Chronic inflammation is associated with a long list of serious health conditions, including cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. Fortunately, incorporating certain foods and drinks into your everyday diet can help to ward off inflammation, reducing risks to your health and boosting your overall wellbeing.
Why is it necessary to fight inflammation?
According to the Cleveland Clinic, acute inflammation is your body’s first response to injury or illness. Your immune system transmits inflammatory cells to help you heal from damage or reject bacteria, viruses, and other invaders. However, inflammation can also become chronic. When this happens, your body sends out inflammatory cells that aren’t needed. This can lead to a long list of unpleasant symptoms and increase your risk factor for many diseases.
Adding these five foods and food groups to your diet can help your body fight back against chronic inflammation.
Berries: Increasing your intake of colorful, vitamin-filled blueberries, cherries, and strawberries is a good way to add antioxidants to your diet and combat inflammation.
Fish: Fatty fish choices like trout, tuna, salmon, and sardines benefit your body with inflammation-reducing omega-3 fatty acids. In addition, they’re rich in protein.
Dark green vegetables: Dark green veggies like broccoli, kale, and spinach provide polyphenols and other antioxidants that reduce and protect against inflammation. They also contain plenty of healthful vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Nuts and beans: Almonds, walnuts, and other nuts use omega-3 fatty acids to strike a blow against inflammation, while beans contribute fiber and antioxidants.
Tomatoes: Whether you prefer them raw or cooked, tomatoes are loaded with powerful antioxidants like lycopene that work to ward off inflammation.
In the battle against inflammation, these three drinks have gained a reputation as powerful allies:
Coffee: Your morning (or afternoon or evening) coffee is rich in polyphenols that can help with inflammation. Consider going easy on the sugar in each cup, as adding too much could counteract the benefits you gain.
Hot chocolate: Drinking hot chocolate is an enjoyable way to ward off inflammation — just be sure to make it with dark chocolate, which is loaded with antioxidants known as flavanols.
Tea: Sipping on your favorite type of tea — including green, black, and oolong — can fortify your body with a significant dosage of inflammation-fighting antioxidants.
It’s important to be aware of foods in your diet that can cause inflammation or make it worse. Per Johns Hopkins Medicine, processed meats (like bacon and hot dogs), red meat, refined carbohydrates (like white bread and pasta), deep-fried foods, and sugary beverages have been linked to detrimental health outcomes when consumed regularly or in large quantities. As you increase your intake of anti-inflammatory foods, try to reduce these pro-inflammatory foods as well — even if you can only do so gradually.
Whether you’re dealing with the effects of chronic inflammation or acting proactively to prevent it, the foods you eat will play an important role. Along with regular exercise, adequate rest, and other healthy habits, a well-balanced diet can go a long way toward reducing the symptoms and risks of inflammation.