Anti-inflammatory Foods

After many blood tests, sonars and X-rays of my slightly swollen left foot, I’ve recently been diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis. The presence of HLA-B27 (a gene which causes inflammation) is associated with certain autoimmune and immune-mediated diseases, including Ankylosing Spondylitis, Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Reactive Arthritis. That’s why I’ve decided to create a basic anti-inflammatory action plan with my favorite anti-inflammatory foods to help me with this condition and prevent it from worsening. To reduce levels of inflammation, we have to aim for an overall healthy diet. If you’re looking for an eating plan that closely follows the tenets of anti-inflammatory eating, consider the Mediterranean diet, which is high in fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, fish, and healthy oils.

Recent studies show inflammation, joint pain, gout and arthritis are a consequence of the foods we eat. You might be wondering what the pain in your joints have to do with the food on your plate? More than you think! Inflammation is the reason for pain and on-going inflammation in your body is often a result of stress, an unhealthy lifestyle, and exposing your body to harmful toxins. And this kind of inflammation serves no useful purpose. Instead, it actively causes disease and imbalance in your system.

Loading up on anti-inflammatory foods is an essential step in reducing inflammation. That means you should look to eat as many whole fruits and vegetables as well as sources of omega-3 fatty acids as you can. There are many foods that can stamp out inflammation… but I’ve narrowed it down to my favorite top 10. Adding these foods to your diet is one of the easiest and smartest ways you can boost your health.

MY TOP 10 ANTI-INFLAMMATORY FOODS:

1. BROCCOLI – Phytonutrients in this vegetable are known to fight inflammation of joints, respiratory system, and colon.

2. OLIVE OIL – Extra virgin cold pressed olive oil contains a natural anti-inflammatory named Oleocanthal.

3. FERMENTED FOODS – Fermented foods are rich in Probiotics and help curb systemic inflammation.

4. WILD SALMON – This cold-water fish is one of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which can help fight inflammation, lower risk for chronic diseases, and improve mental health.

5. NUTS – Nuts are an important source of Omega 3 fats. This healthy anti-inflammatory fat is known to reduce the risk of cancer, arthritis, and heart disease.

6. BLUE BERRIES – Blueberries are rich in anti-oxidants and help ward off oxidative stress and inflammation. Blueberries also increases the production of Cydocines that have anti-inflammatory properties.

7. GREEN TEA – Rich in flavonoids that are great at fighting inflammation.

8. KALE – Kale is loaded with anti-inflammatory properties and contains a variety of phytonutrients and antioxidants that help protect our bodies against cellular damage.

9. MUSHROOMS – Mushrooms are antimicrobial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory and contain a variety of compounds that can help to improve immunity and lower inflammation throughout the body.

10. BONE BROTH – Bone broth is a complete serving of all the good stuff — minerals like calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus. A bowl of bone broth can help strengthen the lining of your gut due to the high content of healing compounds including collagen, gelatin, and amino acids like glutamine, arginine, and proline.

What are the foods that cause inflammation?

On the other hand, you’ll also want to avoid inflammation-causing foods, including the following:

  • refined carbohydrates (like white bread and white pasta)
  • fried foods (trans fats)
  • soda and other artificially-sweetened beverages
  • high-fructose corn syrup
  • fatty red meat and processed meat
  • refined oils (like margarine, shortening, vegetable oil, and soybean oil)
  • excessive alcohol
  • snack foods with high sodium

What exactly does Inflammation have to do with Arthritis?

Most people have no idea that eating the wrong foods can cause arthritis pain flare-ups. They just assume it’s a normal part of the aging process. A result of years of hard work, a nagging old injury or even genetics. While all of this may contribute, you should not accept your current condition as a life sentence to pain and misery.

On-going Inflammation in your body is never a good thing. But what exactly does it have to do with Arthritis?

To take control of your arthritis pain, you have to know what Urid Acid is and the role it plays in your arthritis. Uric acid is a natural waste product from the digestion of foods that contain purines, such as heavily processed foods, alcohol, and sugar, etc. If you consume too many of these foods, your body won’t be able to dissolve this acid fast enough, which will then cause the Uric Acid to pile up in your body and form crystals in your joints…yes, ouch!

Here’s how it works… Eating foods that are high in purines increases the Uric Acid your body produces. As Uric Acid levels in your body rise, they form tiny sharp crystals in your joints. These crystals cause an inflammatory response in your body. This is the inflammation that causes extreme pain.

Normally your body will have no problem dissolving the Uric Acid in your bloodstream. However, as we age, our body’s ability to flush out Uric Acid drastically declines. Studies show that if we are over 45, our bodies are much less likely to flush out uric acid naturally. So we need to be extremely careful when eating high uric producing foods as we grow older. Meanwhile, our usual response to the pain caused by Uric Acid crystals would be to use conventional pain meds. But none of these go to the root of the problem, they only temporarily block the pain sensors. It’s like trying to heal a broken arm with a pain killer. The sad truth is, all the pain meds in the world won’t work unless they can flush out Uric Acid.

In other words. The longer you ignore the REAL cause of the problem, Uric Acid, the longer you’ll stay in pain. And the less effective traditional pain meds will be in managing your pain. Just to be clear, Uric Acid and Inflammation could be the root cause of your arthritis pain. With that being said, it makes sense to stay away from foods that cause Uric Acid.

A true anti-inflammatory diet is mostly plant-based and emphasizes consuming lots of veggies, fruits, fish, whole grains, nuts, and healthy oils, like olive oil, which is preferred as the main source of dietary fat. The concept behind an anti-inflammatory diet is simple: add in nutrients, such as vitamins, fiber, essential fatty acids, minerals, and phytonutrients to your meals to minimize inflammation. An anti-inflammatory diet includes foods high in omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and spices, and keeps the consumption of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids well-balanced.

0
    0
    Your Cart
    Your cart is emptyReturn to Shop
    Continue Shopping