This post is written in partnership with New Chapter, however all opinions are my own. I only work with and recommend companies whose products I love, and I’m so excited to share these with you!

By now we know that managing our body’s inflammatory response is critical to health and longevity, but why is it so important, and how we can consider this is as part of our daily wellness routine?

What is an inflammatory response? 

Not all inflammation is bad, in fact inflammation is our body’s natural defense mechanism against harmful intruders. Upon detection of a threat (for example a cut on your finger) cellular chemical signalers trigger a response from our immune system to help deal with the danger. Acute inflammation is a natural and healthy part of our immune system, and usually subsides within a number of days.

Chronic (or systemic) inflammation is different. It is a low level, constant activation of the immune system that can contribute to the development of disease. The body may detect what it considers as internal threats such as toxins and food particles in the bloodstream, and signal for the immune system to set off a response, much like in the case of acute inflammation. However, if there is no threat to respond to the immune system may start to attack the body’s healthy tissues which can lead to auto-immune conditions and other chronic diseases.

Four Easy Ways to Manage Inflammation 

 1)    Eat A Whole Foods Based Diet

By eating a non-processed, whole foods based diet we provide our body with foods that it recognizes as fuel, not as a threat! Our GI tract is the one of the first lines of defense for our immune system, and overly processed, chemically laden foods can damage the integrity of its lining, causing food particles to get into the bloodstream and set off a damaging immune response. Ensure you are getting a wide range of antioxidant rich, rainbow colored fruits and vegetables in your diet to help manage inflammation on a daily basis and boost overall health and wellbeing. I eat at least 7 servings of fruit and vegetables a day and try to get in as many different colors as possible for maximum micronutrient benefits!

2) Limit Exposure to Toxins 

Inflammation causing toxins don’t just get into our bodies through food, our household and personal care products can be a source of inflammation causing chemicals too. Consider non-toxic natural household cleaning products and do the same for your personal care products. Start by switching out your deodorant, body lotion and lip balm as these go on large and absorbent areas of the skin and have the most potential to be damaging to health. Clean skincare and make-up products have come a long way from when I started to use them over a decade ago, and they now easily rival their conventional counterparts.

3) Nature’s Anti-Inflammatories 

Herbs such as ginger and turmeric have been used for centuries as gentle pain relievers and as a way to naturally mitigate inflammation in the body – there are over 12000 peer-reviewed studies on the benefits of curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric! Adding one or both to soups, stews, salad dressings and hot drinks is a simple and delicious way to boost your diet and overall health and wellbeing, and I love to make a nourishing and soothing Golden Milk Latte with grated ginger and turmeric before bed.

4) Add Zyflamend Whole Body To Your Daily Supplement Regimen

New Chapter’s Zyflamend Whole Body helps your body to balance a healthy inflammation response at the cellular level. In-vitro studies have shown that Zyflamend mitigates part of the signaling process that triggers the body’s inflammatory response, meaning it can help prevent the damaging inflammatory cascade that can be present in chronic inflammation.

Not only does Zyflamend Whole Body contain a blend of 10 herbs that help manage inflammation and relieve minor pain and soreness (such as turmeric, rosemary, green tea and ginger), but pre-clinical testing shows that this combination of ingredients shows a greater inhibitory effect than the calculated sum of its parts.

It takes a lot for me to add another supplement to my daily regimen but since taking Zyflamend Whole Body I have noticed a considerable decrease in joint and muscular aches and pains, and as I love to work out at least 5 days a week it has become an integral part of my morning routine!