Author: Maria Alfano
Finally, there is a way to stop the pain with these anti-inflammation foods. You can eat your way back into health and be pain-free.
Doctors commonly misdiagnose inflammation with fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia is considered the “F” word in medical language. It’s the go-to disease when they simply don’t know what is wrong with you. A simple blood test will tell you exactly what is wrong with you. Don’t settle for the first outcome. Always ask for a second opinion. And, always ask them for the tests you want. The following may seem like a lot of tests, but rest assured, they will do them all with one poke!
C-reactive Protein (CRP) measures the amount of protein in your blood. Normal levels are below 3. Anything higher puts you at risk of inflammatory diseases like heart diseases and rheumatoid arthritis.
Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) measures your protein plasma. This test is highly dependant on your age and gender. Biomarkers increase with age. It is an excellent test for bone lesions and osteomyelitis (swelling in the bone)
Procalcitonin (PCT) is released into the body by infections. The goal is to have this level be as low as possible. Negative values are best.
White blood counts should be between 4,500 and 10,500 to be considered normal. White blood cells are responsible for finding and destroying viruses and bacteria.
What exactly is inflammation and why does the amount of inflammation in your body matter? How can you tell you have too much inflammation? These are all very valid questions. Before you go through the trouble of getting bloodwork done, you should consider the following things. As always, consult your primary caregiver if you have any concerns about your health. Aging brings with it many aches and pains but is it really just the aging process. Don’t discount your pains as just a part of getting older.
Stop The Pain With These Powerful Anti-Inflammation Foods
Before we get into what you should eat, it is important to get a basic understanding of what inflammation is and how to know that you may have too much. This post will walk you through some things to look out for with inflammation and the best anti-inflammation foods to help you heal.
Inflammation
Inflammation is how your body deals with bacteria or injury. When you have too much inflammation your body can’t stop the reaction to the trauma. It continues to build up until you feel any of the possible symptoms like redness, fatigue, constant body pain, depression or anxiety, and too many infections.
Some experts believe that chronic stress, smoking, and alcohol can exasperate the inflammatory markers.
Avoid These Foods
These foods should be no surprise to anyone. They are the culprit for many diseases from diabetes to obesity and everything in between. Because some of these can be addictive taking them out of your diet could prove to be challenging and will take some effort. What is that old saying? “No pain, no gain!” In this case, you’re working to stop the pain!!
Sugar
Artificial man-made transfats – partially hydrogenated oils
Vegetable and seed oils – canola or sunflower
Refined carbohydrates – like white bread or donuts
Processed meats – like luncheon meats or Spam
Excessive alcohol – stick to an occasional beverage (2-3 times per month)
Anti-Inflammation Foods
You know what you should stay away from. So, what should you eat to avoid or reduce the amount of inflammation in your body? That’s pretty simple. And, the foods are probably already a big part of your diet. This means you won’t have to make too many sacrifices to get yourself back on track. The trick is to stick with it. Combining the “do eat” and the “do not eat” list of foods will head you in the right direction. You will start to notice changes. Everyone is different and you will start to notice these changes when your body starts to accept the new foods as allies.
Vegetables
Celery and celery seeds – both are high in potassium which assists your immune system to attack these unwanted poisons in your body. It is very helpful in fighting cholesterol and high blood pressure. Eat 4 celery stalks per day for maximum benefits.
Beets – high in both magnesium which helps reduce calcium accumulations and betalain which is an anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and detoxifier. Beets make an excellent juice. Combine with a green apple and drink 1 cup per day to reap the benefits.
Broccoli – considered one of the best anti-oxidant veggies. It is rich in potassium and magnesium. Magnesium is effective in giving you an energy boost, helping with your nervous system and muscle health. Include other leafy greens in your diet like spinach, kale, or swiss chard as well as Brussel sprouts and asparagus for that extra punch of vitamin E which is natural anti-inflammation food. Consume 2.5 cups of broccoli or leafy greens per day.
Fruits
Pineapple – a great source of bromelain which is effective in reducing infection and lessening the risk of heart attack or stroke. It’s also rich in potassium, manganese, vitamins B1 and C. Potassium is the kidney’s best friend in that it helps flush out any excess sodium. Add a cup of pineapple as dessert each day to get the most out of its benefits.
Blueberries – the compound quercetin that is also found in citrus and olive oil plays a key role in memory functions. It is effective to reduce swelling, control blood sugar levels, and attacking cancer cells. 150 grams (or half a cup) per day can reduce inflammation by approximately 15%.
Tomatoes – fruit or vegetable? Either way, they are packed with lycopene which is an anti-inflammatory. But, they also contain solanine which contributes to joint pain and swelling. It is recommended that if you do choose to eat tomatoes that you eat them in moderation and eat them cooked instead of raw.
Herbs
Turmeric – perhaps the #1 recommended anti-inflammatory. Combine it with black pepper to get the full impact of this spice. Turmeric is effective in treating rheumatoid arthritis (RA). It reduces joint pain and stiffness. You can take it in capsule form. If you do, ensure to have at least 2,000 mg per day.
Ginger – this spicy little number is perfect for reducing inflammation associated with rheumatoid arthritis and it helps to detoxify your body of any unwanted bacteria. For noticeable changes use 1-3 mg of ginger every day for 12 weeks.
Herbs – you are likely very familiar with parsley, garlic, ginseng, and rosemary. All are super sources of anti-inflammatories. Use them daily in your cooking to start seeing the subtle changes toward a pain-free life. In particular, the carnosol in parsley will attack the markers for RA.
Other Foods
Salmon – rich in Omega 3 fatty acids that reduce the prostaglandin hormones that promote inflammation. If you are not a fish lover, then Omega 3 supplements are a good alternative. take 2.7 grams of Omega 3 for up to 6 months and feel the pain melt away.
Walnuts – inside that hard exterior is are a bunch of phytonutrients that are essential to reducing the inflammation related to cardiovascular disease. Toss a handful of shelled walnuts in your salad or top your smoothie daily to get the most value from this nut.
Coconut oil – not only makes your food taste amazing, it has a high burn point (great for frying foods), it also is fantastic for fighting inflammation and arthritis. The Arthritis Foundations suggest that you use 1-2 tablespoons of coconut oil per day for best results.
Olive oil – contains oleocanthal which works like ibuprofen to reduce inflammation naturally. 1 tablespoon per day is helpful with bone, digestive, and heart health.
What Else
There are some additional things you can do to help reduce inflammation. Exercise regularly to keep the joints moving and reduce swelling. Meditate to relieve stress. Sleep well because the body needs time to rest in order to fight for you against all these physical and emotional stresses. Eat well using the list of anti-inflammation foods.
Thanks to healthline.com, I found this potent drink that combines many of the key anti-inflammation foods into one delicious recipe.
Ginger Green Juice
- Parsley – 1 large bunch
- Spinach – 2 cups (fresh not frozen)
- Green apple – 1
- Lemon – 1 (remove the skin)
- Cucumber – 1 small
- Celery – 2 to 3 stalks
- Ginger – 1 to 2 inches (peeled)
Throw everything into your blender and blend till smooth. Drink this daily for 8 to 12 weeks to get the most benefits. Add a teaspoon of turmeric and a pinch of black pepper for an additional boost.
In Summary
You can stop the pain of inflammation with the anti-inflammation foods listed above. Remember though, it won’t happen overnight. You have been struggling with this for a long time. Give yourself the time you need to start to reverse the effects of inflammation. It will be hard, but don’t give up. The day you stop will be one day before you start to feel better. It is important to always keep your doctor in the loop. And, if you’re not happy with the one you have go find another opinion.
We would love to hear from you. Have any of these helped your inflammatory markers? Do you have another cure to share with us?