Medicine. When someone says that word to you, you are probably imagining little white pills or clinical smelling creams or hypodermic injections of lab-created chemicals. What you probably don’t picture is the oldest and some would argue most powerful of all: food. We know for a fact that eating the wrong types of food like highly processed, sugar infused junk food causes many health problems in the United States each year. That’s not up for discussion, but what is interesting is that many don’t think that the inverse is also true that food, though food can absolutely cause severe medical issues, can also help to cure them or at the very least prevent them. In today’s blog, we’re going to explore how food can become medicine and especially when it comes to choosing powerful anti-inflammatory foods that can help you lose weight and stay healthy.
Anti-Inflammatory Foods You Should Be Integrating Into Your Diet
There are so many “bad” or unhealthy foods out there that we all probably know well and love, but it’s important to take stock in foods of the healthier variety, especially ones that will help reduce dangerous inflammation and provide nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that your body needs to not only function, but to thrive.
- Leafy greens and vegetables
- Regularly eat things like spinach (which is super inexpensive and can be made in a variety of delicious ways), kale, broccoli, bell peppers, sweet potatoes, and asparagus. These are rich in antioxidants and phytonutrients that guard the body against cellular stress
- Fatty Fish
- One of the core tenets of why “The Mediterranean Diet” is so beneficial and is tied to one of the longest lifespans in the world is that its central protein source is from the sea, specifically fatty fish meat. Salmon, sardines, and mackerel are great staples to have on hand and are packed with healthy omega-3 fatty acids that are not only anti-inflammatory but also help with heart health and joint health.
- Berries And Fruits
- Fruits and berries taste so delicious, especially when you can get some of the ripe, fresh, organic variety, that it is truly a mystery why people don’t eat more of them. To help keep your diet on track and inflammation down, we recommend snacking on blueberries, cherries, and oranges, all of which are delicious and full of vitamin C and polyphenols which help with the immune system and are crucial for cellular repair
- Fermented Foods
- No, we’re not talking about beer, although some studies have shown that some specific beers in small quantities can be beneficial to your health, we’re talking about other types of fermented foods that may not be as ubiquitous as the fizzy manly drink of choice. We recommend kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir, and kombucha which help to balance your gut microbiome and reduce inflammation and improve your immune system health.
For The Road
We hope you enjoyed learning about the benefits of using certain foods as medicine. If you would like to know more about this or anything else along these lines, we are happy to help. Just contact us and we can go over your options and help you find the best path for your health and nutrition goals. Schedule a consultation for any of our amazing services by reaching out to us here. We look forward to hearing from you.
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