Some of the best healing remedies to overcome inflammation also taste fabulous (I can’t say that about any prescription medications). Plus, foods won’t cause the nasty side effects common to most pain medications.
TOP 16 ANTI-INFLAMMATORY FOODS
1. Blackberries
Often overlooked, blackberries offer impressive health benefits in addition to their delicious taste. According to research published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, blackberries and their components, known as anthocyanins, help to prevent inflammatory disorders.
2. Blueberries
Blueberries are also excellent anti-inflammatory foods. They regulate the amounts of compounds called heat-shock proteins in the brain, thereby reducing inflammation linked to neurodegenerative disorders, according to a study published in the journal Neurobiology of Aging.
3. Cayenne Pepper
Ironically, cayenne pepper turns DOWN the heat on inflammation due to its powerful anti-inflammatory compound capsaicin. According to a study published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, researchers found that eating cayenne peppers is beneficial for low back pain. Extensive research, including a different one in the same journal, shows that the use of capsaicin-based creams or ointments are also helpful for pain.
4. Celery and 5) Celery Seeds
James Duke, Ph.D., the now deceased botanist and author of The Green Pharmacy, found more than 20 anti-inflammatory compounds in celery and celery seeds in his research, including a substance called apigenin, which is powerful in its anti-inflammatory action. According to a study published in Progress in Drug Research found that an extract of celery seeds was at least as effective as aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen in the treatment of arthritis. Add celery seeds to soups, stews or as a salt substitute in many recipes. Follow package directions if using a celery seed extract.
6. Cherries
In a study published in the Spanish medical journal Nutricion Hospitalaria, researchers found that eating tart cherries was effective in the treatment of exercise-induced muscle damage and the inflammation accompanying it.
7. Dark Green Veggies
Veggies like kale and spinach contain high amounts of alkaline minerals like calcium and magnesium. Both minerals help balance body chemistry to alleviate inflammation.
8. Fish
According to Dr. Alfred D. Steinberg, an arthritis expert at the National Institute of Health, fish oil acts directly on the immune system by suppressing 40 to 55 percent of the release of cytokines – compounds known to destroy joints and cause inflammation.
9. Flax seeds and 10. Flax Oil
Flax seeds are high in natural oils that convert into hormone-like substances in the body to reduce inflammatory substances. Add ground flax seeds to smoothies, atop pancakes or French toast, and many other foods. Do not heat.
11. Ginger
Research published in the medical journal Arthritis compared cortisone and ibuprofen, both drugs that are used in the treatment of inflammatory conditions, and found that ginger was superior to ibuprofen at reducing inflammatory compounds known as cytokines and was equally effective as cortisone. Unlike cortisone, however, ginger does not have the lengthy list of nasty side-effects.
12. Olive Oil
The inclusion of olive oil is one of the reasons for the Mediterranean Diet’s many health benefits. That’s because olive oil is rich in oleic acid, an Omega-9 fatty acid that has anti-inflammatory properties. Research in the journal Nutrients found that olive oil consumption reduced the markers of inflammation.
13. Pomegranates
Pomegranates help to alleviate joint pain and inflammation according to researchconducted by the National Institutes of Health. The researchers measured a beneficial effect of pomegranate fruit extract on markers of inflammation and cartilage degradation in arthritic joints, known as matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs).
14. Strawberries
Strawberries aren’t just delicious, they also offer pain and inflammation relief. In a studypublished in the medical journal Nutrients, researchers found that eating strawberries regularly helped alleviate the pain and inflammation of osteoarthritis in the knees.
15. Turmeric
In a study published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry researchers found that curcumin improved the healing of tendonitis, which involves inflammation of the tendons that help maintain our structural integrity.
16. Walnuts
Like flax seeds, raw, unsalted walnuts contain plentiful amounts of Omega 3 fatty acids that decrease pain and inflammation.
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