Inflammation in your body is one of those things you don’t want to mess around with. It’s considered one of the five root causes of illness, which means one day, if prolonged enough, it can kill you.
But inflammation can be good and bad. If you cut yourself, inflammation at the site of your injury ensures enough white blood cells will effectively manage the wound, allowing the healing process to begin.
Chronic inflammation however is a different story and needs to be mitigated ASAP. It can lead to a whole host of symptoms such as allergies, high blood pressure, diabetes, joint pain, autoimmune diseases, and more.
[bctt tweet=”Food is always your best defense against any chronic condition or disease,”] so to help you prevent chronic inflammation, here’s a list of 10 highly anti-inflammatory foods you need to know about:
- Dark leafy greens such as collard greens, kale, Swiss chard, spinach, which are plenty full of antioxidants, flavonoids, carotenoids, and vitamin C, help protect against cell damage. Try them raw, steamed or when juicing!
- Beets are dark red for a reason. Their rich color contains anti-inflammatory properties, hailing it a superfood. Beets also fight inflammation at the cellular level, and have the ability to repair damage thanks to their high levels of potassium and magnesium. Calcium can’t be processed in your body without magnesium, therefore beets do a body good way before cow’s milk does. Eat beets in salads, sautéed, or even fermented!
- Bok choy – my favorite! Bok choy has over 21 nutrients including omega 3’s and the antioxidant mineral zinc which makes it great at gobbling up free radicals, the nasty buggers that age you faster. Eat bok choy in soups or stir fries!
- The root vegetable sweet potato is a great source of complex carbs, manganese, beta-carotene, vitamins B6 and C. Plus it’s loaded with fiber. All together, these antioxidant nutrients combine to reduce inflammation and initiate healing throughout the body. Sweet potatoes can be used in soups or stews, or eaten alone!
- Kelp may not be a popular food, yet it helps you stay alkaline which promotes good health in general. It’s contains the highest concentration of iodine of any food, and is high in fiber too. It also contains fucoidan, which gives it it’s anti-inflammatory qualities. Kelp is great in sushi or as flakes on eggs and salads, or more easily ready as a supplement.
- Walnuts, as everyone knows, are loaded with omega 3’s, which makes them great brain food. Walnuts lower the production of certain neurotransmitters that contribute to both pain and inflammation. Walnuts are the perfect snack, on oatmeal, in yogurt, or in baking!
- Green tea, particularly matcha green tea, not only speeds up metabolism, making it great for weight loss, but it’s chock full of antioxidants and nutrients that make aging more graceful. It’s also been shown to improve brain health too, lower the risk of cancer, decrease belly fat, and reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes. Green tea’s anti-inflammatory capabilities come from ECGC, a compound believed to impact joint pain.
- Coconut oil has so many uses there are entire books devoted to it! It’s high content of lauric acid makes it a powerful anti-inflammatory. Use it in smoothies, cooking, even as a moisturizer!
- Chia seeds are not only gods amongst foods, but they’re revered for their high-energy producing effects plus circulatory and vascular health benefits due to flavonoids and polyphenolic acids such as quercetin, myricetin, and kaempferol. I use them in pudding!
- I love radishes for their pinkish color, but that’s not all. Not only are they great for fat burning and on salads, they’re a great source of vitamin C too which keeps disease away and protects cells from free radicals. Vitamin C’s powerful antioxidant plus it’s electrolyte content boost immunity, reduces inflammation and protects against some of the most common conditions such as cancer, stroke and heart disease.
While this is a list of just 10, there are so many more, like EVOO (olive oil), ginger, basil, and celery. But if chronic inflammation is a problem for you, it’s enough to get started. There’s plenty of variety and flavor in this list alone to keep you satisfied and if eaten often enough, will reduce or eliminate chronic inflammation naturally.
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With love,
Angela
Angela Minelli is an author, speaker and founder of Angela Minelli International, a heart-based global business serving purpose-driven everyday women and entrepreneurs whose self-image and weight issues are inhibiting their confidence and blocking them from pursuing their life’s passion.
Angela's joy is in taking a stand for women who are living less than ideal lives, stopped by fear and doubt, which prevents them from stepping into their innate power and delivering their God-given genius to the world. Her coaching programs and products are designed for women with busy lifestyles yet allow for powerful transformation to take place within a small segment of time.
As a natural health practitioner and digestive health specialist, Angela specializes in helping people overcome weight and energy issues through holistic, non-invasive protocols that address the root cause of their conditions, including adrenal fatigue, candida, thyroid disorders, and more.
Explore the ideals that are the cornerstone of her work at angelaminelli.com.