Doctors are learning that one of the best ways to reduce inflammation lies not in the medicine cabinet, but in the refrigerator. By following an anti-inflammatory diet you can fight off inflammation. One of the most powerful tools to combat inflammation comes not from the pharmacy, but from the grocery store.
Your immune system becomes activated when your body recognizes anything that is foreign, such as an invading microbe, plant pollen, or chemical. This triggers a process called inflammation. This type of inflammation helps to protect your health. However, sometimes inflammation persists, and many major diseases that plague us: Cancer, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, depression, and Alzheimer's, have been linked to chronic inflammation.
Choose the right anti-inflammatory foods, and you may be able to reduce your risk of illness. Consistently pick the wrong ones, and you could accelerate the inflammatory disease process.
Try to avoid or limit these foods as much as possible:
1 - Refined carbohydrates, such as white bread and pastries.
2 - French fries and other fried foods.
3 - Soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages.
4 - Red meat (burgers, steaks) and processed meat (hot dogs, sausage).
5 - Margarine, shortening, and lard.
Unhealthy foods also contribute to weight gain, which is itself a risk factor for inflammation. Yet in several studies, even after researchers took obesity into account, the link between foods and inflammation remained, which suggests weight gain isn't the sole driver.
Anti-inflammatory foods have quite a few benefits, including properties that help to boost your immune system and reduce inflammation.
An anti-inflammatory diet should include these foods:
1 - Tomatoes.
2 - Olive oil.
3 - Green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, kale, and collards.
4 - Nuts like almonds and walnuts.
5 - Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna, and sardines.
6 - Fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, cherries, apples, and oranges.
Coffee, which contains polyphenols and other anti-inflammatory compounds, may protect against inflammation, as well
Source : DRS