The Best Foods for… Inflammation!

Last year I wrote a post about inflammation in the body.  It receives hits daily, so I imagine it’s a pretty hot topic still in the health world, as scientists try to understand more about it.  In short, inflammation is a relatively new topic that highlights how C-reactive proteins cause inflammation inside the body, which is linked to many diseases, including cancer, diabetes, arthritis, auto-immune diseases and more.

Since this type of inflammation is internal, you don’t notice it the way you would notice a swollen ankle, but it doesn’t make it less troublesome.  Luckily there are some foods you can eat that help your body fight inflammation and stay in a healthier, less-inflamed state.

First, let’s jot down a few ‘what not to eats’

• processed foods
• ‘white’ foods (sugar, white flour, etc)
• sodas

Now, the good stuff.  To decrease inflammation in the body, eat more…

Fermented Foods : To be honest with you, I don’t know much about fermented foods besides the fact that sauerkraut is a fermented food. So is yogurt. However, I do know that fermented food introduce probiotics into our systems, which help with digestion AND inflammation.

Omega-3s : These healthy fats are good for so many reasons.  Load up on salmon, walnuts, flaxseeds, chia seeds and extra virgin olive oil for decreased inflammation, among many other healthy benefits.

Turmeric : Ok, some turmeric is a a spice, not a food, but use it in your dishes because it has a powerful anti-inflammatory effect, on par with pharmaceutical drugs like hydrocortisone. Turmeric is used often in Indian cuisine, so don’t be afraid to chow down on some delicious curry!

Antioxidants : Another reason to load up on blueberries, red beans, broccoli, green tea, garlic, etc.  Antioxidants provide anti-inflammatory protection.

Have you heard of inflammation?

Know anything about it that you’d care to share?

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