Anti-Inflammatory Foods & Healing

By Dr. Randall Hensley, D.C. & Julie Asquini, Holistic health Advocate
If you are what you eat: think twice, eat once. Nutritionists, researchers, and most of us would agree that certain foods have a positive or negative effect on healing and disease.  For example back in 2002 The Clinical Journal of Nutrition revealed that processed sugars and other high-gylcemic starches increased body-wide chronic inflammation and raised blood sugar levels.  This in turn raised the risk of coronary heart disease especially in Diabetics.  With that in mind, please remember the following foods when fighting off disease and healing from injuries.

Anti-inflammatory foods you should be eating include:

• Salmon, especially wild Alaskan Salmon are high in super healthy fats with Omega 3's.
• Walnuts, pumpkins seeds, flax oil: all have high Omega 3's.
• Olive Oil: contains oleic acid, raising insulin function and lowers blood sugar.
• Salads: Dark green lettuce and spinach are high in vitamin C and anti-oxidants.
• Cruciferous Vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, and kale are also high in anti-oxidants, minerals, fiber and phytochemicals which fight cancer causing carcinogens.
• Cherries can reduce inflammation and are packed with anti-oxidants.
• Blueberries are great for your brain and reduce chronic inflammation.
• Turmeric, Ginger, Garlic, and Green Tea are all high levels of natural anti-inflammatory compounds.
• Grass feed beef and lean meats have higher levels of Omega 3's than grain-feed pen raised beef.

• Whole grains, colorful fruits and veggies
• Foods high in B6 (tuna, salmon, chicken, potatoes, pumpkin seeds and turkey) which support the nervous system and aid in the breakdown of sugars an starches raw and high fiber foods. 
• And plenty of clean filtered water!

Foods to avoid, especially when injured:

 When trying to recover from injury or fighting off chronic conditions, avoid foods with processed sugar, artificial sweeteners, trans fats, saturated fats, partially hydrogenated oils, white breads, simple carbs, dairy, coffee, soda, and alcohol.  These foods increase inflammation, lower defenses, delay healing, and prolong recovery times. 

 By following these guidelines and those readily available online under “anti-inflammatory foods” or “anti-inflammatory diets”, you can help yourself get better faster and stay healthy longer. Check out

www.whfoods.org  for detailed nutritional information and nutrient specific recipes. Enjoy life, eat smarter, get regular chiropractic care and help your body help itself.