Fat and Inflammation

“Obesity in animals, including humans, is not dependent on the amount of body weight, but on the amount of body fat - specifically adipose tissue.” 

Adipose, or fatty tissue has an important role to play in the body in terms of cushioning and support, as well as storing nutrients, but excess deposits of fat are vulnerable to attack by immune cells. Inflammation is a process created by these immune cells to protect the body from infections and keep us healthy. Chronic low-grade inflammation can occur, when our immune systems are chronically attacking excess fat deposits. As we already know, chronic inflammation makes us vulnerable to a list of other ailments.

Diet and exercise can help us control the amount of excess fat we carry on our bodies. Exercise can also be used to reduce pain, encourage healing, and prevent diseases.

I use yoga to maintain core strength. Increased core strength, my doctors have told me, will naturally reduce the pain in my lower back by building up muscles that support the spine. As my arthritis has grown worse, I have also begun to see how much of an impact that gentle exercise has on the pain in my feet and knees.

Now I wonder if I should be exercising harder to reduce excess fat on my body. If I do, I might start out with something like this, or I might just join a soccer team, in addition to continuing to practice yoga for the continued benefits I get from doing it.

Any other suggestions?