How to Fight Inflammation with Foods?
Have you always believed that inflammation is bad?
Well, certainly not! Inflammation, contrary to a popular belief, is not harmful in the first aspect. It is the body’s first immune response to any kind of injury. Without the presence of inflammation, our body would not be able to heal and further, won’t be able to fight pathogens that might be looking for opportunities to intrude.
But the red light comes blaring in when the inflammation goes a little out of hand. This might be for a prolonged duration of time and might lead to issues like obesity, heart disease, and even cancer. Additionally, the presence of saturated fats and sugar in your food might boost the inflammation further and can lead to excessive activity in the immune system. This leads to damaged blood vessels, and joint pain and can indirectly result in tiredness, fatigue, and lack of energy. Here are a few other first-sign warnings to look for.
Skin problems.
Abdominal pain or digestive issues.
Recurring fever.
Swollen glands.
Diving deeper, if any of the above-mentioned symptoms get out of control, this is what leads to many of these common autoimmune diseases in women:
Rheumatoid arthritis, is a form of arthritis that attacks the joints.
Psoriasis, is a condition marked by thick, scaly patches of skin.
Psoriatic arthritis, is a type of arthritis affecting some people with psoriasis.
Lupus, is a disease that damages areas of the body that include joints, skin, and organs.
Thyroid diseases, including Graves’ disease, where the body makes too much thyroid hormone (hyperthyroidism), and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, where it doesn’t make enough (hypothyroidism) of the hormone.
Type 1 diabetes, is a condition in which the immune system damages the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.
So, what is the solution? Pay attention to the signals your body and your gut microbiome send you. Eating the wrong foods for your body can result in reactions we interpret as “symptoms” that are mentioned above. When you start feeling any of the symptoms mentioned above, your first reaction should always be to check your diet! And because no two people respond to all food the same way, these symptoms are different in everyone. Understanding what’s going on with your body is key to discovering what’s healthy for your body!
If you are having a hard time pinpointing these foods on your own, I always start my clients off with these two SIMPLE, but very uniquely different tests.
1. Uncover Food and Chemical Sensitivities with the Alcat Food Sensitivity Test
The Alcat Test uncovers foods and other substances that trigger chronic inflammation and related health conditions, such as gastrointestinal, respiratory, and joint issues as well as migraine, dermatitis, fatigue, and metabolic disorders.
The Alcat Test measures cellular reactions to over 450 individual foods, additives, colorings, molds, functional foods, medicinal herbs, and chemical substances (such as environmental, chemical, and pharmaceutical substances) can be tested. This test is proven to show significant improvement in many common autoimmune symptoms.
How It Works
I mail you your test kit.
You schedule a time for a phlebotomist to come to your house.
A small sample of your blood is sent to the laboratory overnight where it goes through a multi-step quality assurance process. Your white blood cells are tested against foods and other substances in a process using an impedance methodology-based flow cytometer. This is a very accurate way to determine if your relevant immune cells react to the test substance.
Your results are presented in a clear, easy-to-read, and color-coded format.
We set up a time to go over your results to answer any questions you have about implementing your test results.
The power of Health Intelligence. Knowing what’s happening inside of your gut microbiome and getting the right nutrition to optimize its functions is powerful... but imagine being able to see how your unique gut microbiome is impacting other areas of your health that have a tremendous effect on how you feel!
There are various anti-inflammatory foods that, if consumed properly, would enhance your immune system and help you to fight inflammation and pain.
How It Works
You order your test kit HERE.
Test in the privacy of your own home. Collection method: Blood Drip/Finger Blood + Stool Sample.
Everything you need to collect your samples will be in your kit for you to test at home and ship them back to the lab is included in your kit.
Within 2-3 weeks, your health scores and recommendations will be available on your app.
We set up a time to go over your results to answer any questions you have about implementing your test results.
While DNA testing can tell you what might happen, your RNA, or gene expression, can tell you what is happening right now and what you need to do to improve it. Your gene expression has a powerful effect on how well your body functions. Utilizing the latest mRNA sequencing technology, Viome assesses your body’s systems to see how they are working together and how they impact each other, which is key to understanding more about your health and the way you feel.
With our Health Intelligence™, we assess your body's systems and their functions as a whole, analyzing the gene expression of your microbes, your mitochondria, and your human cells in order to get to the root of your health issues.
Over 400 foods are sorted into your personal list of Superfoods, Enjoy, Minimize, & Avoid foods.
Why take two tests?
Food that may be healthy for one person can have a very different effect on another, even in the case of twins who share the same DNA. Based on your test results and the analysis of your body's gene expression, we can determine what foods will help you the most right now and what foods could be contributing to poor health or symptoms you may be experiencing.
Alcat testing and gut microbiome testing are two completely different tests with two completely different approaches. Viome does not test for food sensitivities and/or allergies, and Alcat does not test for gut microbiome and/or allergies. Viome tests allow us to see foods that will benefit or harm your microbiome, but we do not detect your immune reaction to foods so you may really notice the differences in your recommendations.
If you can't afford to do both tests simultaneously, I always recommend my clients start with the ALCAT test first if they are having obvious symptoms. It can be contraindicating and not beneficial to start with Viome when your food sensitivities may not show up on your Viome avoid list. I have seen this happen many times and clients are enjoying their Viome superfoods, and in reality, these foods are a food sensitivity and are creating even more harm to their autoimmune diseases.
If you are having symptoms of any autoimmune diseases and needed quick answers, the ALCAT test is always my go-to to start off with to try to get the inflammation under control (30-60 days), and then we dive deeper into the Viome, and gut microbiome to fine-tune and get even better results over time.
The key takeaway is to always listen to your body, you're the best judge of your body's reaction to any food. But you can start as soon as today by asking yourself these questions.
How is your current diet and lifestyle impacting your health?
Why you are experiencing the symptoms you are experiencing?
What can do about through a more precise diet and supplement routine?
Let's take a look at some of the best anti-inflammatory foods:
Fatty fish
Fatty fish or fish with a lot of oil, believe it or not, can help fight inflammation. This is because oily fish contain high levels of omega-3 fatty acids which are known for their inflammation-fighting properties. It is highly recommended to include fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna, and sardine in your daily diet. However, if you are not a very big fan of fish, fish oil supplements can do the job for you.
Whole grains
Another good and natural remedy to fight inflammation is the consumption of quality whole grains. You can choose to eat whole grains in various forms like bread, cereals, rice, crackers, and pasta. How do they help? The presence of fiber in whole grains reduces the content of C-reactive proteins in the body and helps you cut down inflammation. Always choose darker whole grains.
Organic Apples
What could be a better option to improve your immune system than to consume some fruits spaced out during the day? They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away. In this case, an apple can keep the inflammation at bay. This is because of the presence of an antioxidant called quercetin in apples which is known for its anti-inflammatory properties. Always chose organic as they are #5 in EWG Dirty Dozen list.
Pineapples
Another fruit that will help you in reducing the inflammation in your body is a pineapple. Its benefits are not only restricted to fighting inflammation but also help in an array of other ways. It helps you combat pain due to osteoarthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome. This is because of the presence of Bromelain in pineapples which is a protein-digesting enzyme that hugely benefits the human body. You are safe with non-organic pineapple as they are #3 in EWG Clean Fifteen list.
Chocolate
Yes, this is what you always wanted to hear - chocolate is not bad for you. Well in moderation and eating the right type that is! It comes with a set of essential elements which hugely help you in fighting inflammation. Going by a popular study, people who consumed a piece of dark chocolate regularly had lower chances of possessing a protein that is known to cause inflammation.
Green tea
As revolting as the idea of consuming green tea every day might sound, it indeed proves to be very effective in the body’s fight against inflammation. It also has other benefits including reducing the chances of heart disease and an array of others. But how do you drink something flavorless every day? Simply add a pinch of lemon juice. This will not only enhance the flavor but also charge up the antioxidants to have a more hastened effect on the body.
Broccoli
Green vegetables always prove to be useful for the body. And broccoli is no exception. It contains a very strong antioxidant in the form of glutathione. Broccoli also has a lot of advantages against diseases like arthritis and thus helps reduce inflammation. You could also try out certain other vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower, potatoes, and others to fight inflammation.
Garlic
Garlic, the immensely useful ingredient comes with the nagging effect of bad breath. But, to our surprise, garlic proves to be a very good weapon against inflammation Garlic has a range of anti-oxidants including allicin and quercetin in it which are highly effective in controlling inflammation. It especially works well on swollen joints in order to reduce swelling.
Nuts
One interesting way to keep your appetite full and work towards reducing inflammation would be to keep having some nuts and nutty substances between meals. Walnuts contain a high level of omega-3 fat alpha-linolenic acid, while almonds are a good source of vitamin E, fiber, and calcium. Nuts, on the other hand, are high in dietary fiber, minerals, and antioxidants which help you in controlling inflammation.
Wrapping Up
This is how the right choice of food can help you in fighting your inflammation, no matter what kind of autoimmune condition you might be fighting.
However, care should be taken that you consume them in a way that a balanced diet is not compromised.
Are you already boosting your diet with these anti-inflammatory foods?
Talk to me! I'm here to help you feel amazing and have you living and loving a life, PAIN-FREE!
Reference links:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18806104
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