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 

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.

• Cruciferous Veggies – rich in sulforaphane which is important for your liver detoxification enzymes so they're very important for estrogen clearance and decreasing internal inflammation. 

• Examples: broccoli, cabbage, kale, cauliflower, brussel sprouts. It's best to eat these at least once every 2-3 days since they tend to get used up fast. BONUS: broccoli sprouts are 20-100x more sulforaphane than mature cruciferous vegetables. 

• Leafy greens – packed with magnesium, B vitamins, and antioxidants to nourish the nervous system and immune system. 

  • Examples: cooked spinach, kale, arugula, beet greems, turnip greens, swiss chard, collard greens, bok choy, cabbage, and broccoli leaves. 

• Fiber – acts like a sponge that is able to go in and grab several toxins in the body and show them out through the stool. The more “sponges” you have collecting trash and getting rid of it, the better standing you will be in. 

  • Examples: beans and legumes, vegetables, nuts and seeds.

• Omega 3 Fatty Acids — primarily EPA and DHA, primarily found in wild caught fish, can have highly therapeutic effects on inflammatory conditions like arthritis, asthma, IBS, IBD, and heart related diseases. They are also a great source of vitamin D, selenium, and protein.

  • Examples: salmon, sardines, herring, mackerel, anchovies, trout, halibut, seabass, oysters, white fish. 

• Bone broth – a true super food! It's amazing for gut lining repair and strengthens the immune system thanks to its collagen, amino acid, and mineral content.

• High quality protein – Protein supports the immune system and helps reduce inflammation. However, but quality matters. Choose organic, pasture-raised options, as they are lower in inflammatory compounds and synthetic hormones

  • Conventional meats often come from animals fed poor-quality diets and given antibiotics or hormones. Similarly, wild-caught fish contain higher levels of nutrients than farmed fish, which are usually dyed and grain-fed

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

• 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 — 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

Lifestyle Recommendations for Inflammation

• Gentle movement / weight lifting – Weight training releases myokines, anti-inflammatory compounds that also help with lymphatic circulation and hormonal balance. Aim for 10,000 steps per day and try to weight lift at least twice a week. Remember that 5 lbs is still lifting weights!

• Stress support – chronic stress is inherently inflammatory. It raises cortisol, suppresses immunity, and worsens hormone imbalances. 

• Sunlight – natural light helps reset your circadian rhythm, which regulates hormone production and inflammation. Sun exposure also supports vitamin D levels, which are essential for immune function.

Things You May Consider Avoiding 

• 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. 

• Gluten – the way that gluten is made and processed in the US makes it a problem for most people. It triggers the immune system and increases gut permeability ("leaky gut"), allowing bacteria and toxins to cross into the bloodstream, which drives inflammation.

• Conventional red meat – conventional red meat contains added hormones, antibiotics, and high omega 6s which can increase inflammatory prostaglandins and worsen estrogen dominance. 

• The better option is organic AND 100% pasture raised. 

• Trans fat –this is an artificial fat that triggers systemic inflammation, disrupts cell membranes, and sticks to you. Your body has an extremely hard time breaking this down and contributes to chronic disease. 

  • Note: Look for it in the ingredient list as “partially or fully hydrogenated oil.” it will not be on the nutrition fact sheet.

• Sugar and refined carbs – these spike blood sugar, increase insulin, and promote the release of inflammatory cytokines, putting unnecessary stress on the body.

• Caffeine overload – stimulates the adrenal glands and raises cortisol levels. Excess caffeine can also contribute to hormone imbalances and sleep disruption.

• Xenoestrogens – chemical compounds mimic estrogen in the body, disrupting hormone signaling, increasing toxic load, and clog the liver, which then leads to inflammation from within. You can read more about them here: Hidden Hormone Disruptors.

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.