With new research showing pizza may help you lose weight, it’s difficult to think about ever having to eat anything else! However, we know now more than ever that the food you eat can, and will, have a major impact on your physical and emotional health. Dieticians have discovered certain foods can actually cause more harm than good. If you suffer from pain, it might be time to consider what dietary experts call an “anti-inflammatory diet.” These changes in your diet may help counteract chronic inflammation symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis or heart disease.
What foods fall into the “anti-inflammatory category,” and how can you incorporate them into your diet?
The easiest foods to include or increase are fruits and vegetables such as blueberries, pineapples and green leafy vegetables. These foods are great because they are rich in vitamins A, C and K. The easiest way to eat more fruits and veggies is in a morning breakfast smoothie. What better way to start your day than with one of these delicious treats?
You can increase your whole grains like brown rice, quinoa or chia seeds, but try to limit your intake of refined carbohydrates like pasta, white bread and white rice. Trying new seeds and grains might be intimidating at first, but this chia seed pudding has cocoa powder making it perfect for dessert!
Eat lean protein, especially fish such as salmon. It is beneficial to cut back on red meat. Fish has healthy essential fatty acids like omega-6 and omega-3. Salmon is a great option! Did you know you can cook it in your dishwasher?
Walnuts and other good “fatty” foods can help, as well. These nuts have similar qualities to fish, full of omega-3 and healthy fats that are hard to find in other foods. Throw them in a probiotic yogurt or on a salad!
If you like some heat, spicy foods can be beneficial, too! Don’t shy away from a little ginger or curry.
It can be overwhelming at first to try to incorporate all of these foods into your diet. Don’t try to do everything at once. Just start by incorporating fish oil supplements to get you on your way to feeling better!
Here you can find a recommendation of the best 15 foods to include in your diet to help with inflammation.