Having inflammation anywhere in the body is a sign that you have an immune system that’s gone haywire. While inflammation can happen for any reason – illness, getting injured, or even simple muscle or tissue irritation, you don’t want your body to stay in a state of inflammation because that can impact your overall health negatively.
There’s a simple and very inexpensive way to treat yourself when your body is under the weather and that’s by using foods to lower inflammation. Using food as a treatment isn’t about simply abstaining from what you already know is bad for you.
No food should ever be on the forbidden food list because that will just make you want it even more. Moderation is always the key, but you should try not to let a lot of your food consumption consist of any foods high in saturated or trans fat.
These foods are usually the processed items like lunchmeat, cookies, cakes, and high sugar beverages. Instead, you want to choose foods that have a track record for reducing inflammation.
Those are foods that are full of vitamins and rich in minerals. They’re foods that contain plenty of fiber and offer you the benefit of antioxidants, which can help ward off diseases.
One rule to remember when choosing food is that the closer the food is to beige, the less healthy that food can be for you. You want to load your plate with foods that have vibrant color – foods like fruits and dark leafy green vegetables. Try to avoid fruits and vegetables that are highly acidic in nature because these can aggravate an inflammation issue.
Meat is a good source to reduce inflammation – as long as it’s the kind of meat that’s good for you. Meats like fish, lean poultry or other seafood offer some of the valuable Omegas for your body.
Nuts are a protein source like meat is and can be used in a diet of foods to lower inflammation. Look for nuts that are Omega-rich for the best selection. Fats are helpful for a diet that’s used to fight inflammation and you want to look for fats that are monounsaturated.
Choose to cook with olive oil instead of vegetable oil. Not only will choosing foods that fight against inflammation help you feel better, but they’re also good for your heart, too because they lower your LDL cholesterol – which in turn lowers you risk of heart related diseases. Another side effect of changing the way you eat to prevent or stop inflammation? Because you’ll be eating healthier, you’ll feel better and lose weight too.