First, lets talk about the two types of inflammations (acute and chronic)
Acute inflammation
We are most familiar with acute inflammation. This is the redness, warmth, swelling, and pain around tissues and joints that occurs in response to an injury, like when you cut yourself. When that happens chemicals from your body’s white blood cells enter your blood or tissues to protect your body from invaders. This raises the blood flow to the area of injury or infection and it starts the healing process.
Symptoms of acute inflammation
- Flushed skin at the site of the injury
- Pain or tenderness
- Swelling
- Heat
Chronic inflammation
When it comes to chronic inflammation your body continues sending inflammatory cells even when there is no outside danger. For example, in rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory cells and substances attack joint tissues leading to an inflammation that comes and goes and can cause severe damage to joints with pain and deformities
Symptoms of chronic inflammation (harder to spot)
- Joint pain
- Abdominal pain
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Skin rash
- Mouth sores
Food that causes inflammation
- Sugar
- Cooking oil omega 6 (plant oil like canola oil)
- Fried food
- Trans fat (hydrogenated oil)
- Dairy products
- Industrial meat (fed with grains)
- Processed food
- Alcohol
- Kale
- Refined grains (white flour, white bread, noodles, pasta, biscuits and pastries)
- Artificial foods additives (packaged foods contain artificial food additives)
- Food allergies (depending on the person, gluten, milk, nuts, eggs and nightshade vegetables)
Conditions that are associated with chronic inflammation
- Alzheimer
- Asthma
- Cancer
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Diabetes type2
- Autoimmune disorder (lupus)
- Exposure to toxins (pollution or industrial chemicals)
- Untreated acute inflammation (such as from an infection or injury)
Supplements to reduce inflammation
- Fish Oil
- Ginger
- Resveratrol
- Spirulina
- Vitamin D
- Bromelain
- Green tea extract
- Curcumin
- Vitamin C
- Zinc
Food and methods to reduce inflammation
- Water (drink lots of water)
- Fasting
- Bone broth
- Lemon / Turmeric tea
- Berries (blueberries, strawberries etc)
- Salmon & Sardines (high in omega3)
- Nuts (walnuts, almonds)
- Olive oil
- Dark green, leafy vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, collards
- Avocados
- Sweet potatoes
- Swiss Chard
- Beets
How can I prevent inflammation?
The best way of avoiding inflammation, in the long run, is a low carb diet, medium to high in healthy fats such omega3, and cutting out sugar completely because this is the number one agent to cause inflammation. Make sure that the meat you buy is grass-fed and organic. Prepare your meals and supplements with the list above to reduce inflammation and train at the gym at least 3 times per week. Also, do intermittent fasting at least 5 times per week and try to fast 24h once per month because this will help the body to get alkalized and fight off inflammation even faster.
