When it comes to our long-term health, it’s important to know about inflammation and its effects. As we age, all of us develop some inflammation. The key to healthier aging is to be aware of it and keep it under control.

Short-term inflammation is a normal response to an injury or invader that does not belong in our body, like a virus or infection.

But there is another type that is “silent” and increases as we age. This age-related inflammation, or “inflammaging,” can be both a sign of disease and a cause of it.

There is still a lot to learn about its impact on our bodies. But experts agree that lowering levels of chronic inflammation is better for our long-term health.

Let’s take a deeper dive into inflammation, how it can affect you as you age — and what you can do about it.

What is Inflammaging?

Inflammaging is chronic, low-grade inflammation that happens as we age. This chronic inflammation can speed up the aging process. It can also play a role in developing certain health conditions. These include heart disease, cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma, Alzheimer’s and autoimmune diseases.

Together, inflammatory diseases account for more than half of all deaths worldwide, says Cleveland Clinic.

How Do You Know if You Have Inflammaging?

If it’s silent, how do we know if we have it? Look for some common symptoms of chronic inflammation:

• Belly pain
• Chest pain
• Depression, anxiety or mood disorders
• Fatigue and/or insomnia
• Fever
• Frequent infections
• Gastrointestinal (GI) issues like diarrhea, constipation and acid reflux
• Joint pain or stiffness
• Mouth sores
• Skin rash
• Unexplained weight gain or weight loss

If you are experiencing some of these symptoms, share that information with your doctor. If you have chronic inflammation, your doctor may suggest lifestyle modifications to bring it down. Here are five ways to do that.

5 Ways to Reduce Chronic Inflammation as You Age

Eat an anti-inflammatory diet.  This means adding more leafy green vegetables, fruits, fatty fish, nuts, olive oil and whole grains to your diet. Be sure to also avoid ultra-processed food and sugar. These foods can trigger inflammation by contributing to visceral fat. This is the bad kind of fat that surrounds your organs. A poor diet can also damage the lining of your gut. This damage over time makes the gut walls thin out and become leaky. A leaky gut lets things like food particles, bacteria and toxins pass through, causing inflammation.  

Manage your weight. Weight gain and obesity are both states of chronic inflammation. Fat cells make molecules that boost inflammation. That is partly why obesity is linked to heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, cancer and dementia.

Quit smoking. Smoking is a known risk factor for rheumatoid arthritis and increases inflammation throughout the body, says Brown University Health. Your doctor can can help you quit.

Stay active. Regular exercise brings down inflammation. It also keeps joints limber and helps us keep bone and muscle mass that we lose as we age. For added impact, try Tai Chi, yoga, meditation or Qui Gong. These mind-body techniques offer the benefits of exercise while easing stress and boosting your immune system.

Take cold showers or ice baths. It may sound extreme, but new research shows that cold exposure is good at bringing down inflammation. A new study found that cold exposure is especially helpful with managing the type of chronic low-grade inflammation that is commonly associated with aging and age-related diseases. 

This tracks with other research  that shows that the Wim Hof Method acts similar to steroid medicines in reducing inflammation. Wim Hof is a Dutch athlete who developed a method that combines cold exposure and breathing exercises to improve physical and mental health.

Whether you take the plunge into an ice bath or not, it is worth your time to try some of these anti-inflammatory tools. These lifestyle choices can reduce inflammaging and put you on a path to healthier aging.

Sources: Inflammation,  Cleveland Clinic, 2024; What is inflammation?,  Harvard Health, 2021; Inflammaging: What You Should Know About Inflammation and Aging,  Brown University Health, 2024; Should you be tested for inflammation?,  Harvard Health, 2023; Leaky gut in systemic inflammation: exploring the link between gastrointestinal disorders and age-related diseases,  GeroScience, 2024; Cold and longevity: Can cold exposure counteract aging?,  Life Sciences, 2025; Does the Wim Hof Method have a beneficial impact on physiological and psychological outcomes in healthy and non-healthy participants? A systematic review,  PLoS One, 2024; Foods that fight inflammation,  Harvard Health Publishing, 2024