Chronic inflammation has been linked to many medical conditions including but not limited to arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Chronic inflammation is also responsible for chronic pain and low energy level which affects the quality of our life.
Foods can aggravate inflammation or can help us fight inflammation. It depends on what kind of foods we consume.
Foods that aggravate inflammation are :
->Fast foods and processed foods
->Foods with artificial ingredients
->Sugar sweetened beverages/soft drinks
->Red meat/processed meats
->Refined carbohydrate
These foods must be avoided or consumed sporadically to prevent inflammation.
On the other hand some foods have very potent anti-inflammatory properties and they must be part of our every day diet.
There are many foods that fight against inflammation but top 5 foods that we must have in our regular diet are:
Fruits: Especially all different kind of berries, pomegranate, pineapple, cherries and apples are great to fight inflammation. Different color of fruits have different health advantages. So eat 'rainbow'! Use fruits to satisfy your sweet tooth instead of sugary desserts.
Vegetables: All veggies are good but green leafy veggies top the list. They are rich in antioxidants and phytonurtients. Beet and ginger also have powerful anti-inflammatory properties. Drink a fresh veggies smoothie with some ginger in morning and make a salad part of your every day diet.
Turmeric- It is one of the most potent anti-inflammatory food on the planet. Curcumin, is its active anti-inflammatory component and has been shown in many studies to be more powerful than anti-inflammatory drugs. Use turmeric with black pepper for maximum benefits. You can use fresh turmeric root in your smoothie or use turmeric powder in soup or curries.
Oil- Olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil are healthy oils that reduce inflammation. Chemical in extra-virgin olive oil, oleocanthal, inhibits inflammatory enzymes in the same way that ibuprofen does. Use these oils on veggies and salads instead of dressings.
Dark chocolate: Flavanols in dark chocolate and cocoa can reduce inflammation. Use cocoa powder in your fruit smoothies.
Beans, chia seeds, prunes, nuts, fatty fish are also very good anti-inflammatory foods.
Remember: Chronic inflammation is the silent killer and a healthy balanced diet is the most powerful antidote to inflammation.
