Natural Anti-Inflammatory Foods (2020 Update)
Today we are talking about natural anti-inflammatory foods and how they are used to create better health. We will discuss inflammation and what it is, medications and natural alternatives to medications.
What is Inflammation?
Inflammation is the activation of the immune system in response to infection, irritation or injury.
Characterized by an influx of white blood cells, redness, heat, swelling, pain, and dysfunction of the organs involved, inflammation has different names when it appears in different parts of the body.
Most allergy and asthma sufferers are familiar with rhinitis (inflammation of the nose), sinusitis (inflammation of the sinuses), and asthma (inflammation of the airways), but inflammation is also behind arthritis (inflammation of the joints), dermatitis (inflammation of the skin), and so on.
Note that they mostly have the suffix ‘itis’, if you get a diagnosis with that ending in means inflammation.
You may think that only your joints are affected by inflammation, but inflammation actually affects all of your major organ systems and therefore affects everyone. Because inflammation management is linked to whole-body health, a supplement that promotes a healthy inflammation response may be fundamental to your entire well being.
Anti-Inflammatory Medications
There are many anti-inflammatory medications on the market today. Several of them have side effects that you don’t really want but can’t do anything about.
The most common side effects are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, decreased appetite, rash, dizziness, headache, and drowsiness. The most serious side effects are kidney failure (primarily with chronic use), liver failure, ulcers and prolonged bleeding after an injury or surgery.
Natural Lifestyle Solutions
Studies have shown that there are many lifestyle choices that contribute to inflammation on a daily basis.
- Sleep deprivation – reduced sleep and insomnia does not allow the body time enough to repair and heal during the night.
- Stress and anxiety – reducing your stress or anxiety also helps reduce the inflammatory response in your body.
- Diet – eating a healthy diet with plenty of water, fruits, vegetables and complex carbohydrates reduces inflammation. Adding healthy fats such as omega 3s and olive oil to your diet will also help.
- Detoxification – detoxing the lymphatic system of pollutants and chemicals.
- Exercise – Exercise removes toxins from the lymph system and reduces inflammation.
- Supplements/Vitamins – Choose a whole food vitamin and mineral supplement, not one that is synthetically made. Folic acid, B vitamins, and vitamins C, D and E have anti-inflammatory effects for the body.
- Immune System – support your immune system with probiotic and enzyme supplements for a healthy intestinal tract.
Natural Anti-Inflammatory Foods
Herbs and Spices
Extensive research conducted within the last two decades has indicated that phytochemicals present in herbs and spices can safely and effectively promote a healthy anti-inflammation response.
There are many natural products available on the market today. Turmeric is one of our favorites as it has some amazing anti-inflammatory properties. You can learn more about using turmeric powder and other herbs and diet to control inflammation in this book The Anti-Inflammatory Diet & Action Plans: 4-Week Meal Plans to Heal the Immune System and Restore Overall Health by Dorothy Calimeris
Essential Oils
Another great way to reduce inflammation is to use essential oils.
Essential oils contain many different medicinal properties that are documented to help the physical and emotional body. They easily penetrate the skin and can be carried throughout the blood and tissues within minutes.
Oils that are high in carvacrol, a phenol, can be very effective as a natural anti-inflammatory. Carvacrol can be found in Oregano, Thyme , and Mountain Savory Essential Oils. Also Copaiba (pronounced “Ko-pah-ee-bah”) essential oil is potentially the highest anti-inflammatory substance known to man either natural or synthetic.
A study published in the January 2010 in the Journal of Lipid Research found that 6 essential oils reduce inflammation very effectively. In this study, it was found that the oils suppressed the COX-2 enzyme, which is responsible for the inflammatory process in the body, by as much as 75 percent!
Thyme essential oil ranked number one out of six different oils tested and there are over 50 different oils that show natural anti-inflammatory properties.
CBD Products
You can also use CBD products and they are becoming more and more popular and for a good reason. One of the main reasons to take CBD supplements is that it has amazing natural anti-inflammatory properties.
“Overall, the research literature indicates that cannabinoids, including CBD, could potentially be very effective anti-inflammatory agents for nervous tissue inflammation, inflammatory bowel disease, arthritis, vascular inflammation and certain types of cancers that are triggered by chronic inflammation” ~ Jeremy Riggle, Ph.D.
The use of CBD is a great way to naturally start using natural anti-inflammatory products.
Conclusion:
If you have inflammation in your body and are concerned about your health, there are several natural products to help reduce your inflammation as well as lifestyle changes that you can incorporate easily.
