Inflammatory Foods
Diet and nutrition image.
Certain foods can have anti-inflammatory qualities.
While we usually think of inflammation as something outside the body, inflammation inside the body may cause strokes, heart disease and a variety of other ailments. Nicholas Perricone, MD, author of a number of anti-aging books, proposes that inflammation may well be the force behind premature aging. He and other researchers believe that widespread inflammation is largely the result of our diet and may be the main factor in the rise of a number of degenerative diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, arthritis and Alzheimer’s Disease.
If your diet consists mostly of foods cooked at high temperatures (most “fast food” falls into this category) and foods that are high in sugar and hydrogenated or refined oils (chips, margarine and many processed foods), you are more likely to be experiencing inflammation.
What types of foods should you eat to combat inflammation? Dr. Perricone and others recommend:
- Fruits, such as apples, berries, fresh pineapple, lemons, limes
- Vegetables, such as onions, greens (spinach, broccoli, kale), garlic
- Spices, such as cinnamon, ginger, basil, mint, parsley, rosemary
- Nuts and seeds, such as sunflower seeds, walnuts, almonds
- Fish, such as halibut, salmon, sardines, oysters
- Olive oil
- Beverages, such as green tea, black tea, red wine and lots of water!
