Conquer Inflammation with Natural Foods (Pt. 2)
Last week, in Pt. 1 we discussed ways you can decrease inflammation naturally, this week we will talk about the foods you can incorporate into your diet that are anti-inflammatory in nature.
When your body is agitated by anything other than a mild injury, common cold or an infection you may be suffering from chronic inflammation. One way to manage and/or relieve your body of this pain and possible bloat or puffiness is to make healthier food choices. Hence staying clear of the SAD diet consisting of too much meat, fried foods and junk foods that are filled with high sodium, preservatives, things you can’t pronounce and high bad fats.
Inflammatory foods have been known to cause chronic degenerative diseases such as arthritis, atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease (strokes, heart attacks), epilepsy, type II diabetes and so on. Inflammations from these diseases have been going on in the body for a while and needs to be addressed before one’s life ends in death sooner rather than later. You would think knowing the consequences of eating unhealthy foods like French fries, burgers and steaks on a regular basis would make people think twice before they continue to put such foods in their temple constantly; but in many cases as we often see that is not the case. We hope that as you read this post, one will realize that knowledge really is power, therefore it is quite imperative to make the best choices for you and your family’s health daily. Start being more mindful of what you are putting in your bodies that is causing it so much distress and seek out ways to reverse years of inputting the wrong foods.
Anti-inflammatory foods that help to improve one’s overall health.
Avocados: Are filled with fiber, minerals, and vitamins, low in calories and salt too. Now though they are an anti-inflammatory food can have you pack on some fat but not the kind of fat that would cause severe inflammation in the body. The healthy fat that helps push things around and outside of it. The good thing is if you are tired of eating plain avocados all the time to get the nutrients you need, you can always make a guacamole with garlic and tomatoes which a true anti-inflammatory dish with no preservatives to make you feel guilty.
Warning: If your blood pressure is on the very low side, please do not eat too much of this fruit because it can cause your blood pressure to drop further.
Blueberries: This is one of our favorite anti-inflammatory foods because the results from this powerhouse of a fruit is so good you will see results in a matter of days. Every client that we have cleansing at the moment has seen a major difference not only in the way their limbs feel, but how their nails and hair has grown and how their skin looks more youthful; they also have a lot more energy too. Blueberries are a Superfood that is low calories full of fiber and Vitamin C. It is a polyphenol, meaning it is full of antioxidants and personally should be added to your diet sooner rather than later if it is not already. You will surely see and feel a difference with blueberries added into your diet.
Chai: This tea in a loose form that is infused and steeped with the following ingredients such as pepper, ginger, cinnamon, clove, cardamom, black tea, star anise to name a few helps with keeping inflammation at bay as long as you do not add any dairy to the mix. It is also very helpful with digestion too. Be mindful that too much dairy and caffeine may cause inflammation in the body; so when you have your tea's make sure to stay clear of one’s that have caffeine and use rice, almond or coconut milk.
Garlic: A garlic a day really does keep the Doctor away because it an herb full of polyphenols (antioxidant compounds) It is easy to have it in just about any dish so you will not forget. Spice up any dish with some fresh garlic vs. powered versions which have lost their potency. Remember garlic is antibiotic that promotes on going circulations and inhibits many things that can make you feel ill. This is because it is an anti-fungal and anti-bacterial that has been also known to rid the body; especially the intestines of parasites.
Ginger: Has a semi spicy taste, warming and stimulating effect on the body. Studies have shown that it is as effective as ibuprofen in many instances. Ginger taste great in not only food but in tea with lemon too.
Leafy Vegetables: Vegetables are Superfoods because they are full of antioxidants and are an excellent source of fiber, Many offer an array of disease fighting compounds and are packed with a handful to 3 handfuls of vitamins and minerals that helps the body operate in a happy oasis; also many vegetable are low in calories so they will not make you fat and in many cases you can eat as much as you would like and not feel guilty about it.
Quinoa: Is a complete protein that offers up essential amino acids, so it is an excellent seed to have on any diet but especially a vegan one.
What’s not love about this gluten free protein that comes from the Swiss chard family and is full of fiber, has minerals and vitamins too. Adding this to one’s diet may prevent unhealthy inflammation in one’s body and if lots of inflammations does exist it can be managed out of the body with this food because of the high fiber content.
Turmeric: The main ingredient in turmeric is curcumin, it is an excellent antioxidant powerhouse when it comes to helping one alleviate infections, chronic disease and immune concerns in the body. The curcumin that is within turmeric is powerful at is its natural state, no powders, that many researchers have said that it works better than over the counter and prescribed pharmaceutical drugs without all of the negative side effects. How’s that for a natural remedy, nothing to lose and all to gain.
Wild Caught Salmon: is an omega 3 that help balance off the intake of all the Omega 6 that is taken in from high fat and unhealthy foods. Salmon is an excellent anti-inflammatory and helps to increase HDL (the good cholesterol) while lowering the LDL which known as (the bad cholesterol) This fish and those like mackerel, sardines, herring and trout are not only anti-inflammatory it is a brain and mood booster too.
Conclusion:
This is in no way an all-inclusive list of healthy foods to eat to live an anti-inflammatory lifestyle. However, the foods that are written about here can very well start you on the road to stopping inflammation in its tracks and helping your body to rid itself of pain and diseases. If you seeking a healthy snack, try adding some nuts and seeds like almonds, hazlenuts, pecans, walnuts and sunflower seeds to your diet; it as is or add on top of bowls and salads. You may want to consider adding some flax and/or chia seed to your dishes and/or snacks because they are helpful with balancing the fiber and fat content.
Reference:
Activation of Transcription Factor NF-κB Is Suppressed by Curcumin
http://www.jbc.org/content/270/42/24995.full
Anti-inflammatory properties of curcumin, a major constituent of Curcuma longa: a review of preclinical and clinical research.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19594223
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