates friction and stress that can contribute to low-grade inflammation. Think of it like siblings cramped in the back seat of a long car ride, bumping into each other constantly.

Hydration supports healthy circulation, digestion, metabolic function, detoxification, and temperature regulation, all of which influence how your body handles inflammation. (11)

6. Try Evidence-Based Anti-Inflammatory Supplements

Lifestyle factors like diet, sleep, and stress management are where you should start to control inflammation, but supplements can help where you’re lacking. Anti-inflammatory supplements work alongside healthy habits, rather than replacing them, for a balanced approach.

• Curcumin: Curcumin is the active compound in turmeric responsible for most of its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Studies show regular use may delay the progression of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). (12)
• Omega-3 fatty acids: Found in fatty fish or as fish oil or krill oil supplements, omega-3s support heart health and regulate inflammatory pathways. They’re even more effective when paired with a low-carb diet. (13)
• Magnesium: This essential mineral is responsible for hundreds of enzymatic reactions, including helping regulate your body’s inflammatory responses. Adequate magnesium also supports muscle relaxation, sleep, and stress management.
• Vitamin D: Vitamin D promotes immune regulation and overall metabolic health. Many people are deficient, especially during seasonal changes. Supplementation can help maintain proper inflammatory control.
• Green tea polyphenols: Green tea is high in catechins, especially epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a powerful polyphenol with antioxidant and anti‑inflammatory effects. (14) It supports immune regulation and helps protect cells from oxidative damage.
• Antioxidants: Antioxidants help neutralize free radicals that can trigger inflammation and protect cells from oxidative stress. Our Super Reds Antioxidant Blend is packed with antioxidant-rich fruit extracts and vitamin D to support healthy aging.
• Nattokinase: This natural enzyme supports circulation by breaking down excess fibrin to improve blood flow for a more balanced inflammatory response. Toku Flow provides a clinically relevant dose, featuring vitamin K2 and beta‑glucan for daily support.

The Role of Ketosis

A ketogenic diet isn’t the only way to lower inflammation, but it can do so by default. Sugar and refined grains are eliminated and replaced with whole foods loaded with nutrition. Keto also balances the ratio of omega-3 fatty acids to omega-6 fatty acids, reducing inflammation and supporting cellular health.

Ketosis itself can improve your body’s cellular efficiency by encouraging it to use fat‑derived ketones for energy instead of glucose. This shift may reduce oxidative stress. Some research also suggests it may play a role in healthy aging and brain health. (15)

For improved metabolic health, steady energy, and inflammation management, adopting a low-carb approach like keto can provide an added layer of support. Add the anti-inflammatory habits we’ve outlined, and you’re well on your way toward a healthier, more balanced body.

FAQs

Your Next Steps Toward Lower Inflammation

Chronic inflammation can be subtle, but its effects on your body can become serious over time. Fortunately, small, consistent changes add up. Start by focusing on nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory foods, staying hydrated, exercising regularly, and prioritizing good sleep and effective stress management. Consider supplements like omega-3s, curcumin, or nattokinase, or adopt a keto diet to fight inflammation.

If you’re curious how to structure your macros to support ketosis and inflammation control, try our Keto Macros Calculator.

15 References