Anti-Inflammatory Foods

October 14, 2021 | Nutrition | 0 comments | Author: Zach Bohannon

Recently, I spent a week dealing with bad inflammation in my hip. The pain was very hard to deal with! I literally could not walk for a day and a half! No fun!I went to a primary care physician to get it checked out when I wasn’t 100% sure it was inflammation, which he confirmed. Of course, the doctor wanted to medicate me in order to hide and mask the symptom. I politely said no thank you and decided to increase my intake of anti-inflammatory foods and it helped clear my inflammation up!

You know we always will go to food first at Life Fitness Academy! If you are experiencing joint pain or just want to jump the gun on prevention, here are some important foods to include in your diet in order to fight off joint inflammation.

DARK LEAFY GREENS
Who would have thought that nutrient dense greens would make an appearance on this list? You can pretty much bet that greens will make a star appearance on most lists regarding your health! Dark leafy greens such as kale, broccoli, spinach, and collard greens contain a high amount of vitamin E which has been linked with reducing inflammation. In fact, they contain a high amount of many essential vitamins and minerals including calcium and iron which are essential to reducing inflammation as well.

HEALTHY FATS AND OMEGA 3’S - NUTS, COCONUT OIL, OLIVE OIL, AVOCADO, SALMON
Fatty foods also play an essential role in fighting inflammation, particularly, omega 3’s. Omega 3 fatty acids have long been linked to good heart health which naturally means they can go a long way in helping with inflammation all over the body. Coconut oil and avocado oil are our two favorite oils and are high in essential fats. Nuts are very good as well and ideally should be consumed raw to get the full balance of nutrients. Salmon is extremely high in Omega 3’s and a great source to get it from as long as you get wild salmon as opposed to farm raised. Most farm raised salmon is treated with chemicals to give it that “pink” color you expect from wild fish. No bueno.

TURMERIC AND GINGER
Turmeric is an Asian spice that is a true ninja when it comes to fighting inflammation. Turmeric contains an active component called curcurmin which is so strong and important that it can be taken alone and fight inflammation. But the spice should be taken in its whole form to get the most effect out of it. Ginger is another great food you can use, but it isn’t quite as effective as turmeric. You can use ginger in its spice or root form.

BERRIES
Berries are an extremely delicious food that help fight inflammation. They are extremely low in sugar and still have a sweet taste. Also, they are loaded with antioxidants which control inflammation. The downside with berries is that conventional crops are loaded with pesticides as the skin is so thin. So you always need to buy berries organic or just pass on them all together.

SWEET POTATOES
Just like with whole grains, you should ignore refined white potatoes and go for sweet potatoes. The vitamin B6 and C as well as the high fiber, beta-carotene and manganese help fight off inflammation in the body.

These are some of my favorite anti-inflammatory foods! Use these while cutting back on refined sugar, refined white carbs, trans fats, and common cooking oils (vegetable, soy, safflower, cottonseed, sunflower). In addition, we recommend you always stay away from conventional dairy (opt for raw when going for dairy if possible) and staying away from feedlot-raised meat (aim for grassfed, organic meat).

Want a quick anti-inflammatory fix? Make a smoothie! Grab your blender and using water as a base, throw in some organic frozen berries, a handful of two of spinach (if you’re not a fan, you won’t taste it I promise!) and throw a little bit of turmeric in there with it, blend it up and enjoy!