Studies have shown that inflammation in the body is linked to many chronic health conditions.
When inflammation happens over a period of time, it can damage tissues and organs as well as damage DNA and lead to diseases such as heart disease and cancer. Chronic inflammation can be caused by smoking, drug and alcohol use as well as obesity.
Altering your diet to focus on anti-inflammatory foods can help reduce inflammation in your body. Anti-inflammatory foods are often high in antioxidants. Eating plenty of leafy green, red and orange coloured vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes, broccoli, spinach and beets help to lower inflammatory markers.
Incorporating spices, herbs, legumes, seeds and omega-3 rich seafood and fish can stop inflammation in its tracks. Omega-3s interfere with leukocytes and cytokines which trigger inflammation within the body.
It's also important to remove the nasty inflammatory offending foods such as fried foods, processed meats, sugary baked goods, and dairy products. Limiting these items or removing them completely can help reduce inflammation.
As with any changes to your healthcare plan, always talk to your physician when looking at making any changes if you have underlying health conditions.
