Food is Medicine: The Anti-Inflammatory Diet

Food as medicine and medicine as food. There’s a lot to think about when we are trying to lead a healthy lifestyle and a plethora of information about how to lead it. Its completely confusing, right?

Today we keep it simple.

From the morning after hangover to major illness and disease, inflammation is at the root of it all. Inflammation is the body's natural, and in many cases healthy, response to irritants as it attempts to eliminate them, but it can become chronic and debilitating. A healthy body can often ward off these irritants easily and quickly. The things we put into our body have a great deal to do with increasing or mitigating how the body deals with inflammation.

Today we are going to give you a list of 16 things that you should incorporate into your diet and a couple of things you should eliminate from your diet to reduce inflammation in your own body.

If you incorporate and eliminate the foods that we suggest in a real way, you will look, feel, and move better. Your skin will look healthier, your body will feel better and you’ll have less pain. The best part is, you don’t have to read some diet tome to start the process to better health.

Top of the list!

Water: The Anti-Inflammatory Smoothie

Drinking water is the first step toward managing inflammation. Water in particular is recommended because it helps flush toxins and other irritants out of the system, it lubricates your joints, helps transport nutrients, and every cell in your body requires water to operate efficiently. Most adults are woefully under hydrated. Simply being adequately hydrated will start you on the road to feeling better.

Now for the foods you need to avoid. You won’t be surprised. 

Sugar and Refined Carbohydrates

Studies have shown the link between added sugar and higher inflammatory markers.

A study found that consuming only 40 grams of added sugar per day led to an increase in inflammatory markers, insulin resistance and LDL cholesterol. Other studies have shown long term consumption of sugar in overweight and obese people can lead to higher uric acid which is a trigger for inflammation. These levels remain high for long periods after sugar has been consumed.

Processed Food

Besides containing a lot of both sugar and refined carbohydrates, processed food often has a lot of hidden gems like: trans fats, msg, omega 6 fatty acids, and many side ingredients that our body doesn’t even understand much less know what to do with. All leading to increased levels of inflammation.

So there you have it. Don’t try to do it all at once but incorporate changes slowly, except for the water, you have to drink the water! Pretty soon you will be amazed by how good you feel.

But diet alone isn't all you need to stay healthy! Diet + exercise is the best combination to keep you healthy and inflammation at bay. If you're looking for a way to increase strength, flexibility, balance, and endurance, consider giving the Pilates Wheel a try. It will allow you to bring the Pilates studio into your home - or wherever you are on the road. 

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