“Don’t dig your grave with your own knife and fork,” warns an old English proverb. Today, the awareness that a significant number of chronic health issues are caused by our food choices, toxic food ingredients and nutritional deficiencies, coupled with lack of physical exercise, is growing.
Inflammation is associated with cancer, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, depression, and Alzheimer’s. Refined carbohydrates, found in white rice, white bread, doughnuts, cookies, etc; fried foods like French fries, patties, chips; red meat and processed meat; butter, margarine etc and soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages, cause inflammation.
Choosing the right anti-inflammatory foods may help you to reduce your risk of illness. Fruits and vegetables like blueberries, apples, and leafy greens are high in natural antioxidants and polyphenols, the protective compounds found in plants. Nuts are known to reduce inflammation, as well. The Mediterranean diet, which is high in fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, fish, and healthy oils, is protective. Here is a list of some of the best anti-inflammatory foods:
- Tomatoes
- Olive oil
- Green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, and collards
- Nuts like almonds and walnuts
- Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna, and sardines
- Fruits like strawberries, blueberries, cherries, and oranges.