Inflamed? What’s in your diet?
Have pain? Sick all the time? Take a look at what is going in your mouth! An inflamed body is breeding ground for cancer and other autoimmune diseases.
Create an anti-inflammatory lifestyle by following these guidelines.
1. Eliminate the oils high in omega-6 found in corn, safflower, sunflower, peanut and soybean oils. These are inflammatory because they are metabolized into hormone-like compounds that actually promote inflammation in your body. Get rid of margarine, lower your intake of deep-fried foods and any foods that contain trans fat. Reduce your intake of foods high in saturated fat as well.
2. Get more of the good stuff! Like extra-virgin olive oil and omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish like salmon and cod, fish oil, walnuts and walnut oil, flax and flaxseed oil, and hempseed and hempseed oil.
3. No more unhealthy carbs wrapped in plastic. Eliminate refined flours, sugars and other foods that are high on the glycemic index. You can easily spot them out because they are not found in the ground, they are found in plastic wrap!
4. Eat more fruits and vegetables. Shop in the perimeter of the grocery store or at your local farmers market. The produce with high antioxidant content is best. Blueberries, strawberries and dark leafy greens are excellent choices for an anti-inflammatory diet. However, if you are not eating organic you are getting concentrated pesticides! Water based fruit that you eat the skin of is a pesticide sponge, though not inflammatory, it is toxic.
5. Spice it up! Flavor your dishes with ginger, turmeric, cayenne, garlic and onions.
6. Avoid foods that that result in sensitivities and allergies or that generally don’t make you feel good because you’re body just won’t tolerate it. Allergy testing can help you determine what those foods might be.
7. Reduce the stress in your life. Although this is not food-related, reducing your stress can promote a more alkaline body and a less acidic environment. There is also a good chance that once you start eating anti-inflammatory foods, you will feel better and be able to deal more effectively with daily stressors, too.
After all, you are what you eat. When you treat food as fuel you will find you are sick less, have less pain, are in a better mood, and generally have better look skin, which means all your organs are better off too! If health won’t persuade you, how about vanity?
Like momma always said, eat your veggies,
LL