Top 8 Anti-Inflammatory Foods

 Most of today's modern diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and the extraordinary amount of autoimmune conditions like: rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, Lyme disease, multiple sclerosis, Crohn's disease and IBS all have one thing in common - chronic inflammation!

Inflammation is our body's protective and healing response to injury or invasion. The type of inflammation that we all know and can relate to includes pain, swelling, redness, heat, and fever.  But when inflammation persists and/or the immune system becomes 'overactive,' it can damage the body and cause illness not only acutely, but also slowly and silently over time.  

The main causes of inflammation in our bodies are: disease (pathogens, bacteria, virus, fungus, etc), excess adipose/fat tissue, genetics, smoking, stress, environmental toxins, and FOOD! The foods that have been shown to increase inflammatory responses the most include: refined carbohydrates, sugars, most processed and pre-packaged foods, trans fats, non-organic produce, grain fed animal protein, as well as gluten, dairy, and soy.

Avoiding the foods listed above is the most important thing to do, but in order to combat and reverse chronic inflammation, you need to include foods that will nourish your immune system, boost your antioxidant and nutrient intake, and heal your body.  And in this week's What's That?! Wednesday I  give you eight foods to start with plus a few recipes for each of these foods so that you can easily incorporate them into your diet! Check it out...

Top 8 Anti-Inflammatory Foods:

1. Wild Caught Salmon - This clean protein is loaded with healthy, Omega-3 fats that help to lower inflammation, reduce recovery time from exertion, speed healing, and support the immune system to ward off pathogens.  A diet rich in Omega-3's is "rule #1" when it comes to reducing inflammation and avoiding disease.  Make sure to choose wild caught as farm raised has high levels of  harmful PCB's and antibiotics that increase inflammatory responses and can harm your immune system. You can read our blog, Fish Considerations, to learn more about this.  I recommend wild caught salmon 1-2 times a week as a part of a healthy, anti-inflammatory diet. Some of my favorite salmon dishes include our: Ginger-Sesame Salmon,  Summer Fresh Corn Fritters with Smoked Salmon,  Lemon-Pepper Salmon Burgers, and Quick Salmon-Dill Cakes.
   
   
2. "Super Seeds" (Flaxseed, Chia Seeds, & Hemp Seeds) - These seeds are all fabulous sources of healthy Omega-3 fats as well so we've grouped them together here. Flaxseed has the most Omega-3 content, followed by chia seeds, and then hemp seeds.  Flaxseed can be used medicinally to support good health. Check out my friend, Kate's, article for more information on the specific health benefits of flaxseed at: 9 Fantastic Benefits of Flaxseed. 
   
   Hemp seeds contain a perfect ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6 fats and one serving has 10 grams of protein as well! All of these seeds are a good source of fiber that pull toxins from the GI tract and keep you regular - this helps to reduce your body's overall inflammatory response as well. I like to use ground flaxseed in my morning smoothie, chia seeds make a fabulous pudding, and I like sprinkle hemp seeds over my soups, salads, and roasted vegetables.  Check out these recipes to help you get these "super seeds" into your diet: Perfect Green Smoothie, Cinnamon-Spiced Chia Pudding, or our Herb & Hemp Stuffed Potatoes. 
   
   
3. Leafy Greens - In the fight against inflammation, the produce section is your best friend! Fruits and vegetables are rich in antioxidants that restore health and flavonoids that reduce inflammation. Leafy greens are also some of the best sources of fiber, iron, calcium, Vitamin A, C, and K as well as magnesium and manganese. These nutrients can help to reduce your risk of heart disease,  improve vision and eye health, lower stress and anxiety, help you lose unwanted pounds, and help protect your body and brain from oxidative stress that ages us before our time. Some of the best sources are kale, chard, spinach, and broccoli.  Starting your day with some greens in a smoothie or juice is a great way to boost your leafy green intake. I recommend a minimum of 3 cups leafy greens per day, but for those who suffer from an autoimmune or inflammatory condition, your goal should be 5-6 cups/day.  Try our: Kale Refresh Salad, Kale-Apple-Carrot Slaw, Roasted Balsamic Squash with Kale, or my Italian Chicken Sausage & Shrimp Cioppino for some fabulous recipes that include my favorite leafy green - kale!
   
   
4. Blueberries - These dark colored berries are packed with a super special antioxidant called quercetin, which acts as a powerful anti-histamine  as well as an anti-inflammatory agent. Quercetin has been shown to reduce the affects of allergic reactions from food and our environment and can be found in the highest amounts in dark colored berries, olive oil, and citrus. (*) The antioxidants found in  blueberries were also found to slow cognitive decline and improve memory and motor skills making them a super food that helps heal your brain and nourish your immune system.  1/4-1/2 cup a day is an ideal serving for most people; try our Sneaky Green Berry Smoothie,  Colorful Fruit Salad with Citrus-Mint Dressing, or our Butternut Squash-Apple-Blueberry Muffins. 
   
   
5. Garlic - This vegetable has been know  and used for a very long time for its powerful medicinal benefits. It contains special sulfur compounds that stimulate your immune system to fight disease. It is also studied more than any other food for its anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-microbial properties. Remember, pathogens are one of the main contributors to chronic inflammation so eating foods that help to naturally keep them at bay is one way to fight inflammation at it's source! To get in your daily dose of garlic, try our: Asparagus & Shallot Tossed Quinoa, Apple-Sage Turkey Burgers with Garlic Aioli,  or our Lemony-Quinoa Risotto . Actually, we use garlic in most of our savory recipes since we love it so much:)
   
   
6. Walnuts - These healthy nuts have a good amount of  Omega-3 fats in them and have been found to help reduce blood clots and therefore lower your risk of heart attack or heart disease. Walnuts are also very high in Vitamin E, folate, and melatonin which are neuro-protective nutrients that help to decrease vulnerability to oxidative stress and enhance cognitive and motor function as we age. There are several new studies that show walnut consumption reduced prostate cancer cell growth by 30-40 percent and breast cancer cell growth by 50%.(*)Check out our:  Asian Walnut Lettuce Wraps, Strawberry Green Salad with Walnut-Hemp Clusters,  Rosemary-Walnut Chicken Salad Wraps, or our Walnut Pesto Chicken with Zucchini Noodles. 
   
   
7. Bone Broth - This medicinal broth contains highly absorbable forms of calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphate, sulfur, and a variety of amino acids, as well as collagen, glucosamine, and condrointin. These nutrients support our immune system, calm and heal digestive distress, and nourish our musculoskeletal system just to name a few.  Check out my blog: How to Make Your Own Bone Broth  to get a regular rotation of this healing food into your diet! If you have an autoimmune disease, food allergies, or leaky gut, this food will nourish your body and help you heal!
   
   
8. Coconut Oil - We've talked ALOT about coconut oil on this blog, so its no surprise we are big fans of including this food into your diet! One thing to know about coconut oil is that it has been shown to help increase and boost the anti-inflammatory agents of other antioxidant loaded foods like turmeric for example.  In fact, because of its lipid fat content, it can help absorption and assimilation of most anti-inflammatory herbs and spices.  Plus coconut oil has anti-fungal and anti-microbial properties that can help you maintain a healthy gut micro-biome, which is where over 60% of your immune system is located! Make sure to choose organic, unrefined coconut oil to get the most benefits. I like to add 1/2 tablespoon to my morning tea or lemon water. It is also perfect for high heat cooking or to use in baking. Try our Raw Coconut Snack Balls or our Chocolate Macadamia-Coconut Smoothie. 

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I'm sure this gives you plenty of recipes to get started with, but if you need more, we offer Anti-Inflammatory Meal Plans and Cookbooks that are packed with recipes that your whole family will love!

Thanks again for tuning in to this week's What's That?! Wednesday post. Our anti-inflammatory eating guidelines will continue into next week's post, so stay tuned for more information and inspired recipes to come!
~Billie

References:
1. University of Maryland Medical Center
2. Cancer News