Fight inflammation with these anti inflammatory foods. Eating foods that reduce inflammation naturally in the body can help you fight a lot of health issues.
In fact, there is a connection between inflammation and many of the diseases affecting a lot of people today. Such diseases include cardiovascular disease, arthritis, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), asthma etc.
You know that the food you eat is important. It’s what fuels your body. It’s what keeps you going and keeps you healthy.
Did you know, however, that certain foods can affect inflammation in the body? There are certain things you can eat that will help to naturally reduce inflammation.
There are also foods you can eat that will make inflammation worse. Understanding how this affects your body and what foods to eat and what foods to avoid is very important if you suffer from inflammation.
Your immune system serves a very important function in your body. Its job is to protect you so it will attack anything in your body that it sees as foreign.
This process of your immune system protecting your body is called “inflammation”. It happens when your body is invaded by microbes, chemicals, or bacteria. Inflammation also keeps in to help when you have an injury.
Your immune system works hard to protect your body from these invaders to help heal and make you healthy.
However, too much inflammation in the body does more harm than good as it could lead to so many health problems like the ones mentioned above.
For example, the foods you eat and how active you are can affect the levels of inflammation you have.
And if you’re already experiencing inflammation, poor general health and poor diet can make it worse.
So eating the right foods can help with this.
Let’s take a look at what some of those foods are.
Olive oil is among the top healthy cooking oils. It contains omega-3 fatty acids and monounsaturated fats that are believed to have anti-inflammatory effects. Unrefined extra virgin olive oil specifically is rich in phenolic compounds that help to fight inflammation and joint cartilage damage.
Rich in quercetin, blueberries are among the foods that reduce inflammation naturally in the body.
The high content of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and polyphenol in green tea provides great anti-inflammatory effects that benefit your heart and general health.
Numi Organic Tea Gunpowder Green, Full Leaf, 18 Count non-GMOUncle Lee’s Organic Green Tea — 100 Tea Bags net wt 5.64 oz (160g)Choice Organic Premium Japanese Green Tea, 16 Count Box
Leafy green vegetables such as spinach and collard greens are rich in flavonoids, which are powerful antioxidants that help to fight inflammation.
Tomatoes contain lycopene, a potent antioxidant that helps to protect the brain from inflammation.
Nuts such as walnuts contain omega-3 fats as well as vital phytonutrients that have anti-inflammatory effects.
Kirkland Signature Walnuts, 3 PoundsBraga Organic Almonds, Natural, 2 Pound
Fatty fish like salmon, tuna, etc. are rich in omega-3 fats, which have anti inflammatory properties. eating fish two or three times a week can help your body fight inflammation.
Don’t like the smell of fish? Not to worry, there are quality fish oil supplements that do not have that awful fish smell you can take.
One of such supplements is the Xtend-Life brand, it’s the brand I take and I love it – no fish smell and no burping when I take it.
The anti-inflammatory agent in beets is called betalain, which gives beets the deep red color. This unique antioxidant fights inflammation and helps to repair cells damaged by inflammation.
You will also find beets helpful if you have high blood pressure. This is because beets are high in nitrates, which are converted into nitric oxide in your digestive system.
And nitric oxide helps to relax and widen blood vessels, thereby lowering high blood pressure.
Chia contains omega 3, which is good for the heart and helps to help inflammation. Chia seeds also rich in fiber, which may also be helpful in lowering cholesterol and controlling blood sugar levels.
Viva Labs Organic Chia Seeds, 2 Pound (Packaging May Vary)Nutiva Organic Chia Seed, Black, 32 OunceNavitas Naturals Organic Chia Seeds, 16-Ounce Pouches
Contains bromelain, a vital enzyme that has anti-inflammatory properties. Bromelain helps to prevent blood platelets from sticking together or blocking blood vessels, thereby helping to prevent heart attack. It is also helpful to the digestive system
These foods are great to help reduce inflammation naturally in the body. If you’re struggling with inflammation and illness, a diet rich in these foods could be very helpful.
In general, fresh foods are going to be better for you than processed foods, frozen foods, or something that comes in a box.
While inflammation comes and goes with foreign invaders, there are times when inflammation becomes a constant.
This happens with certain diseases and conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, depression, and arthritis.
If you have already been diagnosed with these conditions, then it’s important to watch your diet.
Avoid inflammatory foods and go for anti-inflammatory foods that could help you reduce some of the symptoms of your condition.
Fried foods are one of the worst things you can eat if you’re struggling with inflammation.
In addition, sugary drinks like sodas are going to make your inflammation worse. Refined carbs like white bread, white rice and pastries are bad.
These unhealthy foods also contribute to weight gain, which is another contributing factor to certain conditions and diseases like the ones mentioned above.
This isn’t a complete list but it does cover foods that commonly trigger inflammation in people.
If you’re already struggling with inflammation, you may want to avoid these foods altogether to prevent worsening of your symptoms.
So it is not enough to eat the “good” foods that reduce inflammation naturally, you should also avoid the “bad” foods that cause inflammation.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This article is for educational and informational purposes only and does not intend to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or health condition. It is always recommended that you seek the advise of your private medical doctor.
Comments
Great article. Knowing what foods to eat are very important because your immune system is what fights off some infections. I have noticed with myself that I do not get sick like I used to because I changed my eating habits. It was hard cutting out sweets, but I manage.
I’m not a fan of beets but hopefully my always-full mug of green teas makes up for it 🙂 I was surprised by Margerine being on the no-go list. Why is that?
Most margarine brands contain trans fats. These are artificial trans fats. Artificial trans fats have been shown to cause inflammation. Green tea is a good choice. There are some foods I don’t especially enjoy, but thankfully we have a lot of choices when it comes to eating a well rounded diet with foods that help decrease our inflammation. Thanks for visiting my site! D’Ann