EXPAND YOUR GARDEN
WE KNOW THAT INFLAMMATION IN your body is directly linked to many chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and dementia. It’s important to get a handle on it, and of all the causes of inflammation, the one you potentially have the most direct control over is diet. By making some changes to what’s on our plate, and focusing on fueling your body with what it truly needs, you can gain a remarkable level of control, and you’ll be working actively to reduce inflammation three times a day.
An easy first step is increasing the quantity and variety of fruits and vegetables in your diet. Dark, leafy greens such as kale, collard greens, and spinach are excellent inflammation-fighters, as are cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and Brussels sprouts. On the fruits side of the aisle, apples berries and citrus are your friends, and cherries which specifically help you get more restful sleep, are another power house–research suggests cherries can reduce anti-inflammatory effects in the body that rival those of ibuprofen.
There’s a wide array of anti-inflammatory foods you probably have in your pantry already–or should, anyway!–like extra virgin olive oil, nuts and seeds, legumes, whole grains, coffee, tea and chocolate. These are loaded with phytonutrients, known to both prevent and attack chronic inflammation. And most of them are whole foods, meaning foods without an ingredient list (except for the chocolate).
One of the best things you can do for your gut health is to expand the diversity of the foods you eat. Most vegetables are good for you, sure, but what really builds a strong, resilient gut microbiome is training it with different varieties of healthy foods. As a challenge, see if you can include at least five different kinds of plants/nuts/seeds in each of your dinners for the next week. Add toasted, slivered almonds on top of your side of green beans, toss some chopped leafy greens into your pot of soup, or throw some freshly grated ginger into your sauteed vegetables– the more plants the better. It’s a great habit, it’s easier than you think, and your body will definitely thank you.
In your quest for anti-inflammatory foods, don’t ignore herbs and spices. Beyond bringing intense flavor to your dishes, these healthy botanicals can help your body run more smoothly as well. Many spices and herbs known to have anti-inflammatory properties–popular ones include tumeric, ginger, garlic, and even good ol’ black pepper. For a more concentrated boost, try soothing , stress-relieving herbal teas.
Eating whole foods when you can will help keep your body functioning the way it was designed. Buying organic food is even better. Organic foods are grown and harvested without the use of pesticides, that cocktail of chemicals which is great at poising bugs, but which you end up ingesting yourself when they seep into the food that’s sprayed (sometimes even through the outer skin). Sticking to a mostly whole-foods based, organic diet is a surefire way to give your body the right kind of fuel it needs to successfully combat inflammation–and keep you feeling your best, too.