Inflammation Is Often Associated With Injury. You Stub Your Toe And The Toe Swells.

By Lawrence Burton


First and foremost, we want to eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. A good rule of thumb is to eat a rainbow. In other words we want a wide variety of color in the fruits and vegetables that we eat.

I Don't Suffer From Inflammation!

Generally we want about 4 servings of vegetables per day, and 2-3 servings of fruit. We always want to buy organic when possible. Organic fruits and vegetables are usually a bit more expensive, but the increased cost is well worth keeping harmful chemicals and pesticides out of our bodies.

Silent inflammation has been linked with the buildup of cholesterol deposits in the arteries which can lead to heart disease. In a similar way, the risk of Alzheimer's disease increases with inflammation of brain tissue, as this results in the buildup of amyloid plaque deposits in the brain.

In the case of obesity, changing the diet by reducing calories will reduce body weight and thus reduce the inflammation in the body. This is the simplest benefit of an anti-inflammatory diet. However, people who are obese or overweight are not the only people who can benefit from an anti-inflammatory diet.

Illness Treatment and Prevention

There are many illnesses and conditions caused by inflammation. These include asthma, arthritis, inflammatory bowel syndrome, pelvic inflammatory disease, endometriosis, diabetes, COPD, Psoriasis, Colitis, and Lupus - just to name a few. All-in-all, there are nearly 40 autoimmune conditions currently accepted by the medical community that are affected by inflammation.

Wild caught fish have a more diversified diet and so has a far better nutrient content. Due to the pollution in our oceans many of our fish are contaminated with heavy metals such as mercury. For this reason pregnant mothers and children under the age of 6 years old should keep their servings to only 2 per week. High levels of mercury in adults can cause neurological dysfunction and kidney damage.

Lean meats, skin-less poultry, eggs, cheeses and other proteins should be utilized sparingly. I typically recommend only 2 servings per week. We want to make sure any meats are from grass-fed organic animals. The egg products and poultry we consume should come from free range chickens and if possible be fortified with omega 3 fatty acids.

Changing to an anti-inflammatory diet does not have to be in reaction to a disease or illness. Prevention is the best choice and the anti-inflammatory diet can reduce the risk of contracting many of the listed illnesses. When the body feels as though it needs to fight for survival, inflammation occurs, so offering healthy foods that have an inflammatory effect is a great choice for all people including those who are young, healthy and feel they do not need an anti-inflammatory diet.




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