Foods that Fight Inflammation
By: Susan K. Manez, MS, RD, CDN
Many people suffer daily with pain, swelling, weakness, and a vast array of ailments. While some of these conditions are incurable and/or must be treated with medications, many are improved or even resolved with dietary changes. There are many foods that are considered “anti-inflammatory”. What does this mean? Let’s start by defining “inflammation”. Naturalantiinflammatory.org defines inflammation as “a set of biological processes involving the reaction of our body to harmful stimuli, i.e. injuries, infections etc.” In simple terms, inflammation is what our body does when it’s attacked. You can attack back by incorporating some of the foods listed below into your healthy diet. As always, be sure to focus on consuming adequate amounts of protein daily (typical daily goal is 60-80 grams of protein daily).
For those suffering with chronic inflammation, incorporating the above foods into your diet can help relieve some, and perhaps even many of the painful symptoms associated with inflammatory diseases. Avoiding certain foods can also be of benefit. Foods to avoid include processed foods, sugars, oils high in polyunsaturated fats (ex: corn oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, margarine), and red meat. Keep in mind that a diet that is balanced and healthy is often the best medicine, but is not guaranteed to cure any conditions or diseases.
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