Putting out the Fire: some tips on how to fight inflammation through diet and lifestyle.

Get plenty of animal based Omega3 Oils

The easiest way to do this is to take a high quality fish oil supplement twice a day.
Other good sources are wild fish and organic, grass-fed or game meats (not farmed, grain-fed, hormone & anti-biotic laden or processed meats)
Include lots of other healthy oils
GLA (from hemp & borage oil) is a great supplement to take – especially for ladies
Eat plenty of avocados, walnuts, almonds, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, olives & olive oil, coconut milk or oil – and even organic butter is OK too!
Minimize (AVOID) unhealthy fats
Trans fats & hydrogenated fats (e.g. margarine & vegetable oils)
Deep fried food (or shallow fried with vegetable oil – use butter instead)
Grain fed meat
Farmed fish
Aracadonic Acid (omega6 fat found in Corn & Wheat – and in grain-fed animals)

Optimise your insulin levels

This means minimising (AVOIDING) sugar, grains and processed foods – including sugary drinks and fruit juices - all potent promoters of inflammation.
When you do eat grains, stick to whole, unprocessed grains, and preferably consume them directly after exercise. That’s when your body can make use of them to replenish its glycogen stores.
Eat carbohydrates with a low glycaemic load. (This will mean the majority of your carbohydrates will come from vegetables, and to a lesser extent, fruits.)
With every meal, choose a lean protein, a vegetable, and a good source of fat (preferably omega-3s).

Load up on the fresh vegetables, and include plenty of greens, as well as the other colour groups. Eat lots of cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts.
This also means exercising regularly – a great way to reduce inflammation!
Identify and AVOID any foods to which you are intolerant
Allergy testing is the only real way to do this
If you have pain limit consumption of the nightshades for 4-12 weeks or until the inflammation is under control
The nightshades are; tomatoes, white potatoes, red and green bell peppers, the "hot" peppers e.g. chili & paprika, aubergine, tobacco.

In a study published in the Journal of the International Academy of Preventive medicine, of the 5000 arthritis sufferers who eliminated Nightshade, seventy percent reported relief from aches, pains, and disfigurement.
Regularly eat ginger and turmeric
Include these spices in your recipes. They have been shown to lower inflammation.

Quit smoking

Smoking hardens your arteries and increases inflammation.
Research shows you can reverse all the damaging effects to your arteries within 10 years of quitting.
However, be sure you get your diet under control first so you don’t fall into the trap of trading cigarettes for unhealthy junk foods.

Make sure your waist size is normal

If you're a woman with a waist measurement of over 35 inches or a man with a waist of over 40 inches, you probably have high inflammation and should take steps to lose weight.

Have healthy outlets for stress and other negative emotions.

High levels of stress hormones can lead to the release of excess inflammatory chemicals
Use tools to help deal with your current stress and resolve past emotional challenges as well.

Optimize your vitamin D levels.

Most people are not aware that vitamin D can have a profoundly dramatic impact on your health.
The best way is through sun exposure on your skin
Taking a Vit D supplement through the winter is a great idea.
Make sure you get enough sleep
Reducing a night’s sleep by four hours leads to elevated cortisol (stress hormone) levels for much of the next day
Most studies suggest 7-8 hours is optimal for most adults

See you at the next talk on the 12th November at St Lukes' school
Neil Cox DC