February 10, 2010 in Recipes, Wellness by empoweringwellness

Anti-Inflammatory Foods

Doctors believe there is a link between low-grade, or chronic inflammation and a host of diseases including diabetes, obesity, fibromyalgia, and an increased risk for cancer and Alzheimer disease. Your doctor can actually measure it with the “high-sensitivity C-reactive protein,” or CRP, test.

And while medications such as naproxen and ibuprofen can reduce inflammation, they also can pose some long-term risk. According to a March 2002 article in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, processed sugars and other high glycemic starches increase inflammation, just as they raise blood sugar. But, there are other types of foods that actually can help REDUCE inflammation, with little if any downside.

So, what are these super foods? Here’s a quick list of ten. And for more information, check out this post. The Top Ten Anti-Inflammatory Foods.

1) Wild salmon – contains anti-inflammatory Omega-3 oils. Stick to wild salmon if possible. It contains more Omega-3 oils than farmed salmon
2) Grass-fed beef – if you’re going to eat read meat, stick to grass fed beef or other grass-fed red meat products. Free-range livestock that graze in pastures build up higher levels of omega-3s, where meat from grain-fed animals has virtually no omega-3s and plenty of saturated fat. However, most nutritional counselors recommend that you eat red meat no more than once or twice per week
3) Olive oil – need I say more!
4) Green, leafy vegetables like Kale, Spinach and dark lettuce, as well as tomatoes are rich in anti-oxidants that help build immune response as well as reduce inflammation.
5) Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower
6) Cherries! – Note that frozen cherries are available year round
7) Blueberries – frozen are also available year round
Turmeric – This spice contains a powerful, natural inflammatory compound
9) Ginger – related to turmeric, there is also some evidence to suggest that it can control blood sugar levels
10) Garlic – has anti-inflammatory properties and may also help your body fight infection. Dracula look out!