Keto, vegetarian, vegan, paleo… An anti-inflammatory diet isn’t like your usual ones. When people think of diets, they often think of ones meant for weight loss. That’s great and all, but there are times when diets are intended for overall health - like anti-inflammatory diets.
But… What is inflammation? Why are we trying to combat it? Well to really simplify things, inflammation is when your body reacts to injuries or irritants. This can be due to internal or external factors.
Since we’re at Little West, we focus on the internal systems. Think of the digestive or immune system. And since we’re talking diets, we focus more on anti-inflammatory foods and drinks.
Let's circle back first. We know that inflammation is your body’s natural response. So why is it bad? It’s only bad when it’s reoccurring or when it happens too much and too often. That would be chronic inflammation. That one is dangerous. Chronic inflammation could lead to more serious complications like cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis.
You can fight inflammation by doing some physical exercise. Some drugs and supplements may help with this. However, you should seek consultation with a medical professional. That’s why initially intervening with anti-inflammatory foods is a great idea.
What are the signs of chronic inflammation? Body pain, feeling constantly tired, depression, and anxiety are all symptoms of chronic inflammation. Constipation, acid reflux, weight changes (both gaining and losing weight), and frequent infections are also signs of chronic inflammation. They all don’t sound fun at all. That’s why we can try improving our diets!
An anti-inflammatory diet consists of, of course, healthy stuff. They’re composed of fruits, veggies, grains, and select proteins. This also involves lessening the amount of processed and high-calorie foods you eat - which can be harder than you think! This means that fatty, fried foods are a no-no. Sweets and trans-fatty foods are to be avoided, too.
Regarding fruits and veggies, here’s what you should go for. Get blueberries, cherries, apples, brussels sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower. Leafy greens like spinach and kale can also be helpful. All these are rich in natural antioxidants and polyphenols, making them great anti-inflammatory foods….and anti-inflammatory juices if you juice or blend them up! And drinking these as anti-inflammatory juices would be a great idea for those who aren’t familiar with cooking or incorporating these ingredients into their regular meals. They’re also just overall more convenient.
An anti-inflammatory diet also contains lots and lots of nuts! Almonds, most especially, are said to help with lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Munch on them if you need a snack.
Tea and turmeric are also great anti-inflammatory foods. If you aren’t sure how to use the latter, juices like Fireball and Sunrise will give you a pretty good idea of how. As for tea, green and black tea are preferred.
We mentioned earlier that select proteins will be fantastic choices for anti-inflammatory diets. These select proteins are in the form of fish (and also fish oil). Mediterranean-inspired meals come to mind here. As long as you’re fond of sardines, mackerel, or salmon, there should be no trouble with this diet. And just so you know, it’s better if you avoid red and super-processed meats.
What makes a diet difficult? The unfamiliarity of ingredients or foods needed for it.
If you’ve spent your life eating mostly canned, frozen, or pre-prepared food, then chances are you’re going to have a tough time adjusting to cooking meals from scratch. We’re sure you can manage cooking with more familiar ingredients, but what if you don’t like the others?
There’s still a way you can eat, or in this case drink, your way to better health. If you want an example, take a look at this Anti-Inflammatory Juice Kit! You get 12 bottles of delicious anti-inflammatory juices in one set. No more portioning out ingredients and shopping for them yourselves. All you need is one convenient anti-inflammatory juice cleanse kit.
This anti-inflammatory juice cleanse kit contains the already mentioned Sunrise as well as 3 more flavors like The Clover, Gold'n Greens, and Celery. If you remember, leafy greens are a must in anti-inflammatory diets. So it makes sense that they’re here!
Check Out - 5 Anti Inflammatory Smoothy Recipes For a Healthy Winter
Pair your exercise and meals with some proper anti-inflammatory juices. All it takes is a few clicks and they’ll be on their way to you. Just shop around Little West. We’re sure you’ll find what you need and more!
