11 Foods To Help Fight Inflammation
Researches can trace just about every type of chronic illness back to inflammation within the human body. Inflammation is the immune systems way of signaling that something is wrong. A little bit of inflammation to deal with a stressor is good, but all the time and this causes damage to our system.
It is crucial to reduce inflammation in your body, but at the same time realize that inflammation is not the root cause, it’s a symptom of something else. What is causing the inflammation in your body to begin with? What is causing the alarms to go off in your body that is leading to the chronic inflammation that then leads to the chronic symptoms or “dis-ease” like asthma, intestinal dysbisois, arthritis, rashes, eczema, celiac, crohn’s, diabetes, brain fog, pain in joints and muscles and so on.
This is where functional medicine lab testing shines and is one of the many tools I utilize in my practice to address the root cause. This article, however is about the power of nutrition and 11 foods to help you reduce inflammation and support your body and it’s immune system.
This guide below will help you to build a grocery list of ingredients that will not only pump you full of good nutrients, their anti-inflammatory properties will help to reduce the risks of chronic health issues and support a strong immune system.
If you are interested in getting to the root cause of your health concerns and symptoms, please schedule an Integrative Health Assessment with Laura Pounds, IHP here.
11 Foods To Help Fight Inflammation
1. FATTY FISH: Omega-3 fatty acids have also been linked to healthy aging at every stage of life. They also help with cardiovascular function, development of retinal and neural cells,boosting immunity, and slowing rates of Alzheimer’s Disease. Start adding wild caught salmon, trout, herring, and sardines to your meals two to three times a week.
2. BROCCOLI: Broccoli is one of those powerhouse vegetables, packed with antioxidants like the flavonoids kaempferol and quercetin, as well as a variety of carotenoids, folate, and Vitamins C and K. Like all cruciferous vegetables it is rich in phytonutrients, that help combat free radical damage and neutralize toxins in the body.
3. CELERY: Celery and celery seeds have an incredible 25 anti-inflammatory compounds that can protect your cells against inflammation. These simple stalks are high in phytonutrients, anti-inflammatory components, and antioxidants, especially flavonoids, polyphenols and phenolic acids and flavanols, such as quercetin.
4. GARLIC: Garlic has also been widely recognized as a prevention and treatment agent for cardiovascular diseases. An abundance of scientific literature credits garlic consumption for significantly lowering blood pressure, preventing plaque buildup, reducing cholesterol, and breaking up clots that can lead to strokes.
5. BEETS: This root vegetable provides a solid dose of magnesium and the betalain antioxidant that reduces inflammation. Since some studies have linked infections to magnesium deficiencies, adding this vitamin to your diet adds another layer of protection. They are easy to add to dinner by roasting them with other autumn vegetables, like onions and sweet potatoes. You can also boil them for 10 minutes and add them to a salad.
6. AVOCADO: This superfood is a rock star on so many levels. It is nutrient-dense, rich in pathogen-unfriendly phytochemicals, and has compounds that love to fight inflammation. One of those phytochemicals is glutathione, known as ‘the master antioxidant.’ What’s more, they are loaded with vitamins B, C, E, and K, which also help neutralize free radicals and reduce inflammation in your cells.
7. JACKFRUIT: Jackfruit is full of phytonutrients, such as phenols and flavonoids. Its sweet, buttery flesh make it a great meat substitute and also carries antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties that have been studied for their effects of lowering the risk of cancers and diabetes. Jackfruit is full of fiber, to aid healthy digestion, and to keep you full.
8. BLUEBERRIES: Blueberries pack a lot into each small fruit. They are rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals that sparkle with antioxidants that are know to help prevent many diseases, including cancers. You can enjoy these goodies plain or also throw them into smoothies, oatmeal or salads.
9. TURMERIC: As a spice and medicinal herb, it has been used for healing for centuries. Curcumin is the active ingredient in turmeric and has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-carcinogenic, and cardiovascular protective benefits. It boosts the body’s natural antioxidant capacity to further fight free radicals before they do any damage. Turmeric can be applied to the skin for pain or swelling and it is also commonly used to calm inflammation related to arthritis, heartburn, joint pain, irritable bowel syndrome, kidney disease, and Alzheimer’s Disease. When cooking with turmeric, be sure to pair it with black pepper. This combination is needed in order to absorb the active ingredient curcumin.
10. GREEN TEA: Green tea is best known for health benefits arising from its anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. This tea is also rich in quercetin, a potent antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory that helps to promote the production of the antioxidants that drastically lower inflammation in the body. Matcha green tea has as much as 10 times the amount of antioxidant compounds as standard brewed green tea since seeking it out as a brewed tea or a powder that you can add to smoothies and other dishes.
11. OLIVE OIL: Both olives and olive oil contain anti-inflammatory compounds such as antioxidants, macronutrients, and monounsaturated fatty acids. Olive oil has vital polyphenols and its phenolic compounds have shown positive effects on plasma lipoproteins, oxidative damage, inflammatory markers, and antimicrobial activity. Studies also show that olive oil can increase a protein hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. It also has great doses of Vitamins E and K, plus oleocanthal, which has been shown to work similarly to ibuprofen, a common anti-inflammatory drug but without the nasty side effects. Drizzle olive oil on salads, vegetables, and any dish where you traditionally use another type of oil. It is best ingested without being heated, to maintain its healing properties.
CONCLUSION:
Doctors are learning that one of the best ways to reduce inflammation lies not in the medicine cabinet, but in the refrigerator. Everything starts with nutrition and these are only a few inflammatory foods from a long list of options.
To reduce levels of inflammation, aim for an overall healthy whole foods diet. In addition to lowering inflammation, a more natural, less processed diet can have noticeable effects on your physical and emotional health.
If you're looking for an eating plan that closely follows the principles of anti-inflammatory eating, consider the Mediterranean diet, which is high in vegetables, fruits, nuts, some whole grains, fish, and healthy oils/fats.
If you are interested in getting to the root cause of your health concerns and symptoms, please schedule an Integrative Health Assessment with Laura Pounds, IHP