There’s been a lot of talk recently about inflammation and for good reason. Chronic inflammation is at the root of most major illness like cancer and heart disease. It also causes stiffness and soreness in joints that can limit your mobility. However there are many ways for managing inflammation that are within your control.
So what exactly is inflammation?
In short, inflammation is your body’s way of protecting itself. It’s your body’s immune response to tissue damage. There’s ‘good’ inflammation and ‘bad’ or chronic inflammation.
Good and bad inflammation
The ‘good’ kind is like when you sprain your ankle – after you utter some curse words because it’s painful, your ankle gets hot and swollen. Although all of that pain and burning sucks, that’s an example of your body protecting itself. However this inflammation is acute or short, as your body is at work trying to heal itself.
Sometimes the soreness and joint pain you feel in your muscles after a workout is a symptom of post-workout tissue inflammation. This can cause many people to cut back exercise or not exercise at all. For me, I have this problem with my knees. That’s why you probably won’t catch me running for a marathon anytime soon!
If inflammation is holding you back from working out, or if joint pain is something that you’re challenged with, you may want to give fast joint care+ with fermented turmeric by Genuine Health a try.
It provides fast, effective relief from joint pain and inflammation – naturally. Usually my knees hurt after I do squats. After taking Fast Joint care+ for about a week, I definitely noticed a change in how my knees felt and also felt that it improved my range of motion.
It has the added benefit of two powerful ingredients – Biovaflex®, which is derived from egg shells as well as organic fermented turmeric. More on the benefits of turmeric later.
Another ingredient people could try is Hemp Oil, which has healing properties to calm the pain caused by inflammation. A friend of mine was recommended to try this and to find out more about octavia herbal, who provide quality hemp based CBD products which many people use to treat common ailments like chronic pain, inflammation and insomnia.
Now let’s talk about the other side of the coin, ‘bad’ or chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation is ongoing and leads to your tissues and cells being damaged. Prolonged inflammation can lead to serious illness like cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.
What causes inflammation?
Well, plenty of things like environmental toxins, too much sugar or eating too many refined and processed foods and chronic stress. Diet, however tends to be the biggest factor.
So what can you do to ease inflammation?
What you eat or don’t eat can have a huge impact on reducing inflammation. Here’s a look at some of the top foods which are known to cause an inflammatory response in body.
Dairy [yogourt, frozen yogourt, milk, cheese etc]
Dairy contains inflammation-inducing saturated fats. There’s also research that has linked dairy with poor gut health which contributes to decreased levels of good gut bacteria. Good bacteria that’s important for reducing inflammation. Also many people have problems with digesting dairy products which leads to indigestion and bloating.
Sugar and Artificial Food Additives
Yup, sorry we have to go here. Let me break it down. Eating excess processed foods and sugars trigger the release of inflammatory messengers called cytokines.The term “cytokine” is a combination of two Greek words – “cyto” which means cell and “kinos” which means movement. Cytokines are messengers of the immune system and sugar messes up this communication. It’s like trying to send a text message when you’re trapped on the subway.
Additionally when we eat too much glucose-containing sugar, your body can’t process that excess glucose which can lead to inflammation. Artificial sweeteners is the worst for this! Another factor to consider is our white blood cells, which is responsible for germ killing. Sugar suppresses the effectiveness of those precious white blood cells which can lead to a weaker immune system making you more susceptible to the sniffles. Artificial food additives, like dairy, can disrupt your gut health and may also lead to inflammation and weight gain.
Vegetable Oil
I’m going to throw this one in here because a lot of people are abusing this. The scoop here is that vegetable oils have high concentrations of omega-6 an inflammatory fat and is low in omega-3. the anti-inflammatory fat. Research shows that the average person has an omega-6 to omega-3 ratio of around 20:1 when it should be 1:1. Yikes
The Top Anti-inflammatory Foods to Start Eating NOW!
Researchers are proving time and time again that adding certain foods to your diet can go a long way to counteract the effects of inflammation. It’s a good habit to start adding these healing foods to your diet to help to lower your body’s levels of inflammation. Bonus! These foods are known to help with weight loss and weight management as well!
Black Beans
Black beans are high in anthocyanins, antioxidants which have also been associated with lowering inflammation. Black beans and other pulses [like lentils] are a delicious fat fighting triple threat thanks to protein, fiber and resistant starch. Additionally subbing out meat for plant-based foods occasionally is great for reducing inflammation because animal protein is one of the top sources of inflammatory saturated fats. Give black beans a try in this tasty chipotle soup!
Chia Seeds
Chia seeds are high in the healthy fat Omega 3. They can stabilize blood sugar, boost weight loss, suppress appetite, and even help keep your body hydrated throughout the day, making them an inflammation-fighting superfood. Check them out in this delicious snack!
Turmeric
Turmeric is the king [or Queen] of spices and is a magic sword against inflammation. It has potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and can actually shut off inflammatory enzymes. I add it to curries all the time or if I make Indian food. It’s also really good in a smoothie with some mango and ginger.
Now fermented turmeric takes things to a whole ‘nutha level!!! Fermented organic turmeric, which you’ll find in fast joint care+, is more easily absorbed by the body, translating to enhanced anti-inflammatory activity. You may have heard me talk about the benefits of fermented foods before but fermentation increases turmeric’s benefits, making it more antioxidant rich. You can learn more about Genuine Health fast joint care+ with fermented turmeric here.
Other than food, lifestyle choices also matter
Other than adjusting your diet, adopting healthy lifestyle habits is a solid start.
Getting more sleep and managing stress are simple tweaks that are proven to reduce inflammation. For stress management tips, start with this silky soup!
If inflammation is something that you’re battling, eating a balanced diet with fruits, vegetables, and legumes [beans, lentils] as well as adding a supplement like fast joint care+ will be a huge help. Don’t forget that diet is only part of the equation and that lifestyle habits like managing stress, sleep and exercise are equally important.
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