An anti-inflammatory diet can greatly reduce inflammation throughout the body and reduce other health risks. Research has shown that chronic inflammation is associated with heart disease, diabetes, cancer, arthritis, and bowel diseases such as IBS, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
Simple rules of thumb for anti-inflammatory eating:
- Eat more plants. Whole plant, colorful foods have the anti-inflammatory nutrients that your body needs.
- Focus on antioxidants. They help prevent, delay or repair some types of cell and tissue damage. They’re found in colorful fruits and veggies like berries, leafy greens, beets and avocados, as well as beans and lentils, whole grains, ginger, turmeric and green tea.
- Get your Omega-3s. Omega-3 fatty acids play a role in regulating your body’s inflammatory process and could help regulate pain related to inflammation. Find these healthy fats in fish like salmon, tuna and mackerel, as well as smaller amounts in walnuts, pecans, ground flaxseed.
- Eat less red meat, and include chicken, fish, nuts, seeds, and nutbutters.
- Cut the processed stuff. Sugary cereals and drinks, deep-fried food, and pastries are all pro-inflammatory offenders. They can contain plenty of unhealthy fats that are linked to inflammation.
Foods to avoid inflammation:
The foods that cause an inflammatory reaction in the body should be eaten sparingly or avoided when possible. They are as follows: refined carbohydrates, such as white bread and pastries, French fries and other fried foods, soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages, and processed meat, margarine, and shortening.
Choose your foods wisely and as always.
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