Hey there, viewers! Have you had inflammation lately? Inflammation is when your body uses
white blood cells to fight against foreign invaders. This results in redness and swelling.
The problem is when you have chronic inflammation. In this situation, inflammatory cells are
at work even when there is no threat to the body.
The good news is that you can control your chronic inflammation by eating anti-inflammatory
foods. Do you enjoy a bowl full of fresh berries? Does your daily diet include a pinch of turmeric?
What are some anti-inflammatory foods you can include in your regular meals? We'll be
discussing all of that and more…
Let’s start with turmeric.
Turmeric, a gorgeous yellow spice, is one of the best things you can have if you’re
a victim of chronic inflammation. It contains curcumin, a powerful compound rich in anti-inflammatory
properties. Turmeric has an earthy flavor and is quite popular in south-east Asian households.
It can reduce inflammation in patients with arthritis and diabetes.
Now don’t get your hopes up. Turmeric might not be able to give you all the benefits you
need from curcumin to decrease chronic inflammation. This is why you should explore some curcumin
supplements under the guidance of a medical expert.
Next we have some refreshing berries.
You’ve obviously had strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries. I mean, if you
haven’t, you’re probably not a fruit fan.
They make the perfect snack for fitness freaks. We all love berries for their sweet and sour
taste, but did you know they help people suffering from chronic inflammation? Berries contain
anthocyanins, which are essentially antioxidants with anti-inflammatory properties.
Berries are also rich in minerals, fibers and vitamins. So, even if you’re not bothered
by inflammation, you can still eat berries to stay healthy. A good idea would be to have
fresh berries first thing in the morning.
Time for some green tea.
Most health experts recommend people drink green tea. There are so many good things about
it. Now, it might not be your favorite choice,
but it might become yours if you listen carefully. Drinking green tea has been shown to reduce
the risk of cancer, obesity, and even Alzheimer's disease.
Green tea is rich in a substance known as EGCG. EGCG prevents inflammation by reducing
damage to the fatty acids present in your cells and decreases the production of cytokine.
It should be known that cytokine is pro-inflammation. Green tea is also rich in antioxidants.
So the next time you’re stuck deciding between coffee or tea, have a little bit of green
tea. Your body will thank you in the long run.
Fatty fish comes next.
Be honest, when was the last time you sat down and had a plate of fish? The next time
you do, make sure it’s fatty fish.
Fatty fish is extremely rich in protein. Along with that, it’s also a great source of long-chain
omega-3 fatty acids. They’re known as EPA and DHA, and really help when it comes to
reducing inflammation. You can thank your body for metabolizing these fatty acids into
proteins and resolvins, which both fight inflammation.
You would be happy to know that you can get your dose of omega-3 fatty acids from almost
any type of fish, but salmon, mackerel, sardines and anchovies are the best sources.
Not a fish person? Peppers are also good.
It might come off as a total surprise, but chili peppers and bell peppers are great sources
of Vitamin C. They also have amazing antioxidants. As if that was not enough, they also have
anti-inflammatory properties. Bell peppers in particular have this compound called quercetin,
which is an antioxidant. It helps to reduce chronic inflammation, which usually comes
with diabetes.
On the other hand, chili peppers have ferulic (furr-ool-ick) acid and sinapic acid. These
acids can reduce inflammation effectively, while also helping with the aging process.
So if you like your food with a bit of a kick, have some peppers. They’re fun to eat.
Let’s switch the conversation over to vegetables, starting with broccoli.
Along with kale, cauliflower and Brussel sprouts, broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable. You may
already know how nutritious it is. Eating cruciferous vegetables helps decrease your
chances of heart disease and cancer. This is because they contain a lot of antioxidants,
which have anti-inflammatory effects on the human body.
Sulforaphane is an amazing antioxidant found in broccoli. It decreases inflammation by
reducing the degrees of kappa B. If you’re into the taste, or you feel like braving it,
have a little broccoli.
Moving on, next on our list are tomatoes.
It’s kind of funny. With tomatoes, you either absolutely love them or can’t stand the
sight of them. People will open their sandwich just to take the tomatoes out. Tomatoes are
packed with nutrition, regardless of whether you love them or not. They’re known for
being big on Vitamin C, but they’re also super rich in lycopene and potassium.
Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant with some great anti-inflammatory properties. It’s
so powerful, it also decreases the pro-inflammatory compounds linked to different types of cancer.
If you want to double the antioxidant benefit of tomatoes, you should cook them in olive
oil.
Moving down our list, we have avocados!
Avocados are becoming more popular, and with good reason. Not only do they taste good,
they’re also packed with magnesium, fiber, potassium, and monounsaturated fats, which
are healthy for the heart. What makes them even cooler is that they’re rich in tocopherols
and carotenoids, which are substances that can reduce the risk of cancer in your body.
To top it off, avocados also have a compound that reduces inflammation in cells that are
newly forming. This should be enough to make you fall in love with avocados, if you hadn’t
already. The best part about them is that they’re delicious, filling and go with almost
anything.
Now we have extra virgin olive oil.
Butter and oil make everything taste better, but we’ve been told time and time again
that they’re not good for us. Well, you certainly have to watch the amount of butter
and oil you’re putting into your body. But at the same time, not all types are bad for
you. Some are very good for your health.
Take extra virgin olive oil for example. It’s one of the healthiest fats to have ever existed.
There are so many unsaturated fats.
Consumption of extra virgin olive oil can help decrease the risk of brain cancer, heart
disease and many other serious health issues. The antioxidants found in extra virgin olive
oil have some amazing anti-inflammatory properties. So, replace your regular oil with extra virgin
as a form of self-care. Remember that refined olive oils don’t do as much as extra virgin
olive oil when it comes to delivering anti-inflammatory benefits.
Next, we have mushrooms.
I know, not everybody’s into mushrooms. I mean, they are a bit of an acquired taste.
But just listen to me for a second.
There are thousands of different types of mushrooms all across the world. Some are healthy,
some make you hallucinate, some are even poisonous. That makes mushrooms some of the most interesting
food items to have ever existed. You’d be shocked to know that there are only a handful
of mushroom types you can eat.
Some of the best examples are shiitake mushrooms, truffles, and portobello mushrooms. The reason
we’re discussing them here is because they have phenols, and are rich in antioxidants.
Mushrooms also contain copper, selenium, and B vitamins. Lion’s mane, which is the name
of a special type of mushroom, can decrease low-grade inflammation in people suffering
from obesity. Mushrooms are generally very low in calories also.
Let's make things fun with cocoa and dark chocolate.
I think it’s safe to assume most of us enjoy a good piece of chocolate. We don’t often
associate chocolate with health benefits. Only true dark chocolate can benefit your
health while satisfying your taste buds all at once.
Dark chocolate is rich in antioxidants, which is how it helps reduce inflammation and assist
the aging process. It also reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. Flavonols deserve
all the credit for this. You should know that endothelial (en·doh·thee·lee·uhl) cells
line your arteries and flavonols (flay.vuh.nols) keep them healthy, which is an added bonus.
So, remember to grab a bar of chocolate for yourself. Just make sure it’s dark chocolate
with over 70% of cocoa. This will help you make the most out of its anti-inflammatory
benefits.
Grapes make everything better.
Sure, grapes are delicious, but they also hide many secrets. One of the most important
being their anti-inflammatory effects. Grapes have anthocyanins which not only decrease
inflammation, but also reduce the risk of diseases like diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s,
obesity, and even eye disorders.
Resveratrol is an antioxidant with a lot of benefits for the human body. These include
protecting the heart from inflammation. Grapes hold a ton of these antioxidants. Just sitting
and eating a bowl of them each day is enough to improve your health. Have as many as you
can in order to get their benefits.
Not a grape person? Go for some cherries.
Cherries are a pretty popular fruit during the summer time. They’re great if you just
want to sit around and eat a healthy snack. If you’re suffering from health problems,
cherries have a ton of anti-inflammatory properties. They’re loaded with antioxidants like anthocyanins
and catechins. These are known to decrease inflammation in the human body.
A lot of people give credit to tart cherries for all their health benefits, but sweet cherries
are no less when it comes to health-related goodness. Just keep in mind that there are
many anti-inflammatory food items backed by stronger and more reliable research than cherries.
Your diet is so important when it comes to health. There are countless things you need
to be keeping track of. Let’s keep the conversation going with a couple related videos, shall
we? Here’s what you need to know…
Check out 8 Signs You Have A Potassium Deficiency. You should also try Symptoms You Shouldn’t
Ignore If You Have Persistent Pain All Over Your Body.
Go ahead, click one. Or better yet, watch both, and learn more about how your diet helps
your health. Have you eaten any of these foods? Let us know in the comments below!