Fight Inflammation with Natural Foods

The link between Stress and Inflammation

Inflammation is a protective process that may trigger nerves causing pain, redness, and swelling; According to the research, the interconnection between increased stress and inflammation may lead to several chronic health conditions, which can significantly impact your overall wellbeing. A wellness journey begins with paying attention to your body by nourishing it with the proper nutrients.

What is Inflammatory food?

Before diving into an anti-inflammatory diet, educating ourselves on the food that can promote inflammation is essential. 

• Refine Carbohydrates: White bread, white rice, and pastries.
• Fast food: French fries, fried chicken, and other fried food.
• Processed food & meat: sausage, bacon, ham, smoked meat, and beef jerky. 
• Sugar-sweetened beverages: soda, flavored juice, sports, and energy drinks.

These are examples of foods that may increase the level of inflammation. 

What is Anti-inflammatory food?

Studies suggest that some foods can help you fight inflammation. One of the most effective ways to boost the immune system is to provide anti-inflammatory foods to the body. The best is the natural ingredients that are unprocessed and unadulterated.

Natural Foods that Fight Inflammation

Anti-inflammatory Plant-based Foods

Phytonutrients are chemicals produced by plants. The plant has phytonutrients as a defense mechanism to keep them healthy and fight off external threats such as insect attacks, bacteria, or viral infections. The researchers believe it benefits human health.

Phytonutrients have antioxidant properties that help prevent cell damage throughout the body and protect us from chronic disease. Therefore, a diversity of vegetables can help us fight inflammation.

The benefits of phytonutrients

• Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities
• Enhance immunity
• Improve intercellular communication
• Repair DNA damage

Essential ingredients: Onion and garlic are the essential ingredients in most families and restaurants. These vegetables are antioxidant foods that limit the effects of inflammatory chemicals within the body. They are great for swollen joints and chronic pain;  Ginger contains chemicals called gingerol that are antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterials.  Gingerol is found predominantly in fresh ginger and rarely in dried ginger. 

Cruciferous Vegetables: Kale, broccoli, brussels sprouts, and cauliflower contains antioxidant properties that potentially can fight inflammation in the body. 

Nightshades Foods: Tomatoes are a nutritional powerhouse. The American Institute for Cancer Research lists tomatoes as one of the top “Foods that Fight Cancer” due to their high antioxidant properties. Along with bell peppers and eggplant, other rich sources of lycopene are potent antioxidants that can protect our body against oxidative stress and offer protection from chronic diseases. 

Spice up your life: Sometimes, oxidation stress can cause inflammation and aging. Luckily there’s something called anti-oxidation to help restore balance. Herbs and spices like ginger, garlic, cardamom,  oregano, rosemary, and thymes have anti-oxidation properties to fight inflammation. 

Another effective anti-inflammatory herb is turmeric, often used in curries. Turmeric contains curcumin, a powerful anti-inflammatory compound. It works the best when combined with black pepper, potentially boosting the absorption rate by 2000 percent. 

Anti-inflammatory Fruits

Although some may question the role of fruit in a healthy diet due to the sugar level, the evidence suggests fructose can be harmful when consumed excessively. However, there is not enough fructose in fruit to cause concern.  In other words, fruit can be part of a healthy and balanced diet since it offers vitamins, minerals, and anti-inflammatory benefits. 

Blue fruits: Blueberries, blackberries, cherries, and strawberries are one of the best sources of anti-inflammatory foods. 

Purple fruits: Grapes and plums contain antioxidant properties packed with fiber, vitamins, and minerals, which may reduce chronic pain and delay aging. 

Red fruits: We’ve all heard mama say about an apple a day, keep the doctor away! Apple can reduce inflammation by strengthening your gut microbiome, which protects you from having inflammatory compounds crossing the body. Watermelon is one of the few food sources containing lycopene (like tomato), a powerful antioxidant compound that can protect the body from radical damage. 

Orange fruits: Each orange contains more than 170 phytochemicals and 60 flavonoids, full of anti-inflammatory properties. Mandarin oranges are loaded with antioxidants, vitamin C, and anti-inflammatory compounds that can reduce swelling, fight damaged cells, and prevent signs of aging.

Yellow fruits: Pineapple is low in calories and high in vitamins and minerals. It is the only food containing bromelain, an enzyme that can heal the skin and tissue. Pineapple can be an effective source to combat pain and reduce swelling. 

Anti-inflammatory Nuts

Fuel up the fiber with nuts: Nuts contain high amounts of fiber, vitamin E, and Omega 3 fats which all have antioxidant effects—these elements aid in lowering cholesterol, and decreasing blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. 

• Almonds
• Hazelnuts
• Peanuts
• Pecans
• Pistachios
• Walnuts 

Anti-inflammatory Oils

Extra Virgin olive oil is one of the healthiest fats that can protect you from several diseases. Evidence has shown that consuming 50ml of olive oil daily for 12 months can significantly decrease inflammation. Olive oil and tomatoes make an excellent anti-inflammatory foods combination.

USDA Organic CBD oil:  If you’re not entirely new to the CBD world, you’ve probably heard about CBD’s multiple uses and possible benefits.  Many scientists and researchers know that CBD has beneficial anti-inflammatory properties. It may help reduce chronic pain by affecting endocannabinoid receptor activity, reducing inflammation, and interacting with neurotransmitters. 

What is CBD?

CBD, short for Cannabidiol, is a hemp-derived compound – one of the two most abundant cannabinoids in cannabis plants. CBD has been around since ancient times; the first documented use of CBD for self-care dates back to 2737 BCE in China. Fast forward to today; it has been a couple of years since CBD became mainstream in the U.S. and many European countries. If, until not long ago, CBD oils were the primary point of consumers’ attention, the rising demand for CBD resulted in a wide array of CBD products. Today you can find CBD in nearly any form, including CBD oil and CBD gummies, vegan natural organic safe and none-toxic, for muscle recovery, pain relief, and improved sleep. 

Incorporating CBD into your morning, nightly, and workout routines can dramatically improve your immune system maintenance and help manage pain and stress much easier.

Conclusion

Everything you need to know about yourself is within you! A wellness journey begins with paying attention to your body by nourishing with the proper nutrients, embracing a quiet alone time through meditation, exercising regularly, and getting adequate sleep and rest.