Shopping List Series: Anti-Inflammatory Foods
Inflammation… the good, and the bad!
Inflammation is an inherent process your body has in place to keep you safe from unwanted visitors (environmental toxins, viruses, and bacteria to name a few). At its core, inflammation is simply just your body's way of promoting recovery from insults and injuries. Your immune system senses something unwanted, creates increased white blood cells, and goes after the source.
Okay, inflammation doesn’t sound like a bad thing…so why all the talk about anti-inflammatory diets?
Well, if your body feels that it needs to stay in this process over long periods of time, chronic inflammation sets in. Think of it like your body always on the attack, on the defense, and working harder than it needs to. This can lead to skin conditions, allergies, auto-immune diseases, and chronic illnesses.
What triggers prolonged periods of inflammation?
Inadequate sleep, too much consumption of pro-inflammatory foods(more on this soon), stress, and environmental toxins can place your body on hyper-alert and maintain this chronic inflammatory state.
How do I know if I have too much inflammation? Some common signs may include: fatigue, joint pain, hormonal issues, gut issues, unintended weight gain/loss, chronic infections, and even possible onset of conditions such as cancer, heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, type 2 diabetes, asthma, and cognitive conditions.
Now that we know this, we can make informed decisions and take baby steps towards relieving our bodies of this prolonged defense mode. Here are some tips to help calm inflammation and avoid chronic effects.
Try introducing these food items, known for their anti-inflammatory properties:
-Produce= tomatoes, kale, spinach, collard greens, berries, avocadoes, cherries, grapes
-Protein= Sardines, black cod, wild-caught salmon, almonds, walnuts
-Herbs/spices= Green tea/matcha, ginger, turmeric (paired with black pepper for absorption), dark chocolate
-Oils= avocado oil, olive oil
And………
Try reducing these items, known for their pro-inflammatory properties:
Red meat, white bread/white rice, sodas and sports drinks, industrial oils (canola, vegetable, grape seed, rape seed, sunflower, safflower), high fructose corn syrup, as well as excessive caffeine, sugar, and alcohol
Support your anti-inflammatory health with these daily mind-body habits:
-Incorporate some form of daily stress management that works for you. Options can include breathwork, walking, yoga, meditation (more posts on these modalities to come!)
-Shoot for adequate sleep (7-9 hours)
-Connect to nature as often as possible
-Move your body: focus on both physical exercise AND gentle daily movements that calm your system rather than fire it up in a HIIT workout
In summary, inflammation doesn’t have to be bad. If we support our overall health (i.e., nervous system regulation, blood sugar regulation, detoxification pathways, etc), then inflammation is more likely to stay in check. If inflammatory triggers in our lives are ignored, however, we are at an increased risk for future health conditions.
If attempting to reduce inflammation feels overwhelming, I get it. Our culture makes it difficult to slow down for mindful daily habits, and our society makes it expensive (and at times, totally inaccessible) to eat healthy. There are so many changes you can make- even on a small scale- to work towards calming inflammation. Over time, you can find it easier to “crowd out” the pro-inflammatory stimuli and live in a way that feels healthy for you!
For guidance on making these shifts, reach out to me at contact@jessnoreiga.com, I would love to help you!
Wishing you well,
Jess
Sources:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/foods-that-fight-inflammation
https://www.drweil.com/diet-nutrition/anti-inflammatory-diet-pyramid/reducing-whole-body-inflammation/
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/do-pro-inflammatory-diets-harm-our-health-and-can-anti-inflammatory-diets-help-2020122321624
*https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/stress-links-poverty-inflammation-heart-disease
