It feels so good to NOT be bloated. It’s like your clothes fit better and you truly feel good about putting those jeans on and tucking in your shirt…but it’s totally another thing when this is not the case.
When your body is in a chronic state of inflammation, it can have serious effects on your cellular health, and has been linked to degenerative diseases including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and many other diseases.
Inflammation is your body’s natural response to threats from germs, harmful toxins, environmental pollutants, injury and stress, and others. Besides disease, symptoms of inflammation are usually characterized by allergies, lower immune system, redness, swelling, pain, harder to heal, and stiffness, and sometimes the effects do not manifest outwardly until there has been significant damage.
List of Anti-Inflammatory Foods
Yes indeed, this means you could be dealing with inflammation and not even know it, until it shows it’s ugly head from the inside out.
Stretch: Those who perform Hatha Yoga, holding stretch for 5-6 breaths at least 75 minutes per week have less inflammation. Exercising at about 60 to 80 percent of your maximum heart rate—think brisk walking where you can still talk but it would be difficult to carry on a conversation – lowers inflammation..(1)
Get a Massage: Receiving a 45-minute Swedish massage can greatly lower levels of two key inflammation-promoting hormones“Massage may decrease inflammatory substances by [appropriately] increasing the amount of disease-fighting white blood cells in the body. It may also lower stress hormones. Either way, these inflammation-lowering results can be seen after just one massage. (2)
Up the RIGHT Omegas: There are 3 “healthy” unsaturated fats: omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9. Omega-3 and omega-6 are polyunsaturated and must be acquired through diet. Omega-9 is monounsaturated and is not considered an EFA because our bodies can synthesize them from other fats we consume. If you are not getting a moderate amounts of vegetable oils or regular servings of oily fish, you will probably come up short every day. Because we are land-locked in Iowa, I researched this heavily and found xEO Mega through doTerra to be a great fit, best bang for my buck and it’s one of the best. If you don’t want to reply on supplaments, opt for as much fresh, unprocessed food as possible, swap your omega-6-rich corn or sunflower oil for omega-3-packed canola and load your plate with omega-3-rich foods. Omega-3s boost the number of proteins in the body that quell inflammation and also reduce the level of proteins that promote inflammation. It is recommended ;1 to 4 grams of omega-3s daily…(3)
Hold Off on The Crackers! Do not eat partially hydrogenated oil. Trans fats can be found in items including fried foods, packaged cookies, crackers, margarines and more. And buyer beware: “Even if a food label reads 0 grams trans fats, it can still contain less than 0.5 gram per serving, so if you eat multiple servings, you could be eating a few grams. Saturated fat, found in fatty cuts of meat, whole milk and butter, can convert to pro-inflammatory compounds.. Instead, aim to eat more lean proteins, such as fish, white-meat poultry and plant-based proteins like beans…(4)
Magnesium Levels? There’s a lot of evidence that people with high inflammatory markers often have low magnesium levels. Plus, people who have conditions associated with inflammation, like heart disease and diabetes, also tend to have low magnesium levels. Another reason to eat leafy greens, whole grains, and nuts: they are all rich in magnesium, a mineral that about 60 percent of us don’t consume enough of. Almonds, peas, broccoli, green leafy veggies, oatmeal, flaxseed, skim milk, tofu, cashew.
SLEEP: Getting less than 6 hours of sleep was linked to significantly increased levels of three key inflammatory markers—interleukin-6, CRP and fibrinogen…(5)
Drink Green Tea & Water: 500 mg of Green tea can inhibit oxidative stress and the potential inflammation that may result from it. That’s 4-6 – 8 ounce cups per day (I think that will send me to the bathroom more often – but worth it!) Plus it’s loaded with antioxidants…(6)
Raw broccoli & Mustard? Raw broccoli is a good source of the powerful cancer-fighting compound sulforaphane. But cooking destroys the enzyme (myrosinase) in broccoli that makes sulforaphane available to your body. The fix? Combine broccoli with mustard (yes, the condiment) or another raw cruciferous veggie, such as wasabi or arugula—the extra dose of myrosinase will help you absorb more sulforaphane…(7)
Digestive Enzymes: We all could do better with ingesting better foods, especially in the winter when vine-ripened veggies aren’t at their peak. You’ll hear more about digestive enzymes in the future – trust me – but in short, they are in the form of a powder or pill and help you digest the food properly, especially when you don’t eat good choices. They support the constant production of enzymes critical for healthy biochemical functions…(8) purchase here
Use Essential Oils: One of the most amazing things I’ve learned about essential oils is their ability to fight inflammation and boost the immune system, besides detoxing the body and fighting infections, bacteria, parasites, microorganisms and harmful toxins, you can do just about anything with them. If you want to know more, let me know and I’d be happy to share.
Take Probiotics: This is by far one of the best simple actions you could do on a daily basis to help your overall health. Just check out this product page of a company that sells a specific probiotic that actual gets to the large intestines, where it’s supposed go (unlike others that breakdown before their final destination).
My daughter Mercie had some stomach issues, so I researched and found some probiotics on drmercola.com, they seemed good and had all the ‘indicators’ for being a great probiotic. She took them and felt better. I was pleased. However, they were about $65 per month. Of course medication was more expensive, so I thought this was a fine way to spend my money. After more research I learned that these probiotics probably weren’t making it to the final destination. I learned there was a better choice, less expensive, and was a pill within a pill, which made all the difference because it got to where the problem was. We switched and all her stomach issues vanished. Couldn’t be more pleased.
My teenage daughter had acne pretty bad, so we took her to the Dermatologist. They put her on 5 medications, which freaked me out a little, it did help the first 3 months, but didn’t take it away. I tried everything known to moms to help her, until my Nurse Practitioner and my Pharmacist told me to take a probiotic, (unbalanced bacteria could contribute to rashes and prolonged acne). I spent hours researching the different types. I eventually found this essential oil company called doTerra. I really never heard of it prior, but they offered a pill within a pill – IT WOULD GET TO THE LARGE INTESTINES! Bam, I went through more research and joined their ‘club’ to get a 25% discount. Couldn’t be happier and it’s cheaper than the online and store bought options. Now…I can’t stop using these essential oils that I’ve learned along the way…[read more]
There is much more to discuss on the issue of inflammatory issues. Here’s to your health and happiness! May God bless you richly in your continued searching.
Sources:
- Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research at Ohio State University College of Medicine
- Mark Hyman Rapaport, M.D., Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine
- Christopher P. Cannon, M.D., a professor at Harvard Medical School
- Nurses’ Health Study out of Harvard
- American Heart Association 2010 Scientific Sessions in Chicago
- Researchers from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Lubbock
- 2011 study published in the British Journal of Nutrition
- doTerra Univeristy
