A Guide for Fighting Inflammation

Inflammation can occur anywhere in the body for a variety of reasons and we want to try and balance it out with lifestyle and healing foods. Inflammation is the response to a foreign or toxic agent present in the body. When the body is inflamed, it activates our immune system and releases inflammatory cells, stimulating an immune reaction. We can sometimes see this reaction because our blood vessels will enlarge, allowing more blood and cells to reach the injured tissue; this is why our scratches and injuries can swell up, turn red, and may be warm to the touch. Other times, we may not see or feel the inflammation going on within our body’s, but it is still there. This process is necessary for healing and to keep us alive, but if it is constantly happening and always active, it can be very damaging and lead to chronic diseases. 

Symptoms of Inflammation

• Swollen joints 

• Pain or body aches 

• General feeling of fatigue

• Increase amount of illness/sickness

• Redness to an area 

• Heat to an area

• Headaches or migraines

• Stomach discomfort and pain

• Rashes and skin issues

• Allergies

• Anxiety

When the body is experiencing inflammation, it wants to try and communicate with you that there is something wrong. It can be very difficult to pinpoint the exact reason why it is occurring but it is important to pay attention to your body and be attuned to your feelings. 

Common Causes of Inflammation

• Excess consumption of inflammatory foods such as those highly processed foods, high in refined sugars, and high in trans and saturated fats. 

• Smoking and environmental toxins such as air pollution, pesticides, and heavy metals, can stress out the body and lead to inflammation

• Chronic Stress releases stress hormones and can stimulate inflammatory pathways in the body

• Sedentary lifestyle or lack of physical activity and prolonged sitting can increase inflammation and increase risk of different diseases. 

• Unsolved inflammation such as allergies, arthritis, and skin conditions may cause continuous inflammation and lead to damage of the tissue in the body. 

• Aging can also play a role because as the body ages, immune function declines and inflammation is more likely. 

What Should you do?

Begin by focusing on a diet with whole foods and that is minimally processed 

• One way you can think about this is buying foods with only 1-5 ingredients on them. 

• If there is a long list of ingredients, especially ones that you do not know the names of, it is likely it has been highly processed and may cause inflammation inside your body and cells. 

Choose 1-2 foods/drinks you're currently intaking and replace it with a whole food choice 

• Examples: 

  • Canola oil for expeller pressed avocado oil or ghee

  • Salad dressings for extra virgin olive oil (high quality version are sold in dark bottles) and vinegar/lemon

  • Coffee for green tea 

Add anti-inflammatory foods into your diet on a daily/weekly basis 

Food Recommendations for Inflammation

The foods listed below can inhibit and modulate inflammatory pathways so there is a more balanced response with less inflammation. These things have been shown to reduce levels of inflammatory markers. Inflammatory markers are physical data points that can be assessed through blood work. When certain markers are high, it means that there is internal inflammation somewhere in the body.  

Many of these foods are also high in antioxidants. Antioxidants are molecules that go through your body collecting bad things, like toxins and harmful substances, that hurt the body. In doing this, it neutralizes them, making them not harmful anymore. 

In addition to the factors listed above, I briefly note some things these things are good for. These foods may have similar effects but they all have differing micronutrients with different health benefits. Remember it is important to get a balance of several different micronutrients in your diet for optimal health outcomes.

• Omega 3 Fatty Acids

• Omega 3 fatty acids, primarily EPA and DHA, can have highly therapeutic effects on inflammatory conditions like arthritis, asthma, IBS, IBD, and heart related diseases. 

• Examples: Salmon, sardines, herring, mackerel, nuts and seeds 

• Spices

• Turmeric’s active compound, curcumin, can help with joint stiffness, brain protection, and helps with stomach conditions such as IBS. 

• Note: Turmeric should be paired with a pinch of black pepper to activate it and for you to get the full effects.

• Ginger helps with digestion and reduces inflammation in the digestive tract. It also has the ability to reduce pain.  

• Cinnamon is good for heart health. 

• Berries

• Berries are strong antioxidants, high in polyphenols and flavonoids, that have been shown to decrease chronic disease and inflammatory conditions like arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease (IBS). 

• Examples: blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, goji berries. 

• Green Tea

• Green tea, high in catechins, can soothe inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, IBS, IBD, and cardiovascular disease.

• Cruciferous Vegetables

• Cruciferous vegetables, high in glucosinolates, protect against several diseases. 

• Examples: Broccoli, cauliflower, kale, cabbage, brussel sprouts 

• Monounsaturated Fats

• These fats have very strong evidence on the positive effects they have on heart health such as blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, diabetes, and other heart conditions. 

• Examples: Extra virgin olive oil, avocados, nuts and seeds

• Dark Chocolate

• Dark chocolate, high in flavonoids, polyphenols, and magnesium, which is heart healthy and can decrease inflammation in the brain. 

• Example: Dark chocolate, cacao percentage 75% or above

• Exercise

• While exercising, your muscles release cells called myokines that have anti-inflammatory effects. It can also increase the production of antioxidants by enhancing blood flow to the body and allowing more oxygen and nutrients to get to tissues. Exercise has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity, reducing inflammation associated with type II diabetes and other metabolic disorders.

• Examples: Walking, swimming, running, gardening, lifting weights, isometrics 

Things You May Consider Avoiding 

• Alcohol

• Alcohol activates and promotes inflammatory pathways, affecting mostly the liver and the stomach. This is because alcohol disrupts the stomach barrier, allowing toxins to enter and promote and/or worsen inflammation. Lastly, it stimulates fat tissue inflammation and can lead to insulin resistance. 

• Foods you might be sensitive too

• Continuing to eat foods we are sensitive to makes our immune system reactive and leads to a release of pro-inflammatory molecules. Food sensitivities also disrupt our stomach barrier, allowing toxins to pass through and cause damage. 

This is not everything you can do but it is a great place to start. I don't want you to feel overwhelmed by this list. These are just several ideas for different things you can do to decrease inflammation, this does not mean you have to do them all.

I want you to pick 2-3 that you feel pertains most to you and see how it goes for 1-2 weeks and then reevaluate if necessary. 

Disclaimer: Before making any any changes, I always suggest talking to your health professional first to avoid any unwanted symptoms. If you have any general questions, feel free to reach out to me via email but remember I cannot offer clinical advice for specific cases unless we are working together.