- posted: Aug. 01, 2024
Inflammation is the immune system’s response to things like injuries, infections, toxins and pathogens. It is a natural reaction from the body, as it triggers a process to remove the harmful stimuli and begin to heal the affected tissue. That process involves an increase in blood circulation to the injured area, bringing more white blood cells and nutrients to fight off invaders and begin the healing process.
Inflammation is a good thing in the short term, as its whole reason for existence is to ultimately make you feel better. For example, if you fall and scrape your knee, the body needs to be able to fight off bacteria that may have entered the body through that minor injury. It also needs to bring nutrients to the affected area to help with healing. This is called “acute inflammation” and it lasts anywhere from a few hours to a few days.
Chronic inflammation, on the other hand, is when inflammation starts and stays in the body for a long period of time, sometimes even months or years. What typically is supposed to protect and help heal the body, now starts to become harmful. Chronic inflammation can lead to various health issues, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, GERD, high blood pressure, arthritis, cancer, depression, and more. It can damage healthy tissue and/or organs, and could trick the immune system into working harder than it needs to.
Incorporating anti-inflammatory foods into your diet is a proactive way to combat and reduce levels of stress in the body, without going down the path of prescriptions and medications. By choosing nutrient-dense options such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats, you can help reduce inflammation and promote overall well- being.
The thought of changing your diet might feel overwhelming at first, but you will quickly come to find that it is not all that hard to follow an anti-inflammatory diet. There are lots of delicious foods you can include in your diet to support a balanced and anti- inflammatory lifestyle — but it’s just as important to know what you shouldn’t have as well.
Make a conscious effort to limit your intake of these things that commonly cause inflammation:
- Anything fri
- Alcohol
- Added sugar
- Highly processed foods
- Wheat/gluten
- Processed meat such as hot dogs, lunch meat, and sausages
- Margarine, and seed oils (canola, grape seed, sunflower, safflower, corn, cottonseed, and soybean)
By avoiding these inflammatory foods, you may be able to significantly decrease overall body inflammation levels.
Now let’s talk about what you should be eating. These are simple foods you can easily add to your diet. Some of the most common anti-inflammatory foods include:
- Green tea
- Berries
- Olive oil
- Tomatoes
- Sweet potatoes
- Fatty fish (i.e, salmon, tuna, mackerel, and sardines)
- Leafy greens (i.e., kale, spinach, and collards)
- Avocado
- Turmeric
- Ginger
- Melon
- Nuts (i.e, almonds and walnuts)
- Dark chocolate
An effective anti-inflammatory lifestyle to follow is the Mediterranean diet, which is high in fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, fish, and healthy oils — all great choices for reducing inflammation and increasing overall health. Following an anti-inflammatory diet can also have benefits for physical and emotional health.
Chiropractic care is the perfect supplement to an anti-inflammatory diet. The primary role of chiropractic adjustments is to remove any stress and pressure from the nerves so that the brain and body are able to communicate as best as possible.
When the body is experiencing misalignments, called subluxations, it can cause tension on the muscles muscle tension and irritation to the nerves. The body’s
natural response to this is to create inflammation as it attempts to heal and stabilize the area.
As a result, chiropractic adjustments can decrease inflammation by addressing those subluxations before the body has time to become inflamed. When the body is correctly aligned, there is less stress on the joints and less risk for inflammation.
Coupling chiropractic care with a healthy anti-inflammatory diet is a recipe for success when it comes to leading a life with less inflammation. If you have been suffering from inflammation, whether from an injury, health condition or any kind of stress on the body, schedule a consultation with the team at Dr. Gena Chiropractic, the premiere pediatric and family chiropractic clinic serving the Plantation and the greater Fort Lauderdale community in Broward County.
Call us at 954-417-5815 to book an appointment. Remember, your health is in your hands; our hands are here to help.
Locations
7119 W Broward Blvd
Plantation, FL 33317, US
Office Hours
10:00 am - 1:00 pm
3:00 pm - 6:00 pm
8:00 am - 11:00 am
10:00 am - 1:00 pm
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
9:00 am - 1:00 pm
3:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Closed
9:00 am - 11:00 am
Closed
