TOP ANTI-INFLAMMATORY FOODS, HERBS, AND SPICES

[Pages:4]TOP ANTI-INFLAMMATORY FOODS, HERBS, AND SPICES

CHRONIC INFLAMMATION IS DANGEROUS

It is at the heart of many serious diseases that are affecting millions of people world-wide. Cancer, obesity, heart disease, and many others can all be traced back to it. It is essentially the leading cause of death in the United States, and its name is chronic inflammation.

Now, before we go on, we have to say that inflammation can be a perfectly normal process. It is basically the body's way of protecting itself from foreign invaders, such as viruses or harmful bacteria. For example, if you twist your ankle, you body reacts to the injury, the area becomes red and swells up due to inflammation. This enables the body to stimulate immune activity at the site, allowing the healing process to begin. The problem comes when this condition persists.

If inflammation continues for an extended period of time, it becomes chronic inflammation, which can cause unwanted stress on the body. This can lead to serious illnesses. It can occur for a number of reasons, and most of them are lifestyle related. In fact, a major factor is what you eat.

ALL ABOUT WHAT YOU EAT

The first step towards fighting chronic inflammation - and all the diseases that come with it is by changing your diet. You see, chronic inflammation starts in the stomach, and so does fighting it.

What you eat plays a huge part in fighting or triggering this condition. For instance, certain foods are considered inflammatory. These include high fructose corn syrup, soy, trans fats and other chemical additives. These ingredients are found in a ton of processed foods, from fast food, like fried chicken, to candy bars and pies.

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There are certain foods that you need to avoid as much as possible to prevent this condition taking root. Refined sugar, processed fructose and grains are one such food group. These should be eliminated from your diet as much as possible, and you should only consume about 25g a day. Other culprits include oxidized cholesterol, deep fried foods and trans fats.

So what can you eat? Well, this is where anti-inflammatory foods and spices come in. You see, there are certain foods that have proven anti-inflammatory properties, and a good way to combat chronic inflammation is to introduce these into your diet. We have compiled a list of the top foods and spices for to get you started.

TOP ANTI-INFLAMMATORY FOODS

There are seven foods that have proven to prevent inflammation, and they should be incorporated into your diet as much as possible. They are:

ANIMAL BASED OMEGA-3 FAT:

These include fatty fish like wild Alaskan salmon or supplements, such as krill oil. They help fight inflammation throughout the body, and are also good for brain health.

LEAFY GREENS:

These include dark, leafy greens like kale, spinach and Swiss chard. They contain powerful antioxidants, flavonoids, carotenoids, and vitamin C to help fight cell damage. You should preferably eat them raw.

BLUEBERRIES:

These amazingly tasty little berries have high levels of antioxidants when compared to other fruit and vegetables, and they also have a lower sugar content.

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TEA:

The best teas for fighting inflammation are matcha, that nutrient-rich green tea from Japan with 17 times the antioxidants of blueberries, and tulsi, which has a ton of antioxidants and micronutrients.

FERMENTED VEGETABLES AND TRADITIONALLY CULTURED FOODS:

It is important to have healthy gut flora so that your immune system can function effectively and help stave off chronic inflammation. Fermented foods such as kefir, natto, kimchee, miso, tempeh, pickles, sauerkraut, olives, and other fermented vegetables will help promote gut health.

SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS:

These contain strong compounds that naturally discourage inflammation, as well as a number of unique nutrients that we don't usually consume enough of, like copper. Interestingly, copper deficiency has been linked to heart disease.

GARLIC:

This potent food has been used for medicinal purposes for centuries, and is one of the most heavily researched plant foods in the world. It has shown to benefit over 150 different conditions, and offers anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal, and antioxidant properties, so it is definitely worth adding more of it to your diet.

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THE ROLE OF SPICES

Herbs and spices contain a large array of antioxidants, minerals and vitamins, and can also add a ton of flavor to any meal. Studies have even shown that they have more anti-oxidants per gram than fruits and vegetables.

They also have incredible anti-inflammatory properties, and can inhibit glycation and block the formation of AGE compounds, thereby preventing heart disease and pre-mature aging. One doesn't have to consume a ton of them either, as just the amount needed to add flavor to our food is enough for us to get the benefits.

The spices that make a significant difference when fighting inflammation are:

Cloves Ginger Rosemary Turmeric Cinnamon Jamaican Allspice

Apple Pie Spice Mix Oregano Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix Marjoram Sage Thyme

Spices are a great way to flavor our foods, so be sure to incorporate these into as many of your dishes as you can.

CONLUSION

Fighting chronic inflammation starts in the stomach. It really is easy to fight it and start leading a better, more productive life, free from the diseases that chronic inflammation can bring about. All you have to do is move away from over-processed, nutrient-lacking foods, and start eating more whole, natural, unprocessed foods.

You can start by adding the foods and spices we mentioned into your diet. It won't be hard, and when you consider the rather bleak alternative, it is by far the better option. A life free of chronic inflammation can be achieved, all it will take is a little effort.

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