Inflammatory processes can harm our well-being. Moreover, those often cause diseases. With an anti-inflammatory diet, you can battle this problem consciously.
In this article, we will share a list of five foods that work against inflammation and the list of products that you should rather avoid.
Silent inflammations and their impact on health
An inflammation is a protective reaction of the body: the immune system uses inflammations to fight external triggers such as pathogens.
Acute inflammation has clear signs. You can quickly recognize it by a runny nose, a sore throat, swollen, red, or even a suppurating wound. If you have a robust immune system, you often don't even notice that your body successfully fights pathogens.
Chronic inflammation is entirely different. It's insidious and usually remains undetected for a long time. Those affected can't notice that the immune system is in action around the clock. When symptoms do occur, they are rarely immediately associated with chronic inflammation. For example, people with chronic inflammation suffer from:
- tiredness or exhaustion
- headache
- digestive problems
- depressive moods
- difficulty concentrating
Fatigue From Silent Inflammation - Which Foods Help?
The problem with chronic inflammation is not only that it permanently burdens the immune system and undermines its strength. Chronic inflammation is also involved in the development of chronic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatism, diabetes, calcified arteries, or various digestive system diseases such as Crohn's disease. Long-term inflammation can therefore have serious consequences for health.
Causes of Chronic Inflammation
Researchers explain the development of chronic inflammatory diseases on the one hand via a genetic predisposition. Suppose your parents or grandparents are affected by such conditions and the risk of becoming ill increases. On the other hand, stressful environmental influences, diet, and lifestyle are seen as decisive for chronic inflammation and secondary diseases. It is observed that in recent years, particularly in Western industrialized countries, the number of people suffering from chronic inflammatory diseases has increased significantly.
Inflammation is fueled by a fat, meat-heavy diet and foods that contain a lot of sugar. Smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, lack of exercise, and stress also promote long-term inflammation in our bodies and damage our health. Another cause of chronic inflammation is obesity. Belly fat, in particular, releases hormones that can trigger inflammatory processes.
Anti-Inflammatory Diet: Boost Your Health with Nutrition
You can prevent many symptoms and diseases through your diet and lifestyle. So you can become active and counteract diabetes and co. and do something specifically for your well-being and a healthy body.
Exercise and sport are essential here. Because sport has an anti-inflammatory effect and lets you shed excess pounds, it is also crucial to consciously build moments of rest into the day to reduce stress.
Another anti-inflammatory weapon is your diet. Here's how you can be careful to avoid foods that promote inflammation. Meat, especially pork, contains large amounts of inflammatory substances. A low-meat or vegetarian diet helps prevent inflammation.
You should also consume sugar and white flour products such as white bread, sweet baked goods, or convenience products as little as possible. One reason: white flour and sugar stimulate the growth of pro-inflammatory intestinal bacteria.
Try eating anti-inflammatory foods as an addition to the varied diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables, legumes, and nuts.
The top 5 anti-Inflammatory foods
A particular anti-inflammatory effect characterizes some foods. Because they contain substances that counteract the inflammatory processes in the body. Here is our list of 5 anti-inflammatory foods:
1. Pepper - Vitamin C Bomb
Bright red bell pepper is not only a delicious vegetable - it is a real vitamin C bomb that contains three times as much vitamin C as a lemon.
This vitamin scavenges free radicals in the body and helps to protect the cells from oxidative stress. Moreover, Vitamin C has an anti-inflammatory effect.
Other delicious Vitamin C suppliers are citrus fruits, sea buckthorn, and currants.
2. Kombucha – Probiotic Drink
If the intestinal flora is out of balance, the risk of inflammation in the body increases. With probiotics, you can strengthen the desired bacteria in your intestines.
Kombucha is not only a true classic among probiotic foods but also a trendy drink that you can now buy in every supermarket. Other healthy, probiotic foods include kefir or sauerkraut.
3. Onions and Leeks - Spicy Sulfides
Onions and leeks are regional vegetables that have vital effects and other valuable plant and mineral substances. They contain sulfites. These secondary plant substances provide a spicy taste and anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antioxidant effects. Therefore, vegetables help activate your body's self-healing powers.
4. Salmon - Omega 3 Supplier
Fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, or herring are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. Many studies have shown that Omega-3 reduces inflammation.
A good vegetable alternative to fish is linseed oil. Just a teaspoon of linseed oil in your muesli will help you cover your daily requirement of Omega-3.
5. Turmeric - Essential Oils
Same as ginger or fennel, turmeric contains essential oils. These have been known for centuries for their anti-inflammatory effects. Another component of turmeric is curcumin, which is said to have a particularly anti-inflammatory effect in Ayurvedic medicine.
Eating against inflammation becomes easy with the top 5 foods! You can incorporate the delicious foods into recipes and enjoy them. How about golden turmeric milk, for example?
Sources:
- https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/foods-that-fight-inflammation
- https://centrespringmd.com/top-5-anti-inflammatory-foods-anti-inflammatory-diet/
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/13-anti-inflammatory-foods
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320233