10 Anti-inflammatory Foods

Inflammation is a normal function of the body, the process of our immune system protecting itself when healing wounds, fighting infection or disease.

There are two types of inflammation:

Acute inflammation is when something happens suddenly like an injury, the extent is short, but the effects can be serious. Normally, the body can return to its natural state prior to the inflammation.

Chronic inflammation is a slower process that builds up over time. You might not be able to see a wound, or inflammation might not go away after an illness or injury is healed. This can be a result of the body being stuck in a perpetual attempt of healing itself. This causes a disturbance in the immune systems regular business, prolonging stress and leading to things like autoimmune disease, Alzheimer’s, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, ADHD, heart disease, diabetes, obesity and depression.

Foods to Avoid

 You can think of your body as a car or truck. You need to put clean oil in the engine, so it keeps running efficiently. You wouldn’t put used, contaminated or dirty oil in your car because it wouldn’t last very long. If you want to have longevity, you need to properly fuel your body as you would your car. Here’s a short list of foods to avoid.

• Highly processed foods- basically all foods that come in a box or a bag and has a laundry list of ingredients

• Casein (found in all dairy products)

• Refined Carbohydrates (such as bleached flours and sugars)

• Gluten

• Omega 6 Fatty Acids (seed oils such as corn, sunflower, safflower, soybean and cottonseed)

• Deep Fried Foods & Fast Foods

• High Fat Diets

• Red meat, smoked meats, high processed meats like bacon and hot-dogs

• Alcohol

 Focus on Whole Foods

One of the best ways you can fight inflammation can be found in your refrigerator not your medicine cabinet. By adding in anti-inflammatory foods to your diet, you can decrease inflammation, heal your body naturally and improve your longevity. It’s important to choose organic foods when you can to ensure you are getting maximum nutrient density.

1. Healthy Fats - sardines, salmon, avocado, walnuts, flax and hemp seeds

2. Cruciferous Vegetables – cauliflower, broccoli, kale, rainbow chard, bok choy and cabbage

3. Alliums- onions, garlic and shallots

4. Dark colored berries and cherries

5. Whole grains – quinoa, gluten free oats, rice

6. Carrots, sweet potato, squash

7. Green tea

8. Ginger & Turmeric

9. Lemon

10. Pineapple