8 Ways to Reduce Inflammation. Try Them Out!
Today, I want to focus on how to reduce the inflammation. Here are my top tips to fight inflammation for good.
- Lemon (and/or Lime) Water
Lemons and limes support our lives; they are packed with antioxidants and are highly alkaline, helping reduce the acidity of your body, which is responsible for inflammation. Even though they are acid by nature, lemons and limes are alkaline forming in the body due to their mineral content. A cup of fresh lemon or lime water upon waking up is the best way to start the day!
2. Part Ways with Sugar & Carbs
Sugar causes inflammation, it’s as simple as that. Carbs cause a spike in your blood sugar and insulin, fueling the production of advanced glycation end (AGE) products that stimulate inflammation. Try eliminating your refined carbs and sugar intake and watch how quickly your inflammation heals.
3. Load Up on Veggies
Veggies are highly alkaline and filled with anti-inflammatory antioxidants. Chronic inflammation is associated with an overly acidic body pH, so ingesting more alkaline foods is very effective at reducing inflammation.
4. Get Moving
Exercise has so many benefits: increased weight loss, increased circulation, increased lymph activation, endorphin release, to name a few. It’s critical to fit workouts into your regular weekly routine. Even if you are not ready for intense and rigorous workouts, start with a daily walk and then increase time and intensity.
5. Stop Stressing
Stress is one of the most common causes of chronic inflammation, mainly due to the release of cortisol that wreaks havoc on the body. Don’t overlook stress and a good night’s sleep in managing your inflammation levels. Engage regularly in stress-relieving activities such as meditation, massage, reflexology, and saunas, to help manage your stress levels.
6. Drink More Water
You hear this all the time, but nothing in your body will function properly if you don’t drink enough water. Your cells will shrink, metabolic waste will build up, and your body will become increasingly acidic and inflamed. Make sure you are getting close to a gallon of water a day to help flush out toxins and ensure that all your metabolic processes can be carried out.
7. Say No to Alcohol
It doesn’t matter if you just have one glass of wine with dinner, alcohol is very toxic to your liver, one of our primary detoxification organs. The best thing you can do is give up happy hour and indulge in a glass of lemon water.
8. Watch your Dairy
I saved dairy for last since it is a complex problem. Most people are deficient in calcium since dairy consumption, especially among bodybuilders, has decreased dramatically. Dairy is the best source for calcium, but for many it creates inflammation and mucous. (Even though recent research says it doesn’t actually produce mucous.)
Calcium supplements unfortunately have been shown to be detrimental. Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine and elsewhere found after performing more than 10 years of medical tests on over 2700 participants that taking calcium supplements may raise the risk of developing plaque buildup in arteries and cause heart damage, while consuming calcium-rich foods appears to be protective.
My solution has been to consume other calcium rich foods, and limit dairy to what doesn’t give me a negative effect. Some seeds like chia seeds contain calcium, but they are also known to cause inflammation and inflammatory bowel conditions. Spinach is relatively high in calcium; however, it contains oxalates that bind to calcium and make it unavailable to your body. Tofu and edamame are listed as calcium rich, but soy is not recommended due to inflammation, and its effect on your hormones. Dried Figs are calcium rich; however, they are too high in carbs and sugar for many people. Both kale and collard greens are good calcium sources. Canned salmon and sardines are also acceptable sources, plus they have the added benefit of supplying selenium. Blanched slivered almonds are also a good choice.
Still there is no getting away from the fact that the body absorbs the calcium in dairy more easily than plant sources. Finding tolerable sources may be the key. I have found Dr. Gundry to be pretty accurate when it comes to making suggestions for acceptable dairy. A2 casein milk is produced by certain breeds of cows, goats, sheep, and buffalo… and humans., and is tolerated well as compared to A1 casein milk. A peptide called Beta-Casomorphin-7 is released when A1 casein milk is digested. It is this peptide that is thought to produce the adverse effects of dairy. However, this is not the case with A2 casein milk. Buffalo mozzarella, Goat cheese, Ghee, goat, sheep, or buffalo yogurt are all well-tolerated in most people. Also, hard cheeses, especially Parmesan are very high in calcium. Hard cheese is naturally low in lactose and easier to digest. It has also been shown to lower the risk of heart disease and metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is responsible for increasing the risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. Natural 2% or 5% Greek Yogurt with no added sugar is tolerated quite well by many who have adverse effects from other dairy. For me, it has greatly decreased the symptoms of acid reflux and inflammation in my esophagus.
It’s worth taking the time to experiment and find which of these foods work for you to get your calcium needs met and keep inflammation at bay. It doesn’t help to decrease inflammation to prevent joint pain and degradation if you are causing bone loss due to calcium deficiency.
