Inflammation occurs naturally in the body to help it heal and protect itself.
Inflammation can be harmful, however, if it is chronic.
Chronic inflammation can last for many weeks, months or even years and cause various health problems.
There are many ways to improve your health and reduce inflammation.
This article provides a detailed guide to a lifestyle and diet that is anti-inflammatory.
What is inflammation?
Inflammation is the body’s natural way to protect itself against infection, illness or injury.
Your body produces more white blood cells and immune cells as part of an inflammatory response. It also produces substances called cytokines, which help fight infection.
Redness, swelling, heat and pain are all classic signs of acute inflammation.
Chronic (long-term), however, can occur inside the body without any symptoms. This type of inflammation is linked to diseases like cancer, diabetes, heart disease and fatty liver disease.
Chronic inflammation can occur when people are overweight or stressed.
Foods to Avoid
Certain foods can increase the risk of chronic inflammation.
Consider minimizing:
Sugary drinks: Fruit juices and sugar-sweetened beverages
Refined carbohydrates: white bread, pasta, etc.
Desserts: Cake, cookies, and candy
Processed meat: Hot dogs, bologna, sausages, etc.
Snacks that are processed: crackers, pretzels, and chips
Certain oils: processed seed and vegetable oil like soybean and corn oils
Alcohol: Excessive alcohol consumption
Anti-inflammatory foods are a must!
Food choices can be just as important for your overall health as medications or supplements, as they can reduce inflammation. Making good food choices, such as eating fresh fruits and vegetables as well as reducing sugar intake, can have a significant impact on our health.
Increase your intake of fruits, vegetables and omega-3-rich foods. Cold water fish such as tuna and salmon, tofu, walnuts and flax seeds are some of the best sources for omega-3s.
Grapes, celery and blueberries are also anti-inflammatory, as is olive oil, garlic, tea, and certain spices (ginger and rosemary).
The Mediterranean diet is an excellent example of a diet that reduces inflammation. The Mediterranean diet is a great example of an anti-inflammatory diet. It focuses on fruits, vegetables and whole grains and limits unhealthy fats such as red meat and butter, as well as refined sugars and carbohydrates.
Reduce or eliminate foods that cause inflammation
A diet that is anti-inflammatory also restricts foods that cause inflammation
Red meat, anything with trans-fats (margarine, corn oils, deep-fried foods, and processed foods) and red meat are all examples of foods that can be a source of inflammation.
Blood sugar control
Avoid simple carbohydrates such as white rice, white flour, refined sugar, and products containing high fructose-corn syrup.
Avoid white foods such as white rice, white pasta and white bread. Also, avoid foods that are made from white flour and sugar. Create meals that include lean protein and foods rich in fiber such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains such as brown bread and whole wheat. Make sure “whole grain” or another whole-grain is listed as the first ingredient on the label.
Exercise regularly
Exercise is a great way to reduce inflammation
At least four or five times a week, schedule 30 to 45 minutes aerobic exercise and 10-25 minutes of resistance training.
Lose weight
Overweight people have higher inflammation. Weight loss may reduce inflammation.
Manage stress
Chronic stress can cause inflammation. Manage stress by using meditation, yoga or other methods such as biofeedback, guided images, guided relaxation, etc.
Learning to better manage stress can help us change the way we respond to stressful situations.
Remember that reducing inflammation will improve your health and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
Catch Enough sleep
If you don’t sleep enough, you may experience an increase in inflammation. You should aim to sleep 7-9 hours per night. Both quality and quantity are important. Put your screens away before you go to sleep and get up every day at the same time. Sleep in a dark, cool room.
Stroll for fun
Even 20 minutes of moderate activity, like a brisk stroll with your dog or friend, can trigger an anti-inflammatory reaction in your body. According to health guidelines, 30 minutes of exercise a day is recommended five days a week. Start with 20 minutes if you don’t exercise at all.
Spice it up
According to studies, turmeric, rosemary and cumin may help reduce inflammation in the body. Try adding some of these spices to your food and you will see a noticeable improvement in your health.
Try Fasting
Researchers have found that intermittent fasting is more than a trend. It is possible to reduce inflammation by eating only at a certain time every day. A long-lasting inflammation increases your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. This eating plan can be followed in many different ways. One common method is to eat only between 10 am and 6 pm daily.
Get Your Greens
Stock up on salad ingredients. Greens like collards (or broccoli), kale and spinach contain antioxidants and compounds that help to reduce inflammation. They also keep the damage you do to your cells on a daily basis to a minimum. U.S. Department of Agriculture suggests that women consume at least one cup and a quarter of dark green veggies every week. Men should eat at least two.
Stress Management: Keep Stress at Bay
Frazzled often? The journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity published a study that found people who are emotionally reactive to stressful situations (such as when they bite their nails or become tense when others press your buttons) have higher levels of interleukin-6, a marker of inflammation, in their blood during stressful times than those who don’t react to stress.
Christopher P. Cannon M.D., professor at Harvard Medical School says that stress can harm your body in a variety of ways. You’re basically pounding them more and causing damage. “If the damage is repeated, inflammation will persist.”
Drink Green Tea
Even if coffee is your beverage of choice, you might not want to bag tea altogether–especially the green variety. Green tea contains powerful antioxidants which can reduce inflammation.
Researchers from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock discovered that green tea could inhibit oxidative stresses and inflammations that might result. Leslie Shen Ph.D. says that after 24 weeks, those who consumed 500mg of green tea polyphenols per day–which is about 4 to six cups of tea daily–had their oxidative levels halved.
One-Day Sample menu
When you plan your diet, it’s easier to stay on track. This sample menu will help you get started with a day’s worth of anti-inflammatory foods:
Breakfast
3 egg omelet cooked in olive with 1 cup of mushrooms (110 grams), and 1 cup of kale (67 grams).
Cherries – 1 cup (225g)
Green tea or water
Lunch
Grilled Salmon on a Bed of Mixed Greens with Olive Oil and Vinegar
Top 1 cup (125g) of raspberries with plain Greek yogurt, chopped pecans and 1 cup (125g) of raspberries
Water, unsweetened iced Tea
Snack
Bell pepper strips with Guacamole
Dinner
Chicken curry with cauliflower, broccoli, and sweet potatoes
Red wine (140-280 ml or 5-10 ounces)
Dark chocolate, preferably 80% cocoa or more.
