Table of Contents
Table of Contents
If you knew you could make some changes in your life and possibly prevent a myriad of health conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, or arthritis, would you make those changes? What we have learned about inflammation and health in recent years is nothing short of astounding.
Inflammation is at the core of many of these diseases. In fact, inflammation is the core underlying cause of most illnesses, diseases, faster aging, and weight gain. And not surprisingly, some of the most impactful preventative measures we can take are nutrition-related.
We all have inflammation. In fact, the irony is, we need it. Yes, inflammation promotes a healthy body—in small amounts. In fact, without inflammation, we would not be alive.
There are two types of inflammation: acute inflammation and silent inflammation. Every one of us is acutely aware of inflammation. How do we know this? Because we experience it frequently. Every time you get injured or sick, suffer a terrible head cold, or skin your knee, inflammatory compounds such as tiny proteins called cytokines and white blood cells called neutrophils and macrophages come rushing to the rescue. Even though it feels uncomfortable, it is a very good thing because, without acute inflammation, we would not heal.
Let's take a cut on the finger for example. When you cut your finger, tiny soldiers rush to the site of the wound, the wound heals, the soldiers go away, the inflammation goes away and all is well. We need this short inflammatory response and then we need it to go away.
Now when acute inflammation doesn't heal but instead continues to release inflammatory compounds, it becomes chronic or silent inflammation and this type is the most lethal as it does not go away. Silent inflammation is like having a sore on the inside of your body that never heals.
Many of us live with chronic pain on a daily basis from toothache to throbbing joints. Living with nagging or relentless pain can be a source of stress and potential depression that only exacerbates these painful conditions.
There are natural ways to help your body reduce the pain and in some cases, heal the source of it. Unfortunately, many reach for medications that have powerful side effects that can leave one with even more health conditions. This is why specific, well-researched nutrients can have as much impact and may even have more in some cases than medications.
Just like some foods can quell inflammation, others can stoke the fires. It is very important to not only know what will reduce inflammation, but what will promote it. These foods, conditions, and lifestyle factors can exacerbate inflammation:
Inflammation can cause significant damage to our health and knowing which foods and targeted supplementation can help is a foundational place to start to stop it in its tracks.
Anti-inflammatory foods such as berries, leafy green, fatty fish, olive oil, extra virgin coconut oil, all teas, particularly black, ginger, turmeric, and green tea are key, Spices and herbs such as turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, basil, parsley, and ginger; dark chocolate; cruciferous veggies such as cauliflower and broccoli; nuts such as walnuts or pecans and seeds such as pumpkin or sunflower seeds are all-powerful foods for fighting inflammation.
Think of your gut as a garden. The first step in creating a healthy gut is you pull the weeds: you stop feeding the bad gut bugs by refusing to eat inflammatory food—this is their main source of food.
The second step is to plant healthy gut bacteria. Your gut will be healthier by ensuring you plant it with healthy probiotics via a quality supplement, fermented foods, cultured foods, or a combination. Eating anti-inflammatory foods better supports a microbiome of diverse, beneficial bacteria which will in turn help to reduce and prevent chronic inflammation.
The third step is to fertilize your gut garden. You want to ensure you feed these healthy gut probiotics with gut fertilizer or prebiotics. These include artichokes, onions, garlic, leeks, flaxseeds (ground), berries, apples, beans, and potato starch. Remember, you don't want the bad, unhealthy gut bugs to thrive and survive via inflammatory foods, you want to create an abundance of healthy gut bugs via healthy prebiotics—healthy gut bacteria's main source of food.
With a few simple dietary and lifestyle changes, you can fight inflammation—instead of promoting it—every single day. Make sure to discuss any significant changes to your diet, including incorporating new supplements, with your primary care physician.
DISCLAIMER:This Wellness Hub does not intend to provide diagnosis...
This Wellness Hub does not intend to provide diagnosis, treatment, or medical advice. Read more. The content provided on this Wellness Hub is for informational purposes only. Please consult with a physician or other healthcare professional regarding any medical or health-related diagnosis or treatment options. Information on this Wellness Hub should not be considered as a substitute for advice from a healthcare professional. The claims made about specific products throughout this Wellness Hub are not approved to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease.
