How to Decrease Chronic Inflammation

Let's talk about Food! I Love food. I especially love food that is tasty and nutritious - healing foods. 
First, let's get a foundation of understanding about food and then we will discuss which foods help us heal.

1. All foods are comprised of macro elements: Carbohydrate (sugar), Protein, Fat, and Alcohol. Most foods have varying ratios of Carbs, Pro and Fat. For example, an avocado has a higher ratio of fat and less protein and carbohydrate than a carrot, which has a higher ratio of carbohydrate than protein and fat. However, the avocado still has some carbohydrate and the carrot still has a little protein and fat. 
2. There are certain types of carbohydrate, protein and fat that are healthier for us than others. Quality counts. For example, Omega 6-Fatty Acids are not as healthy for us as Omega-3 Fatty Acids are (which are both found in fats.. in many different foods). 

Now that we understand better about what food consists of, let's talk about what foods cause or decrease inflammation in the body depending on their molecular make-up. 

• Foods that Increase Inflammation
  • Sugar (especially sucrose/table sugar, high fructose corn syrup)
  • Alcohol (yes, even wine)
  • Gluten (= a protein in wheat, barley, cous cous, bran, etc grains)
  • Dairy (milk, cheese, ice cream, creams)
  • Nightshade vegetables (Tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, eggplant, paprika, etc)
  • Eggs & Corn (they have been genetically changing over the years)
  • Coffee (for heartburn and high blood pressure specifically)

These foods spike inflammation in all people, but the degree of which varies from person to person. If someone has a sensitivity, intolerance or allergy to these foods, the inflammatory process will be much worse (diarrhea, hives, throat swelling, itchy eyes, head ache, bloating, redness of skin, body aches, vomitting).  Check out whole30.com/ to learn more about inflammatory foods. 

• Foods that DECREASE inflammation 
  • Food high in Omega-3 Fatty Acids (fish - especially sardines, dark leafy greens)
  • Water
  • Turmeric (get supplements, take daily)
  • Probiotics (get supplement, take daily - it helps nourish the gut lining and decreases inflammation here)
  • Miso/saurkraut/kimchee (act similarly to probiotics)
  • Bone broths (enjoy a bowl of Vietnamese soup - pho!)

Besides food, other great ways to decrease liver and overall inflammation is... GET ADJUSTED, SLEEP & EXERCISE. Sleep, people. And get your spine checked. Sleep is the best weight loss tip and de-stressor for the body and mind. Joint alignment heals the local joint injury and inflammation which allows the immune system to stop making swelling, redness and heat processes from happening. Exercising and stretching squeezes muscles which squeeze lymph fluid into cardiovascular system and allows for blood circulation and renewal. Something to note: when my patients heal through chiropractic adjustments, they begin feeling great in their body and they WANT to exercise more. ;)