Why Inflammation Might Be Behind Your Aches, Fatigue & Brain Fog
When most people think about inflammation, they imagine a swollen ankle after a run or sore muscles after the gym. But what many don’t realise is that systemic inflammation—inflammation happening inside the body on a cellular level—can quietly influence how your muscles, joints, gut, hormones, and even your mind feel every day.
In osteopathy, we look at the whole picture. Pain is rarely just a “local issue.” Often, it’s the result of an internal environment that isn’t supporting your healing as well as it could.
Below is a deeper look at how food-driven inflammation affects your body, and why improving your nutrition can make such a powerful difference.
When Food Fuels Inflammation
Your body is constantly responding to what you eat. Certain foods are naturally supportive and calming to your system, others trigger low-grade inflammation that accumulates over time.
Common Pro-Inflammatory Foods:
Ultra-processed foods: packaged snacks, crisps, crackers, fast food, instant noodles, processed meats
Refined carbohydrates: pastries, white bread, croissants, biscuits, cakes, white pasta, white rice
Sugary foods and beverages: fizzy drinks, energy drinks, commercial smoothies, sweetened coffees, flavoured yoghurts
Industrial seed oils: sunflower oil, vegetable oil blends, corn oil, soybean oil (found in crisps, bakery items, ready meals)
Alcohol (especially frequent intake)
Gluten or dairy (for individuals with sensitivities)
Artificial additives and sweeteners: aspartame, sucralose, food dyes, preservatives like sodium benzoate
Hidden Sugars: A Major Driver of Low-Grade Inflammation
Even when you don’t think you’re eating sugar, it often sneaks into everyday foods.
Common Sources of Hidden Sugar:
Breakfast cereals
Granola and protein bars
“Healthy” yoghurts
Tomato sauces and pasta sauces
Ketchup and BBQ sauces
Salad dressings
Packaged soups
Coffee shop drinks
Bottled smoothies and juices
Supermarket bread
Flavoured crisps
“Low-fat” or “diet” snacks
Names Sugar Hides Under on Labels:
Maltodextrin, glucose syrup, dextrose, corn syrup, fructose, cane juice, rice syrup, sucrose, caramel.
Daily exposure to these sugars increases your internal inflammatory load, often without you realising it.
The Science: How Inflammation Actually Affects Your Body
When you eat foods that irritate your system, your body releases inflammatory molecules called cytokines. These are chemical messengers that tell your immune system: “Something isn’t right — react and protect the body’’ creating an inflammatory reaction in the body.
Inflammation & Your Muscles, Joints, and Fascia
Chronic inflammation:
Increases sensitivity of nociceptors (pain receptors)
Reduces collagen repair in ligaments and tendons
Causes water retention in fascia, making it stiff or “glue-like”
Slows muscle recovery and increases post-exercise soreness
Makes old injuries feel “reactivated”
This is why your knees might ache after certain foods, or why your shoulders feel chronically tight even if you stretch.
Inflammation in the Gut (Your “Second Brain”)
Inflammatory foods irritate the gut lining, leading to:
Increased intestinal permeability (“leaky gut”)
Reduced nutrient absorption
Bloating and digestive discomfort
Altered gut bacteria, which increases inflammation further
Because the gut influences your nervous system through the gut–brain axis, inflammation in the gut can also lead to:
Fatigue
Anxiety-like symptoms
Brain fog
Headaches and migraines
Inflammation & Your Brain
Inflammation in the body can cross into the nervous system and affect cognitive function.
Inflammatory cytokines:
Reduce neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine
Slow down nerve conduction
Increase “brain fog”
Trigger or worsen migraines
Reduce mental clarity and focus
Many patients describe feeling “foggy” or “slowed down” on days when inflammation is high.
Inflammation & Your Hormones
Low-grade inflammation affects hormone-producing tissues and disrupts communication between glands.
This can lead to:
Sluggish metabolism
Increased PMS symptoms
Heavier periods
Acne or skin breakouts
Fluid retention
Low energy
The body cannot regulate hormones optimally when it is constantly defending against irritants.
Inflammation Reduces Your Body’s Ability to Repair
Chronic inflammation diverts resources away from healing.
When cytokines stay high:
Collagen turnover slows
Ligament and tendon recovery is impaired
Muscles lose elasticity
Tissue hydration decreases
Joints become more reactive
This creates the perfect environment for ongoing soreness, stiffness, and recurring injuries.
How Osteopathy Helps
Osteopathy supports the body’s self-regulating systems by improving:
Lymphatic drainage
Blood circulation
Joint mobility
Fascia glide
Nervous system balance
When your tissues move better, they receive more oxygen and nutrients — and inflammatory waste products clear more effectively.
This is why many patients feel lighter, clearer, and more mobile after treatment.
Practical Ways to Lower Inflammation Daily
You don’t need perfection — just consistency.
Prioritize whole foods (veg, fruit, lean proteins, healthy fats)
Reduce processed foods + hidden sugars
Hydrate generously
Move daily (even gentle walking)
Add omega-3s, magnesium, or curcuma if appropriate
Improve sleep quality
Get regular osteopathic treatments to support circulation and tissue health
Your Body Wants to Heal — You Just Need to Give It the Right Environment
Inflammation isn’t the enemy - it’s a message.
By supporting your nutrition and improving your internal environment—paired with targeted osteopathic care—you create the foundation for lasting mobility, clearer thinking, and better overall wellbeing.
If you’re experiencing recurring pain, fatigue, or slow recovery, a whole-body osteopathic assessment can help identify the root cause and guide you back to balance.