Inflammation is a natural part of your body’s immune system doing its job, and it is necessary for healing. But as you’ve probably heard, inflammation can also be a bad thing. Sometimes inflammation can get out of control and lead to health problems such as rheumatoid arthritis and back pain. Inflammatory back pain is quite common and is a daily struggle for many people. Thankfully there are plenty of foods out there that can help curb inflammation and prevent it from getting out of control. Here are some of the top anti-inflammatory foods that you can start incorporating into your diet today.
Fatty Fish
Oily fish, like salmon, tuna, sardines, and mackerel are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are great for reducing inflammation. Eating these types of fish several times a week is a great way to reduce inflammation. If you don’t like to eat fish, there are fish oil pills available too.
Celery
Celery has been proven to not only fight inflammation but also fight bacterial infections. Celery is rich in antioxidants that help to prevent heart disease, lower cholesterol levels, and improve blood pressure. Just one cup of celery offers a good deal of anti-inflammatories including vitamins A, K, and C, and potassium.
Whole Grains
Instead of consuming refined grains found in things like white bread, cereal, white rice, and pasta, you may want to switch to whole grains. Whole grains contain much more fiber, which is effective in the fight against inflammation because it reduces levels of C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation in the blood.
Coconut Oil
Lipids found in coconut oil are chalk-full of anti-inflammatory compounds. Coconut oil is rich in antioxidants that work to reduce inflammation and ease the pain that comes with conditions such as arthritis.
Nuts
Several types of nuts contain healthy fats that help reduce inflammation. Almonds are high in fiber, calcium, and vitamin E, and walnuts are packed with alpha-linolenic acid, which is a type of omega-3 fat. Furthermore, all nuts contain antioxidants that help to repair and protect from damage caused by inflammation.
Colourful Vegetables
Colourful vegetables such as peppers, tomatoes, and squash have high amounts of antioxidant vitamins and very little starch. Tomatoes have high levels of lycopene, which greatly helps to reduce inflammation in the lungs, and some peppers, mainly hot peppers like chili and cayenne peppers, contain capsaicin, a chemical that can reduce pain and inflammation.
Berries
All types of fruit contain plenty of fiber, so they can all help fight inflammation. Berries, however, are especially helpful because they contain antioxidant flavonoids called anthocyanins. Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries; all of these contain powerful anti-inflammatories that you can easily start incorporating into your diet.
Ginger
Whether you consume it fresh, dried, or in supplements, ginger can help reduce inflammation caused by overactive immune system responses. Ginger is very good at warming your body, and as a result, can help break down toxins in your organs and cleanse your body’s lymphatic system.
Start including some of these foods into your everyday diet and you are sure to start seeing improvements in your health and a noticeable reduction in inflammation.