The Best Foods With Anti Inflammatory Properties
Inflammation is a buzzword tossed around almost as much as you fill your Stanley cup. But many people don’t actually know what it is and why it can be so damaging. Systemic Inflammation, the type that affects the whole body, is a factor linked to many health conditions, such as obesity, metabolic syndrome, prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, Crohn’s disease, IBS, some forms of cancer, arthritis, and even Alzheimer’s disease. There are many factors that may cause inflammation in our bodies. Diet is a very important one. Your diet can work against you and increase inflammation or it can work for you, helping to reduce inflammation, prevent disease and live a healthier life. The Mediterranean Diet is anti-inflammatory due to it being rich in vegetables, fruits, fish, whole grains, nuts and seeds, and olive oil—all anti-inflammatory foods. Researchers have found that people living in the areas surrounding the Mediterranean Sea have lower rates of disease and higher life expectancy than people in the United States who consume a more traditional Western diet. We don’t need to live in the mediterranean or eat a strict mediterranean diet to reap the benefits of an anti-inflammatory diet. What can we do? We can focus on these high anti-inflammatory nutrients found in some of the most delicious foods: Antioxidants Omega-3 Fatty Acids Omega-3 Fatty Acids support overall heart health, eye health, and brain health by reducing inflammation and lowering the risk of chronic diseases. Fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel, sardines, tuna, striped bass and anchovies are great sources of omega-3’s in addition to nuts and seeds. Pre and probiotics Pre and probiotics are important for decreasing inflammation due to the important role they play in the gut. The gut plays a critical role in the body, such as supporting immune function and metabolism. When the gut isn’t healthy and is inflamed the entire body can be affected. Foods rich in prebiotics and probiotics, such as artichoke, asparagus, banana, yogurt, and cottage cheese are great for gut health! Probiotics are active strains of bacteria that occur within certain foods and drinks, such as yogurt or kombucha. An example day of eating an anti-inflammatory diet with Nutritious Life recipes: To add more anti-inflammatory benefits to your meals, you can add spices and herbs. Loved this article? Ready to transform lives? Unlock your full potential and join Keri Glassman’s Become a Nutrition Coach program today or speak to a Program Advisor! (Image: Unsplash)
The Incredible Health Benefits of Cinnamon
Word on the street is that cinnamon packs a pretty powerful nutritious punch, though few know what makes this sultry spice such a superstar. I’ve got the facts for you, here.
This Pumpkin Spice Has a Secret Ingredient
Sprinkle delicious, anti-inflammatory fall magic on everything.
This Low-Histamine Food List Might Help Ease Your Allergies
You’ve probably heard about the anti-inflammatory diet, and of course are familiar with all the other “low” eating plans (low-carb, low-fat, low-cal … how low can you go?) but how about the low-histamine foods recommended on an antihistamine diet? Read on for more about histamines as a whole, who might benefit from leaning into a diet with more low-histamine foods, plus other ways—besides a low-histamine diet—to score similar allergy-relieving results. RELATED: What the Latest Science Tells Us About How Often You Should Eat Each Day A Brief Guide to Histamines Histamines are protein chemical messengers made in our immune system. These trigger allergy symptoms—those pesky itchy eyes, the running nose, the sneezes; you’ve likely been there, felt that. These histamines protect our cells from allergen invaders, and these symptoms are a signal to the body to rid itself of said allergen. In individuals without allergies, histamines rock at defending our healthy cells. However, if allergies arise, the histamines go level-10 and overreact to small things like pet dander, dust and pollen. Beyond allergies, humans can also suffer from histamine intolerance. This happens when the body can’t produce enough of a certain enzyme called diamine oxidase (DAO) to degrade these histamines. Histamine intolerance can be the result of diet, hormones, high levels of allergen exposure or gut health issues. Antihistamines block the histamine action within our bodies. Prescription and over-the-counter medications can come with side effects (Benadryl brain, anyone?)—and can be pricey and inconvenient over time. That’s why some doctors might recommend all-natural allergy treatment options instead. This may include eating low-histamine foods and making other lifestyle adjustments. RELATED: Can You Eat Away Allergies? The Low-Histamine Diet, Explained The Best and Worst Foods For Those With Histamine Intolerance While the histamine level in foods is impossible to quantify exactly, we know some things for sure. Items that are fermented tend to fall under the high-histamine food category. Most fresh and unprocessed foods, conversely, rank as low-histamine foods. You’ll note in the lists below that some very healthy foods (ahem, avocados!) can be high-histamine foods. So if you and your doctor decide to try a low-histamine diet, it’s best to do so in partnership with a dietitian or nutrition coach to ensure you’re not restricting any major food groups, vitamins or minerals. Often, a low-histamine diet will focus on cutting out high-histamine foods for up to three weeks, then reintroducing the categories one by one while taking note of reactions in a food journal. Since it can be very restrictive, it’s best to only follow an antihistamine diet (which means omitting all of the high-histamine foods below) for a limited time while consulting with your doctor and dietitian regarding your food journal tracking and the best path forward. RELATED: Diets Decoded: The Elimination Diet High-Histamine Foods Alcohol, especially red wine Aged cheeses Avocados Dried fruit Eggplants Fermented beverages, such as kombucha and kefir Fermented foods, including yogurt, kimchi and sauerkraut Processed and smoked meats Shellfish Spinach Other foods can trigger additional histamines to be released. These include: Alcohol Bananas Beans Chocolate Citrus fruit Energy drinks Some nuts, including cashews, peanuts and walnuts Papaya Certain teas, such as black, mate and green Tomatoes Wheat germ Low-Histamine Foods Dairy substitutes, including almond- and coconut-based products Eggs Fresh fruits (not citrus, papaya or bananas) Fresh meat and fish Fresh vegetables (except avocados, eggplant, spinach and tomatoes) Gluten-free grains, such as quinoa (yes, it’s actually a seed), brown rice, millet, sorghum and oats Olive oil Other Ways to Deal with Histamine Intolerance Besides a Low-Histamine Food Plan An antihistamine (or low-histamine) diet isn’t the only all-natural way to try to relieve histamine issues. Circling back to the beginning, an anti-inflammatory diet can actually help reduce symptoms. Remember when we talked about that histamine build-up that can occur? Well that happens in the body’s mast cells, which also release other inflammatory compounds when activated as an automatic response. So consuming anti-inflammatory foods such as fatty fish, olive oil, berries and leafy greens may help your mast cells chill out and prevent excess chronic inflammation. In addition, yoga, meditation and other mindfulness practices can ease limbic system impairment and allow your body to react in an overall calmer state to stressors of any kind. (Image: Shutterstock)
5 Top Foods for Muscle Recovery
We all know the importance of scheduling rest days into our fitness routine. We prioritize recovery with foam rolling, stretching, staying hydrated, and getting regular massages. But what many may not know is that food plays a crucial role too. Research from the ACE Scientific Advisory Panel reports on the importance of post-exercise muscle recovery in conjunction with nutritional strategies. Whether you’re new to training or a top athlete, you can eat to help support muscle recovery and repair and reduce inflammation within the body. The good news—this includes eating the healthy foods you probably already love! Here are five foods to start speeding up your recovery process. Salmon Salmon is a recovery superfood. It’s packed with protein and omega-3 fatty acids. Studies show Omega-3 fatty acids can help to reduce muscle tissue inflammation which is vital post workout or when recovering from an injury. Salmon also has a high protein content which helps to rebuild any damaged connective tissue. Try to buy wild or organic salmon whenever possible. There are a number of great recipes you can make such as Keri’s Dijon Salmon or Smoked Salmon Toast. Quinoa Quinoa is a powerhouse for protein and fiber alike and can be a quick and easy option to add to any meal. This seed, yes, it’s a seed, contains 8 grams of protein per cup cooked, and is considered a complete protein since it has all nine essential amino acids. It also has a high lysine content which helps to repair muscle tissue. We love adding quinoa to our salads, or you can try this Quinoa Stuffed Pepper. Pro Tip: Add a vegetable stock cube to the quinoa when boiling in the pan to give it an extra boost of flavor. Cherries Cherries are rich in antioxidants which help to reduce inflammation in the body which is key to muscle recovery. An added bonus…they also contain high levels of melatonin, the hormone that naturally regulates your sleep cycle. Sleep allows for the repair of muscle tissue damage which is a vital component to any injury recovery plan. Not a fan of cherries, blueberries are a great alternative as they have similar vitamins and nutrients. Sweet potatoes Sweet potatoes supply your body with glucose, which helps to provide us with the energy needed to go for a run, dance class, or yoga session. Any glucose that isn’t used up is stored as glycogen in the muscles and liver. This extra storage is essential post workout, so you don’t reach a glycogen depletion. The lower the level of glycogen stored in your body, the more it will affect the level and duration of your performance. So not enough of that healthy glucose could mean a bad workout. Sweet potatoes are also high in beta carotene which can aid in strengthening the immune system, helps with inflammation and fight off infections. To get the most nutrients, keep the skin on the sweet potatoes, and steam or boil them to preserve the slow-release carbohydrates. Here are 17 recipes to add to your weekly menu. Green tea Green tea is an excellent source of antioxidants which helps to protect and reduce cell damage. It is rich in polyphenols, natural compounds that have health benefits like reducing inflammation, and are associated with higher bone mineral density in older adults if regularly consumed. Try to switch up your afternoon coffee for a comforting cup of green tea or mix it up with some Green Tea Yogurt. (Images: Shutterstock)
5 Easy Ways to Add Turmeric to Your Diet
Turmeric is a champion anti-inflammatory food. How can you harness its powerful, health-promoting strengths? You’ve got to find more ways to add turmeric to your diet. Before we get to those, a quick refresher on why you want to sprinkle this spice everywhere. Turmeric is filled with curcumin, a compound that acts as a powerful antioxidant to fight free radicals while at the same time lowering levels of enzymes that cause inflammation. That’s no joke, considering inflammation is at the root of most chronic diseases. RELATED: 7 Delicious Anti-Inflammatory Foods You Should Be Eating To add turmeric directly to your diet, you can buy the fresh root and grate it yourself, or you can buy the ground spice in a jar. While its yellow-orange color is seriously bold, the taste is actually pretty mild, so you can add it to lots of different dishes easily. Ready to start? Try these simple tips for incorporating more turmeric into your diet, stat. 5 Easy Ways to Add Turmeric to Your Diet 1. Add it to a salad or salad dressing To make this Green Salad with Shiitake Bacon, you toss chickpeas in turmeric with paprika and olive oil and crisp them up. But you can also just sprinkle it on most salads or whisk it into any basic salad dressing. 2. Drink Naked Pressed Lively Carrot Grab a bottle (or two) of Naked Pressed Lively Carrot—part of Naked Juice’s cold-pressed line—for an easy, on-the-go source of turmeric. Plus, you’ll also be sipping on healthy, high-quality veggies like cold-pressed carrot and cucumber, which means you’re taking in nutrients like vitamin A (it contains all you need for the day!), calcium, and magnesium. 3. Make curry You’ve seen the color of curry, right? No surprise there’s turmeric here. This Chickpea and Cauliflower version is filled with vegetables, plant protein, and other antioxidant-rich spices. 4. Make a latte Skip your afternoon coffee (just this once!) and make a delicious Turmeric Latte, with almond milk, coconut oil, and cinnamon. 5. Sprinkle it on vegetables before roasting An easy way to enjoy root vegetables? Sprinkle favorites like sweet potatoes and squash with turmeric, cinnamon, cayenne (and any other warming spices) and toss them in coconut oil before roasting them. This blog was created in partnership with Naked Juice.
3 Important Inflammation Triggers That Aren’t Foods
When we talk about what causes inflammation, we tend to focus on the unhealthy foods that are known to be triggers (and the healthy foods that can help reduce the condition). Diet, after all, is at the core of chronic inflammation, a process that we now know is the root of most chronic diseases. RELATED: A Simple Guide to the Science of Inflammation But what you do and don’t put on your plate each time you sit down for a meal isn’t the only factor that affects inflammation. These other common habits also contribute to the prevalent issue, so start working on them, now. (One at a time is fine…nobody’s perfect!) What Causes Inflammation? 3 Triggers to Watch Out For 1. Chronic Stress Studies have shown that stress (the ongoing, unrelenting kind) compromises the body’s ability to regulate the inflammatory response. This is because the hormone cortisol is involved in the regulation of inflammation, and you probably know it’s also referred to as the “stress hormone,” so when one’s out of whack, so is the other. Stress can also lead to weight gain, and guess what? The second cause of inflammation is… 2. Excess weight This is a bit of a “which came first?” scenario, since inflammation can also lead to weight gain. But carrying a lot of extra fat can be stressful on the body and potentially lead to more inflammation. Studies have suggested different possible mechanisms: overeating may stimulate an immune response that prompts inflammation, for example, and excess fat tissue can secrete inflammatory compounds. RELATED: 10 Smart, Healthy Ways to Lose 10 Pounds 3. Drinking Alcohol Look, we love a margarita on Taco Tuesday, too. But drinking way too much alcohol impairs gut and liver function, which can lead to systemic inflammation. It can also produce toxic byproducts that promote inflammation as it’s broken down in the body. That’s one of many good reasons to simply keep your consumption in check.
How to Cleanse by Eating Healthy Food
Skip the unsustainable deprivation of liquid detoxes. Here’s how to cleanse—and develop better eating habits while you’re at it—with food.
What Are Antioxidants and Are They Really That Important?
Ask Keri: What Are Antioxidants, and How Do They Fit Into My Healthy Lifestyle? Keri says: Over the past decade, the term “antioxidant” has basically become shorthand for healthy. Ask someone to explain why a superfood is super? Antioxidants. How to reduce inflammation in the body? Antioxidants. How to prevent disease? Antioxidants. But people often ask me this question: What are antioxidants, really? And are they as important as food manufacturers, nutritionists and scientists make them out to be? Here are the basic facts on the powerful nutrients, which, yes, you really do want all up in your diet 24-7. What Are Antioxidants, and What Do They Do? Many nutrients fall into the category of antioxidants (the “good guys”). These include vitamins A, C and E, and minerals such as selenium, copper and zinc. Most are found in plants—including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, herbs and spices—and in foods with healthy fats like nuts, and beverages like tea and coffee. Put simply, antioxidants are substances that protect your cells from the harmful effects of molecules called free radicals (the “bad guys”). Free radicals are produced when your body breaks down food. They can also be the result of environmental exposures such as tobacco smoke, the sun, radiation, or chemicals found in food and skin-care products. Think of a free radical as a pinball careening around inside your body, constantly smashing into other cells, disrupting normal cell functioning. The cells can’t do their jobs properly because these guys keep storming the gates. If the body isn’t able to defend itself and the free-radical production becomes excessive, it leads to damage that contributes to aging (yes, including wrinkles), heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s and other diseases. Antioxidants are the first line of defense to prevent that from happening. I like to think of them as little molecules flying through our bloodstreams wearing capes, like superheroes. When they encounter free radicals, they neutralize them (by using their powers to do things like donate electrons to balance out the unpaired electrons that cause the free radicals to wreak havoc, but that’s getting technical). How To Include Antioxidants in Your Diet All of that is to say that these molecules really are pretty incredible, and eating foods that contain them as often as possible is a great idea. One way to determine a food’s antioxidant power is by checking its ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) score. The ORAC scale is a way to determine which foods are richest in antioxidants. It essentially measures how well the components of a food mop up free radicals in the bloodstream. It’s not a perfect scale, but it is a reference point. Here’s a tip. You’ll find the highest antioxidant values attached to colorful, plant-based foods such as blueberries, kale, cinnamon, turmeric and … dark chocolate! In other words, most antioxidants are found in the healthy foods you should be eating anyway for other important nutrients. This is why your overall focus should be on maintaining a nutrient-dense diet that’s filled with a variety of fruits, veggies, whole grains and spices. This way, you’ll be taking in a variety of powerful antioxidants naturally, without going overboard at every meal. (Images: Adam Jaime, Mikey Boyle via Unsplash)
The Easiest Way to Prevent Wrinkles Naturally
Trying to prevent wrinkles? Bad news: even if you’re slathering on sunscreen three times a day and are being super careful about getting enough sleep, if you’re eating the wrong foods, you’re not doing your skin any favors. But there’s good news, too: Eating the right foods can prevent wrinkles and even reverse (yes, reverse!) signs of aging. In fact, your diet is the. most. important. factor when it comes to aging gracefully. In this video, I’m sharing three nutrients you should include in your diet every single day, and which foods you can find them in. Hey, restocking your fridge is way easier than scheduling millions of appointments with your dermatologist, right? Start fighting fine lines (and embrace the ones you can’t!), now. How to Prevent Wrinkles Naturally, With Food
