Chronic inflammation is a huge problem in my practice. Most patients who come to me are not surprised to find out that they are in some state of chronic inflammation.
They present with stiffness, achiness, pain, neurological symptoms, brain fog, sleep disturbances, reflux, skin conditions, respiratory conditions, depression, anxiety, gut problems, and auto-immunity. If you have been experiencing any of these symptoms for a prolonged period, you might have chronic inflammation as well.
The good news is, you can reverse chronic inflammation with powerful lifestyle adjustments. Nutrition and movement play a dramatic role in curbing inflammation. I had one patient lose 13 lbs in just two weeks by following my Reset Diet and doing the exercises I have prescribed.
You can skip to the exercises and diet here. But I invite you to first learn more about how chronic inflammation develops, how it affects your health, and why fascia-based exercises are so potent at overcoming inflammation.
How does chronic inflammation develop, and how does it affect your health?
Let me begin by clarifying that inflammation is healthy, normal, and natural. It is our immune system’s response to an injury or infection. When we injure ourselves or ingest a pathogen, white blood cells rush to contain the damage and repair damaged tissue.
It is when inflammation persists that it becomes a problem. The most common causes of chronic inflammation I see in my practice are:
- blood sugar dysregulation,
- inflammatory and immune provocative food consumption,
- exposure to infectious agents,
- an inability to clear infections, bio, or environmental toxins from the body,
- sleep problems, and
- stress.
Over the years, low-grade inflammation from these factors can progress to diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, Lupus, and Hashimoto’s.
The DNA damage caused by chronic inflammation also sets the stage for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, neurodegenerative conditions, and even some cancers.
What are the best exercises for anti-inflammation?
When it comes to anti-inflammation, not all exercises are made equal. Fascia-based exercises, like the ones we do in Rev6, are particularly potent in reducing inflammation.
The fascia is the pathway for your blood and lymph vessels. So when you have healthy fascia, nutrients are better delivered to the cells, hormones are better circulated, and waste is better removed.
The fascia also houses immune cells. Healthy fascia can regulate the cytokine storm that causes inflammation to persist by responding to inflammatory signals appropriately.
Healthy fascia is also essential for healthy fat distribution. The superficial fascia and deep fascia organize your adipose tissue and affect its health. Stiff adipose tissue tends to hold onto fat and store inflammatory byproducts, keeping you inflamed.
The following exercises, in addition to improving fascial health, will help with autonomic nervous system regulation, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) stimulation, and immunity. The combined effect is a dramatic reduction in inflammation.
Let’s go through these six Rev6 exercises one by one:
Exercise 1: Frog Rock
Frog Rock is great for autonomic nervous system balancing, lymphatic drainage, and reducing neuroinflammation.
How to do the Frog Rock:
Exercise 2: Supine Knees Side-to-Side
Supine Knees Side-to-Side mobilizes the lymph, supports the kidneys in eliminating wastes, and facilitates liver and gallbladder detox.
How to do the Supine Knees Side-to-Side:
- Lie on the floor and put your heels on the top of the ball
- Reach your hands opposite one another at shoulder level
- With your knees together, move your feet to one side
- Use your lower abs to bring your knees back to the midline
- Repeat on the other side
Exercise 3: Squat into Overhead Reach
Squat into Overhead Reach facilitates circulation and intestinal function.
How to do the Squat into Overhead Reach:
Exercise 4: Side Kick
Side Kick helps detox waste in the gallbladder, liver, and kidney.
How to do the Side Kick:
Exercise 5: Side Toss
Side Toss mobilizes the gallbladder meridian and lymph system.
Exercise 6: Horizontal Wall Squat
Horizontal Wall Squat supports kidney health, stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, and improves vagal nerve tone.
Try all of these exercises in one 12-minute workout!
Do this workout at least thrice a week while following my Reset Diet for best results. The Reset Diet Guide is available for free to all Rev6 Skool members. You can join us here.