Calm Is the New Cure: How Managing Inflammation Supports Longevity and Overall Wellness for a Better You

Aging well isn’t relegated just to genetics or luck. It’s deeply influenced by what’s happening inside your body. One of the biggest factors in the process is chronic inflammation. While inflammation itself isn’t always the enemy, it’s a vital immune response that helps the body heal and protect itself from stress and damage. But when inflammation lingers in the body at low levels for months or even years, it can start to wear down the body’s normal systems, influencing everything from heart health to brain function, the skin, and even longevity.

Modern life makes chronic inflammation easy to overlook. While you may not see the symptoms, chances are they are there. Chronic stress keeps the nervous system on high alert, decreases sleep quality, limits the body’s ability to repair, and disrupts gut health, which shows on the skin. None of these factors is dramatic on its own, but together, they can quietly raise inflammation levels over time and negatively affect how the body ages. The good news? Reducing inflammation is easier than you may think. Small, consistent choices can decrease inflammation levels. When you understand how inflammation works, you can stop fearing it and start working with your body. Because aging well isn’t about stopping time, it’s about giving the body what it needs to thrive.

Understanding the Basics of Chronic Inflammation

Inflammation is part of the body’s natural defense system that helps it heal from injury, fight infection, and recover from stress. While this response is protective and necessary, it becomes problematic when it shifts from short-term to ongoing.

There are two types of inflammation: acute and chronic inflammation. Acute inflammation occurs when you cut your skin or when the body is fighting a cold. It causes symptoms such as swelling, redness, and heat, which are temporary and signal that healing is underway. On the other hand, chronic inflammation lingers quietly. You may not feel pain, but subtle inflammation symptoms, including fatigue, brain fog, joint stiffness, and digestive and skin issues, can build over time. This persistent immune activity fuels oxidative stress, disrupts gut health and inflammation, and interferes with recovery, making it harder for the body to reset. Chronic inflammation, also called low-grade inflammation or the trendy term inflammaging, has been linked to accelerated inflammation and aging, weakened metabolic health, and reduced longevity.

Over time, Dr. William Kennedy says “Chronic inflammation can silently undermine skin health, contributing to dullness, increased sensitivity, redness, and recurring breakouts.” Unfortunately, these visible symptoms highlight the connection between inflammation and skin health. But chronic inflammation is also associated with cardiovascular strain and cognitive decline.

The Importance of Longevity and Aging

Chronic inflammation accelerates natural aging by increasing oxidative stress, disrupting metabolic health, and interfering with the body’s ability to repair itself. Over time, this contributes to inflammation and aging (inflammaging), leading to a faster decline in skin elasticity, joint health, brain function, and cardiovascular resilience. Researchers view inflammaging as a key driver of aging and chronic disease. “Chronic inflammation accelerates many of the visible and biological signs of aging by breaking down collagen, impairing cellular repair, and weakening the skin barrier. Addressing inflammation early is essential for supporting healthier aging at both the skin and systemic level,” says Dr. Kennedy.

When chronic inflammation levels escalate, they show up as redness, sensitivity, breakouts, and dullness. It can also appear as fatigue, stiffness, or brain fog. These often “quiet” signs of inflammation indicate that the body is in defense mode rather than repair mode.

But just because inflammaging is present doesn’t mean it’s forever. Science suggests that learning how to reduce inflammation plays a role in extending longevity and wellness. Lowering chronic inflammation supports healthier blood vessels, sharper cognition, stronger immunity, and more resilient skin, all markers of healthy aging. According to Dr. Kennedy, “Reducing chronic inflammation doesn’t require extreme measures. Small, consistent habits—like following an anti-inflammatory diet, prioritizing quality sleep, managing stress, and supporting the skin barrier—can help to lower inflammation levels so that you feel better, stay healthier, and are more resilient.”

Chronic Inflammation Symptoms and How to Identify Them

Chronic inflammation often goes unnoticed because it doesn’t always cause obvious pain. Instead, it shows up as subtle, ongoing changes in how you feel and how your body functions. Common signs of inflammation can include:

• Persistent fatigue
• Brain fog
• Joint stiffness
• Digestive discomfort
• Frequent colds
• Skin issues like redness, breakouts, or sensitivity
• Mood changes
• Trouble sleeping
• Slower recovery after exercise

So how do you know if you have chronic inflammation? Dr. Kennedy says one of the preliminary symptoms to look for are “feeling persistently run down, noticing changes in skin sensitivity or tone, experiencing disrupted sleep, or having a heightened stress response. Paying attention to these early signals is key to addressing inflammation before it becomes more ingrained.”

There are also tests and tools used to assess inflammation levels, including the CRP blood test (C-reactive protein). Elevated CRP levels can signal chronic inflammation in the body, even if you don’t feel sick. While CRP doesn’t always pinpoint the exact source, it’s a helpful marker for tracking low-grade inflammation linked to heart disease, metabolic issues, and inflammation and longevity outcomes. Other markers used include ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate) and certain cytokine levels. Ultimately, identifying chronic inflammation means listening to your body—and partnering with your healthcare provider for clarity.

The Effects of Chronic Inflammation on Skin + Overall Beauty

Your skin is one of the first places chronic inflammation shows up. When the immune system stays in a constant low-grade state of alert, it increases oxidative stress, disrupts the skin barrier, and slows cellular repair. When cortisol remains elevated due to increased levels of inflammation, the skin can struggle to regulate oil, hydration, and repair. Signs of inflammation often appear subtly as:

• Persistent redness or flushing
• Sensitivity and stinging
• Breakouts that take longer to heal
• Puffiness, especially around the eyes
• Uneven tone or dullness
• A lack of hydration
• Uneven skin tone and texture
• Frequent acne breakouts

Inflammation also worsens many common skin conditions. Acne is fueled by inflammatory responses to bacteria and clogged pores. Rosacea is closely tied to immune overactivity and blood vessel inflammation. Eczema reflects a disrupted skin barrier and heightens immune response. Puffiness often stems from inflammation-related fluid retention and poor lymphatic flow.

One of the lesser-known effects of chronic inflammation is its impact on collagen and elastin, the proteins that keep skin firm and smooth. Persistent inflammation increases enzymes that break down collagen while raising oxidative stress, accelerating visible aging. When inflammation stays high, the skin spends more time in defense mode and less in repair mode. Inflammaging is one of the key drivers of visible changes in the skin. Instead of bouncing back quickly, skin affected by inflammaging heals more slowly, becomes more sensitive, and shows earlier fine lines, sagging, and uneven texture earlier.

Over time, this heightened inflammatory response accelerates aging, making the skin more reactive, less resilient, and more prone to sensitivity. Dr. Kennedy cautions, “At a cellular level, chronic inflammation disrupts normal skin cell function by increasing oxidative stress, breaking down collagen, and impairing the skin’s ability to repair itself. Addressing inflammation is essential for preserving skin integrity, resilience, and long-term health.” Using anti-inflammatory skincare can support the skin barrier, but lasting results come from addressing the root cause.

Lifestyle Solutions to Help with Inflammation

Diet

If you want to reduce inflammation in your body, the easiest place to start is with your diet. Following an anti-inflammatory diet is simple: choose colorful, whole foods that are minimally processed and support metabolic health. Top choices include leafy greens, berries, olive oil, nuts, seeds, fatty fish, legumes, and whole grains. “Foods rich in antioxidants, healthy fats, and polyphenols help naturally reduce inflammation by neutralizing oxidative stress and supporting healthier cellular function. Incorporating these nutrients into the diet creates a powerful foundation for long-term skin and overall health,” says Dr. Kennedy. The Mediterranean diet consistently ranks among the best anti-inflammatory diets and is known for helping calm chronic inflammation while increasing longevity because of its emphasis on omega-3 benefits, fiber, and inflammation-fighting plant foods that also improve gut health.

What you’ll want to avoid at all costs are foods that drive inflammation, like those that are highly processed, especially since the gut is a central command center for immune health. When the gut lining is strong and the microbiome is diverse, it helps regulate inflammation. But when gut health and inflammation are disrupted, immune cells can become overactive, fueling chronic inflammation throughout the body. Ultra-processed foods and inflammation are closely linked because they are often high in refined sugars, industrial oils, sodium, and additives that disrupt the gut and spike blood sugar. Over time, sugary and processed foods contribute to low-grade inflammation, worsening symptoms such as fatigue, bloating, and skin flare-ups.

Stress Management

Another easy way to get inflammation levels in check is to learn how to manage stress, since stress and inflammation are closely linked. When stress becomes chronic, the body produces more cortisol, and over time, this disrupts immune balance, leading to cycles of cortisol and inflammation that keep the body stuck in “alert mode.” Ongoing stress increases oxidative stress, reduces heart rate variability and stress resilience, and impairs recovery and inflammation processes. Practices that support nervous system regulation, like breathing exercises, yoga, meditation, and mindfulness for stress reduction, are powerful anti-inflammatory habits that help restore balance and protect longevity and wellness.

Sleep

Equally as important is good sleep hygiene. Dr. Kennedy reminds us, “Sleep is one of the body’s most powerful anti-inflammatory tools. During deep, restorative sleep, the body regulates inflammatory pathways, supports cellular repair, and helps reset the stress response that can otherwise drive chronic inflammation.” While you sleep, the immune system recalibrates, tissues repair, and inflammatory markers decline. Chronic sleep debt, on the other hand, drives sleep and inflammation, raising levels of inflammatory proteins linked to inflammaging and faster inflammation and aging. Poor sleep also worsens symptoms like brain fog, low energy, and skin sensitivity.

Regular Movement

Movement is also medicine, especially when it comes to inflammation. Regular exercise lowers inflammatory markers, improves insulin sensitivity, and boosts metabolic health. You don’t need extreme workouts to help control inflammation, but rather moderate, consistent activity, like walking for longevity, cycling, yoga, or strength training a few times a week, is often most effective.

Using Supplements & Wellness to Reduce Inflammation

The right wellness routine can make a world of difference and help with inflammation if you know what to take and how to use it.

• Omega-3 supplements are among the most well-researched ones for calming chronic inflammation. These healthy fats (found in fatty fish, flaxseed, chia, and walnuts) help regulate immune signaling and reduce the production of inflammatory compounds that drive low-grade inflammation. They can also improve skin inflammation, joint comfort, heart health, and even cognitive resilience while supporting metabolic health and counteracting oxidative stress, which accelerates inflammation and aging.

• Magnesium is a powerful yet often overlooked in managing both stress and inflammation. It supports nervous system regulation, helps moderate cortisol and inflammation, and improves sleep quality.

• Curcumin (turmeric extract) helps support antioxidant pathways and lowers oxidative stress

• Vitamin D plays a regulatory role in immune health and inflammaging

• Probiotics work to strengthen gut health and inflammation control

While supplements can help with inflammation, they work best when used alongside consistent sleep, mindfulness, exercise for inflammation, and a healthy diet. However, taking anti-inflammatory supplements is not without its risks. High doses of omega-3s, for example, may affect blood clotting, while curcumin can interact with medications, and magnesium may cause digestive upset in excess. Combining multiple supplements without guidance can mask symptoms or strain the liver and kidneys.

Practical Ways to Reduce Inflammation

Learning how to reduce inflammation naturally starts by understanding that chronic inflammation is shaped more by daily choices than by dramatic interventions. The most effective approach is building an anti-inflammatory lifestyle that supports your body’s ability to regulate stress, repair tissue, and maintain immune balance. This includes eating an anti-inflammatory diet, addressing stress and inflammation through stress reduction, improving sleep, and engaging in gentle movement for longevity. “When supportive anti-inflammatory habits are introduced consistently, many people begin to notice subtle improvements—like better energy, calmer skin, and improved stress resilience—within just a few weeks,” says Dr. Kennedy. When these habits work together, they lower oxidative stress, improve gut health and support everything from inflammation and skin health to long-term inflammation and longevity.

How long it takes to reduce inflammation depends on where you’re starting and how consistently you practice anti-inflammatory habits. Some people notice improvements within a few weeks. For more significant changes in low-grade inflammation linked to inflammaging and inflammation and aging, it often takes several months of sustained lifestyle shifts.

The most effective strategy isn’t perfection—it’s consistency. The best daily habits to reduce inflammation support the body’s natural rhythms and resilience:

• Eat anti-inflammatory most of the time: Prioritize an anti-inflammatory diet with vegetables, fruits, whole grains, olive oil, and fatty fish for omega-3 benefits. Limit ultra-processed foods and inflammation triggers.

• Move your body every day: Regular exercise for inflammation, even simple walking for longevity, improves circulation, HRV (heart rate variability) and stress, and immune balance.

• Protect your sleep: Quality rest is foundational for managing sleep and inflammation and preventing inflammaging.

• Calm your stress response: Use mindfulness for stress reduction and practice breathwork to lower cortisol and inflammation and strengthen nervous system regulation.

• Support your gut and skin: Healthy digestion supports gut health and reduces inflammation, while barrier-protecting anti-inflammatory skincare helps address visible signs of skin inflammation.

Together, these habits form a sustainable anti-inflammatory lifestyle that supports longevity and wellness—not just by easing symptoms today, but by protecting your health for decades to come.

The Bottom Line

Inflammation isn’t something to fear—it’s something to understand. Chronic inflammation develops quietly over time from everyday stressors, but it can also be eased through everyday choices. When you commit to an anti-inflammatory lifestyle, you don’t just reduce inflammation in the moment but rather protect your future self. From healthier skin to living a longer life, small, consistent habits are one of the most powerful tools we have for shaping how we age. The goal isn’t perfection but rather progress toward a body that feels supported, balanced, and built for long-term vitality.