During my decade-long struggle with chronic illness, I discovered something crucial: inflammation was one of the hidden fires silently fueling my symptoms. It was just one of many clues that pointed to why I had ongoing pain, gut issues, and thyroid dysfunction. For women struggling with autoimmune conditions, this internal flame doesn’t just cause discomfort—it’s often one of the key pieces keeping you from feeling like yourself again.
What Is Inflammation Really Doing in Your Body?
Imagine your body as a well-orchestrated symphony, with every cell and system playing in perfect harmony. Inflammation is like an emergency alarm system—incredibly valuable when there’s an actual threat (like an injury or infection), but destructive when it won’t stop blaring.
In healthy immune function, inflammation is acute and protective—it rallies your white blood cells to heal a cut or fight off a cold virus. But with autoimmunity, this process goes haywire, creating chronic inflammation that persists long after any genuine threat is gone.
At the cellular level, your body is producing excess pro-inflammatory molecules called cytokines, which are like tiny messengers telling your immune system to keep fighting… even when it’s fighting your own tissues. Research has connected this ongoing inflammatory response to everything from rheumatoid arthritis and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis to multiple sclerosis and inflammatory bowel disease (1).
Hidden Signs You’re Dealing With Chronic Inflammation
Many women I work with don’t realize their daily struggles are actually symptoms of chronic inflammation. Do any of these sound familiar to you?
- Persistent fatigue that doesn’t improve with rest
- Brain fog that makes you feel disconnected or unable to focus
- Joint pain or body aches that seem to move around
- Digestive issues like bloating, gas, or irregular bowel movements
- Skin problems including rashes, eczema, or acne flares
- Headaches that become more frequent or intense
- Mood changes like anxiety or depression
- Poor sleep quality despite feeling exhausted
- Hair loss or changes in hair texture
- Frequent infections showing a compromised immune system
What’s most frustrating is that standard blood tests at your doctor’s office might show “everything looks normal,” even while you’re struggling with these very real symptoms. This is where functional testing and a root-cause approach become essential—we need to look deeper at the inflammatory markers and immune system function that conventional medicine often overlooks.
The Autoimmunity-Inflammation Connection
When you have an autoimmune condition, your body is essentially stuck in a feedback loop—inflammation triggers autoimmune reactions, which cause more inflammation, continuing the cycle. This is why addressing inflammation is critical for reducing autoimmune symptoms.
The science is clear on this connection. Research shows that pro-inflammatory cytokines play a significant role in tissue damage and symptom expression in autoimmune conditions (2). These inflammatory messengers can cross the blood-brain barrier, affecting your mood, cognition, and sleep patterns—explaining why brain fog and fatigue are such common complaints.
More concerning is that chronic inflammation creates what’s called “molecular mimicry,” where your immune system can confuse your own tissues with outside invaders due to structural similarities. This case of mistaken identity fuels autoimmune attacks on specific organs and tissues (3).
Cooling the Flames: A Functional Approach
So how do we turn down this inflammatory response and help your body find balance again? Unlike conventional approaches that often focus solely on suppressing symptoms, a functional nutrition approach addresses the root causes keeping that fire burning.
1. Identify Your Personal Inflammatory Triggers
For most women I work with, their inflammatory triggers fall into several categories:
- Food sensitivities and allergies: Gluten, dairy, processed foods, and sugar are common culprits, but through functional testing, we can identify your specific triggers
- Blood sugar imbalances: When your blood glucose levels spike and crash throughout the day, it creates a significant inflammatory response. Research shows that even temporary high blood sugar can trigger inflammatory cytokine production and oxidative stress (6). This roller coaster not only depletes your energy but silently fuels autoimmune flares.
- Gut imbalances: Conditions like intestinal permeability (leaky gut), SIBO, or dysbiosis can drive systemic inflammation
- Environmental toxins: Mold exposure (which was my personal inflammatory trigger), heavy metals, and everyday chemicals
- Chronic infections: Epstein-Barr virus, Lyme disease, and other stealth infections often hide behind autoimmune symptoms
- Stress and sleep disruption: Both physical and emotional stress increase inflammatory markers and disturb healing processes
2. Build Your Anti-Inflammatory Foundation
Through my work with clients, I’ve found that these fundamental nutrition and lifestyle shifts make the biggest impact on cooling inflammation:
- Embrace a diet personalized for you: This could look like focusing on omega-3 rich foods like wild-caught salmon, walnuts, and flaxseeds, alongside a variety of animal proteins, colorful vegetables, and low-glycemic fruits. A 2018 study found that dietary patterns rich in these foods significantly reduced inflammation markers like C-reactive protein (4).
- Prioritize gut healing: Since 70-80% of your immune system lives in your gut, healing intestinal permeability is essential.
- Move mindfully: Gentle movement like walking, swimming, or yoga can lower inflammatory cytokines without creating additional stress on your system. Exercise has been shown to increase anti-inflammatory compounds that help regulate immune function (5).
- Master your stress response: Chronic stress produces cortisol, which drives inflammation when elevated over time. Practices like deep breathing, meditation, or gentle yoga can help activate your parasympathetic nervous system—your body’s natural inflammation reducer.
- Prioritize restorative sleep: Poor sleep quality directly increases inflammatory markers. Aim for 8-10 hours of quality sleep in a cool, dark room with consistent sleep/wake times.
Your Next Steps to Tame the Flames
If you’re revolving your life around inflammatory symptoms and feel like you’ve tried everything, know that there is a path forward. Addressing inflammation isn’t about quick fixes—it’s about identifying and removing what’s fueling the fire while giving your body the tools it needs to naturally restore balance.
When we work together, we don’t just target the flames—we investigate what’s fueling the fire. Every woman I work with has unique underlying triggers, which is why personalized functional testing and a bio-individual approach are so important. You don’t have to accept living with chronic inflammation as your normal. With the right support, you can cool the inflammatory fire and get back your energy.
Ready to get started on your path to reducing inflammation and managing your autoimmune symptoms? I’m here to help you take that first step.
References:
- Furman, D., et al. (2019). “Chronic inflammation in the etiology of disease across the life span.” Nature Medicine, 25(12), 1822-1832. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-019-0675-0
- Chen, L., et al. (2018). “Inflammatory responses and inflammation-associated diseases in organs.” Oncotarget, 9(6), 7204-7218. https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.23208
- Vojdani, A., et al. (2014). “Molecular mimicry as a mechanism for food immune reactivities and autoimmunity.” Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, 20(1), 48-55.
- Sureda, A., et al. (2018). “Adherence to the Mediterranean diet and inflammatory markers.” Nutrients, 10(1), 62. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10010062
- Dimitrov, S., et al. (2017). “Inflammation and exercise: Inhibition of monocytic intracellular TNF production by acute exercise via β₂-adrenergic activation.” Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 61, 60–68. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2016.12.017
- Esposito, K., et al. (2002). “Inflammatory cytokine concentrations are acutely increased by hyperglycemia in humans: role of oxidative stress.” Circulation, 106(16), 2067-2072. https://doi.org/10.1161/01.cir.0000034509.14906.ae