Important Anti-inflammatory Foods to Include in Your Diet
NUTRITION
Jason Strotheide
Losing weight is an important step toward becoming healthier. In fact, once you’ve lost 10% of your body weight, you are instantly healthier.
Most of the diseases that plague our society— heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and high blood pressure —can be mitigated by lifestyle changes. In addition to weight loss, these diseases are linked to inflammation in the body.
The good news is that there are many inflammation-fighting foods on the ChiroThin Weight Loss Program. When you include these anti-inflammatory foods in your diet, you can help banish inflammation-causing culprits without feeling deprived.
Anti-Inflammatory Foods on the ChiroThin Weight Loss Program
1. Green Leafy Vegetables: There are so many options to add green leafy vegetables that you probably are already doing so on a regular basis. Swiss chard, kale, and spinach all contain inflammation-fighting antioxidants and can be prepared in numerous delicious ways. You can always add a handful to your salad, steam them with herbs, or add them to a soup to give it a healthy boost. These leafy greens are high in vitamins A, C, and K, all of which help protect your brain from oxidative stress.
2. Bok Choy: In addition to being a powerhouse of vitamins and minerals, bok choy has been found to contain more than 70 antioxidant phenolic substances, including hydroxycinnamic acids, which are antioxidants that scavenge free radicals. Bok choy can be gently braised with mushrooms, garlic, and herbs; chopped and tossed mto a salad; roasted in the oven; and, of course, added to soups.
3. Celery: Long a diet-food staple, but sometimes considered a lightweight, celery has many healthy anti-inflammatory benefits. Celery seeds especially help fight bacterial infections and lower inflammation. They are a good source of potassium,
■ ^Healthful eating in general seems to go hand in hand with an anti-inflammatory diet. J J
antioxidants, and vitamins. Potassium helps flush toxins from the body. Celery itself also helps improve cholesterol levels and blood pressure, as well as fight against heart disease. Celery can be used to scoop up salsa in place of chips or can be thrown into a salad for added crunch. Celery seeds are great for seasoning vegetable dishes or salads. Go lightly at fu st because celery seeds have a strong flavor and a slightly bitter edge.
4. Beets: Color is a good indicator that a food is full of antioxidants, and beets are a supreme example of this. They contain the antioxidant betalain—that’s how they get their red color—which is a great inflammation fighter. They also provide potassium and magnesium. Magnesium is an important mineral used in the processing of calcium in the body. Beets are great roasted, sauteed, or steamed.
5. Broccoli: Well, of course broccoli. It is the poster child/ vegetable of healthy eating. High in magnesium and potassium, broccoli is invaluable for an inflammatory diet. It also contahis antioxidants that are particularly potent on their own. They work together to decrease oxidative stress in the body and battle chronic inflammation and cancer. Broccoli is great raw in salads, or braised, roasted, or steamed with herbs and seasonings (try a little celery seed) as an accompaniment to meats.
6. Blueberries: Beautifully colored blueberries are filled with vitamins, but more importantly the antioxidant quercetin. Also found in citrus and other dark-colored berries, the flavonoid quercetin fights inflammation and cancer. A flavonoid is a phytonutrient or beneficial substance commonly found in fiesh foods. In addition, blueberries can slow cognitive decline and improve memory. Blueberries are naturally sweet and
tart, great by the bowlful, and the perfect ending to any meal.
7. Bone broth: Something of a “thing” right now, bone broth provides minerals in a form your body can easily absorb. These minerals include magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, sulfur, silicon, and more. Bone broth also provides glucosamine and chondroitin sulfates, known to reduce inflammation, arthritis, and joint pain. Instead of buying pricey supplements, you can easily make your own bone broth in a slow cooker with chicken, beef, or fish bones. Add onions, celery, carrots, garlic, paisley, and a little apple cider vinegar and simmer for a few hours. Then strain and consume right away or store in the refrigerator.
8. Turmeric: is a great source of curcumin, a powerful antiinflammatory. It has been shown to reduce inflammation in people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). You can add it to soups (see bone broth) or vegetable dishes, and even use it to make tea. This is another very strong, distinctive flavor, so go lightly at first if you are not used to using it.
9. Ginger: is another spice that is also an immune modulator with inflammation-reducing properties. It can be found fresh, dried, or as a supplement or extract. It is also a beneficial digestive aid and helps break down toxins that may accumulate in the organs. It also cleanses the lymphatic system.
Inflammatory Foods to Avoid
If you are on a weight-loss program, you are probably already
avoiding many inflammation-causing foods. Healthful eating in general seems to go hand hi hand with an anti-inflammatory diet. The main culprits are carbohydrates and simple, refined sugars. Limiting refined grains is also important. When consumed, whole grains should be used in place of the refined carbs. These foods should be consumed in moderation, once you are in the maintenance phase of your diet.
It is clear that when creating a healthy diet, vegetables and Units are key components. It is also clear that such anti-inflammatory foods can help regulate the immune system and impact the manner in which inflammation affects our health. By following the doctor-supervised ChiroThin Weight Loss Program, you are well on your way to increased health and wellness.
Dr. Jason Strotheide is a 1993 graduate of Logan College of Chiropractic and is the founder and CEO of ChiroNutraceutical™ and the doctor-supervised ChiroThin Weight Loss Program™. With nearly 40,000 programs sold in the United States and Canada, ChiroThin has the distinction of being the #1 weight loss program exclusively for chiropractic offices. As a practicing chiropractor and noted chiropractic speaker, Dr Strotheide and his company uniquely understand the challenges faced in chiropractic today, which is why all ChiroNutraceutical supplements are only available to licensed chiropractors. Dr. Strotheide can be reached at 877-377-7636 or infoachirothin.com. To request a reprint of this article, please e-mail: chentservicesTtf lhiroThin.com.
