Inflammation.  We know that it is both a precursor and a cause for many health conditions, see here to learn more about how it affects health. There are a few ways to measure and track inflammation in your body.  Often, unless things feel terribly off, we cannot necessarily tell that we have inflammation in our body; at subclinical levels it can easily go undetected, yet, it can still cause damage and lead to health concerns.  Common lab work ordered by your physician (or self-directed through one of the many third party lab companies that allow you to order your own testing) can track certain inflammatory biomarkers.  Below are the biomarkers that are most commonly measured to determine the existence and level of inflammation and serve to provide information on health of your body and environment:

Biomarkers for Inflammation 

These are common inflammatory biomarkers that are measured from your blood, except for blood pressure and waist circumference.  Where noted, normal ranges are listed, however, be aware that normal ranges are usually based on the current population levels as a whole and may not reflect optimal levels for health and for reducing inflammation. Often functional medicine ranges that correlate to optimal health, as opposed to merely absence of disease, may differ.  Always check with your physician or a functional medicine practitioner to determine ideal levels for your health.  

Blood Pressure:       less than 120/80 is considered normal

                                120-39/80-89 = pre-hypertension

                                140-159/90-99 = Stage 1 hypertension

                                >= 160/100 = Stage 2 hypertension

Fasting glucose:      <100 is considered normal

                                100-125 = pre-diabetes

                                >125 = type 2 diabetes

2-hour postprandial (post meal):  

                                <140 mg/dL is considered normal

                                 140-199 = pre-diabetes

                                 200+ = diabetes

Fasting triglycerides:  <90 mg/dL is considered normal

Ratio of fasting triglycerides and HDL:  >3.5 is considered normal

C-Reactive Protein:    <1.0 is considered normal

                                   1.0 - 3.0 = moderate inflammation

                                   >3.0 = high inflammation

Vitamin D:                   32-100 ng/ml - toward the higher end of the range is optimal

Hemoglobin A1C:          <5.7% is considered normal, but lower is optimal

                                    5.7-6.4% = pre-diabetes

                                    >= 6.5%= type 2 diabetes

Waist circumference:   Women - 28” or less is considered normal

                                     Men - 33” or less is considered normal

A note on waist circumference  

While the goal metric listed above may or may not be attainable depending on your body structure or type, variations in this marker can be informative.  This metric is one of my favorite loose indicators of how my body is feeling.  It is quick, easy, non-invasive and provides real-time feedback of any changes in your body.  It is not perfect and in some individuals, it will not vary and/or reflect changes in health, but if you get into the habit of checking it periodically, it can provide a snapshot indicative of function.  

Signs and Symptoms of Inflammation

There are other ways to determine if you are experiencing inflammation without checking and monitoring your inflammatory biomarkers. The below lists a variety of signs and symptoms that are often indicative of inflammation in the body. Although, as I mentioned above, I do find value in tracking waist circumference as a proxy for inflammation levels. 

• Tired even after adequate sleep
• Increased in waist circumference
• Difficulty losing weight
• Skin issues
• Difficulty recovering from exercise
• Overweight 
• Brain fog and mood issues
• Chronic pain, aches, headaches
• GI distress, bloating, gas
• Trouble taking deep breaths
• Experiencing frequent illness or other health conditions such as cancer, diabetes,  allergies, etc.

Fortunately, there are some lifestyle behaviors like physical activity, nutrition and stress reduction, that can help lower and maintain inflammation levels. See here.  If I can help you develop and implement lifestyle behaviors, please reach out?