Foods that Fight Inflammation – Part II

Good morning! How are ya today? Great, I hope. This morning started with a “Drink for Health” Smoothie. And by “Drink for Health” I mean it wasn’t the greatest tasting smoothie that I have ever made but I know it was chalk full of nutrients. I was so happy to return to my VitaMix that I got a little carried away with ingredients 😉 The hub is coming down with some sort of cold/congestion so this is my secret way of fighting it. After a few sips a he said was, “Woo. This has a little twang. What did you put in here?” I just smiled and continued writing.

Is my ingredient list safe with you?

In went: greens, unsweetened almond milk, aloe, squeeze of lemon, frozen banana, frozen berries, frozen pineapple, chia seeds, hemp seeds, flax meal, maca powder, ground cayenne pepper, ground turmeric, fresh ginger and a few ice cubes.

Now you know what I’m talking about. So many anti-inflammatory, cold-fighting ingredients!

Speaking of anti-inflammatories, todays post is Part II of the inflammation series.

I know, I know. After Tuesdays “don’t eat this,” “avoid that” post, you’re ready to throw in the towel and say, “Forget it, Ashley. I’m doomed. Those are all of my favorite foods.” Not so! Let’s take a look at a few foods you can add to your diet in order to fight inflammation. Remember chronic inflammation is linked to all of the following diseases: rheumatoid arthritis, Irritable Bowel Diseases (diverticulosis and Crohn’s disease), some kidney diseases, chronic skin problems, and cardiovascular disease. This is why it is so important that we choose the foods listed below over the foods listed on Tuesday.

Foods that Fight Inflammation

1. Fruits

High in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals. Berries are great when it comes to inflammation; try to get a variety of colors!

2. Vegetables

Also high in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals. When it comes to inflammation think dark green leafy veggies, celery and cruciferous veggies. 

3. Herbs

A few herbs known for their anti-inflammatory properties include curry, cayenne, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, basil, thyme, oregano and thyme. Add them to your meals whenever possible (or smoothies if your feeling crazy 😉 ).

4. Omega-3s

Where to find them? Oily fish (think salmon, herring, trout), walnuts, flax meal, chia seed, algae (spirullina!), olive oil and canola oil. Omega-3s are known to suppress the release of the particular proteins (cytokines) that trigger inflammation.

5. Nuts

Nuts too are nutritional powerhouses when it comes to fighting inflammation. What kind of nuts to include? Almonds, walnuts, and pecans are all great to include in your anti-inflammatory diet.

5. Whole grains

Think oats, brown rice, quinoa and barley among many others. These are high in fiber as well as other nutrients known to fight inflammation.

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See there is still a lot we can eat, helping our bodies and not harming them!

I’m off to the gym and then to run some errands to get ready for a wedding weekend ahead! Have a great Thursday – one more day!

Good health!

Tagged as: anti-inflammation, anti-inflammation diet, anti-inflammatory, drink for health, fight disease, green smoothie, healthy, inflammation, nutrition, plant based life