5 amazing anti-inflammatory foods!
One of the best medicines we have available to us is food! We are so used to when we feeling sore or achey to reach for the ibuprofen, however one of the most powerful tools we have at our disposal is food!
Here are 5 brilliant anti-inflammatory foods that are generally really good for us as well as having superb anti-inflammatory properties.
1 - Turmeric
Turmeric is that beautiful bright yellow/orange spice commonly found in Indian curries. It contains a compound known as curcumin which has powerful anti-inflammatory elements. It can be added to veggies, curries or other main meals however it is challenging to get enough of the compound to make a difference to your symptoms. Often taking a tumeric/curcumin supplement is a really effective way of getting it into your body.
2 - Berries
Strawberries, blackberries, raspberries and blueberries are all delicious anti-inflammatory fruits, and they work so well as they contain something called anthocyanins. They have been proven to help with heart disease and and boost the immune system. They can be eaten as they are, in smoothies, or combined with things like yoghurt to boost protein intake.
3 - Dark chocolate
Yes - chocolate can be good for you! They contain antioxidants which help to fight disease and flavanols which keep your arteries healthy. It is important to portion control this and make sure to buy 70% cocoa or above to keep the sugar levels in the chocolate itself as low as possible.
4 - Green tea
It’s no secret that green tea is good for you, it contains huge anti-inflammatory properties and reduces the risk of cancer, heart disease, Alzheimers and other lifestyle diseases. It can have a teaspoon of honey mixed into it if you don’t like the bitter taste.
5 - Fatty fish
Fatty fish is such a good source of omega 3 fatty acids which is essential for the heart, brain and eye health. There have been studies to show that fatty fish also helps reduce C reactive protein (CRP) which is an inflammatory in the blood.
If you don’t like the taste of fish, then we recommend taking a fish oil supplement - as these will provide those omega 3’s the same way. We luckily sell these in clinic, so ask one of our CA’s for more information :)
We hope we’ve shown you that there are so many options for anti-inflammatory foods, enjoy incorporating them into your diet and feeling better than ever!