Need a refresher on chronic low-grade inflammation? We figured because it’s a silent problem with few easy-to-recognize symptoms, just like high blood pressure. Think weight gain, fatigue, joint pain, skin problems, and digestive issues, for starters. Any number of problems can cause these symptoms and one of them could be chronic low-grade inflammation, that is, when your body’s immune system pumps out inflammatory substances as a way of dealing with injury and disease. It’s the bad side of a good thing.

A short-term inflammatory immune response helps us fend off an attack. It’s not good when the inflammation lasts long term and is triggered by poor lifestyle choices. Over time, chronic inflammation harms our cells. You can find out more about how inflammation affects your health by clicking here.

Since chronic low-grade inflammation is so closely tied to the stuff we bring into our bodies like tobacco smoke, chemicals, red meat, alcohol, sugary and fried and highly processed foods, changing lifestyle habits is an effective way to cool our inflammation. And one of the easiest ways to start is by choosing beverages that science has shown will reduce inflammation. Here are the best, and for more on how to eat healthy, make sure you avoid these 100 Unhealthiest Foods on the Planet.

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