Inflammation refers to your body's process of fighting against things that harm it, like infections, injuries, and toxins, in an attempt to heal itself. Exerted stress from exercising results in your cells being damaged (this is why you feel pain/stiffness a few days after doing strenuous training) which leads to the body releasing antibodies and proteins, as well as increased blood flow to the damaged area to protect itself against further damage. In the short term this is a good thing but we don’t want inflammation sticking around in the long term because it may have a negative impact on your tissues and organs which may lead to chronic pain and disease.
Luckily, through nutrition, we can avoid long term inflammation by including anti-inflammatory food in our diets. Today we are going to cover groups of food that you may include that have these effects.
#1 Power up on beans
Certain types of beans contain a powerful compound called anthocyanins which are believed to delay cellular aging and prevent the formation of clots in our blood which keeps our hearts healthy. Kidney beans, black beans and pinto beans are especially high in anthocyanins and have antioxidant effects. This means that they fight off unstable molecules, called free radicals, that damage cells and increase risks of disease.
Another pro on beans is that they contain a very high fibre content. Fibre is a type of carbohydrate that is indigestible and helps reduce insulin sensitivity leading to a decrease in the chances of one getting diabetic.
#2 Omega 3 fats
Omega 3 fats are the building blocks for our brain and central nervous system. They support our heart health, immune function and vision. These fats are essential, meaning our bodies cannot naturally produce them but have to be obtained from our diet. Animal experiments and clinical intervention studies indicate that omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory properties and, therefore, might be useful in the management of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.
There are 3 types of omega 3 fats:
Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA): this is an essential fat that we get from seeds such as chia seeds, flax seeds, and hemp seeds and oils such as canola oil and hemp seed oil.
Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) & docosahexaenoic acid (DHA): our bodies can naturally produce EPA & DHA and are found mostly in fish.
#3 Make your plate colourful
Ingesting a variety of different foods with multiple colours increase your chances of getting vital nutrients from your plate. Red coloured foods such as red bell peppers and tomatoes are rich in lycopene. This is a strong antioxidant which helps reduce damage caused by free radicals, improves heart health and lowers the risk of certain types of cancer.
Dark green leafy plants such as kale, spinach and broccoli are rich in flavanol. Flavanols help fight against free radicals and help your body function optimally while fighting against everyday toxins and they may help your body dismiss inflammatory reactions. Other benefits of including flavanols in your diet are the management of high blood pressure (because they are high in fibre) and a study from the Journal of Translational Medicine found that they lower the risk of cardiovascular disease
Yellow and orange plants such as carrots, yellow bell peppers and sweet potatoes contain beta-carotene. Our bodies convert beta-carotene into vitamin A which is a vital nutrient for our eye health, cell growth and maintaining healthy organs like the heart, lungs, and kidneys.
#4 Herbs
Oxidative stress is an imbalance that occurs between free radicals and antioxidants in our bodies. When this occurs, free radicals can easily react with other molecules causing inflammation, damaging of cells and premature aging. Including herbs such as oregano, thyme and rosemary reduces this balance because they are high in antioxidants.
#5 Get some fibre in ya!
Fibre, as mentioned previously, is an indigestible polysaccharide carbohydrate. It leaves your stomach undigested and ends up in your colon, where it feeds friendly gut bacteria, leading to various health benefits. That means it helps support our overall health and regulates insulin sensitivity efficiently.
Our gut microbiome is made up of trillions of fungi, bacteria and other microbes which can either promote inflammation or reduce it, adding fibre rich foods fuels the growth of the beneficial microbes which help reduce inflammation. Rich fibre foods include strawberries, avocados, carrots, and broccoli.
Summary
In order to optimize your health, one needs to take careful consideration of what is going into your body on a daily basis. Adding multi-coloured foods ensures you are gaining all vital nutrients from different food types. Do not be afraid to add herbs and spices to your meals as they are high in anti-inflammatory nutrients and finally, eat foods that will make you feel good and productive not just in the short term but also in the long term.
Focusing more on the foods that benefit you will naturally lead to them displacing the foods that we ought to be having less of. For example, instead of having white bread, which is low in fibre, opt for wholegrain bread next time you’re at the shops.
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