"is your body angry?" (joint inflammation)

8/2/2019 "IS YOUR BODY ANGRY?" (Joint Inflammation)

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Inammation is the bodys natural

response to an injury or infection

caused by anything from allergies

and toxins to a virus or blunt injury.

Common types of inammation plaguing

individuals in combat and impact sports

or extremely physical training regimens

include acute inammation as a result of a

physical injury or trauma; low-grade chronic

inammation caused by stress within the

body as a reaction to an environmental

trigger; and chronic inammation as a result

of an injury that never healed completely or

properly.

Depending on the site and cause of

damage, the response is slightly different.

But ultimately, the body calls on immune

cells to begin ghting the injury by

destroying cells and repairing damage at the

site of invasion. Inammation may be better

understood when viewed as an immune

response.

The immune response is quite simple.

Damaged cells release histamine, bradykinin

and prostaglandins. These cause surrounding

tissues to be inhabited by uid, which leaks

from blood vessels. The result is swelling,

which helps contain the infection during the

healing process. White blood cells are drawn

to the site and begin consuming the invading

cells. This process is called phagocytosis.

While there are many physical treatments

that address the result of inammation in

the body, this article will focus primarily on

nutrition. Well take a look at the top foods

that ght inammation as well as foods that

contribute to it.

VITALNUTRITION By Alissa Carpio

Other Ways to Fight InflammationTherapy For chronic pain, old injuries and scar tissue, consider non-invasive treatments. Dr. Todd Sullivan, DC, of NOVA Chiropractic & Wellness

points out that Foam rolling, Active Release Techniques and GrastonTechnique are also great muscle therapies to reduce tissue inammation.

Flexibility By engaging in regular, structured stretching programs, yourbody maintains better balance among opposing muscle groups, greatly

reducing your risk of injury in the rst place.

Icing Dr. Sullivan also recommends icing for 10 to 15 minutes at a t ime,allowing the muscle to come back to room temperature before repeating for

a total of four cycles.

Compression Apparel Clothing such as socks, tights and shirts, andergogenic aids including wraps and braces can help, too. Dr. Sullivan adds,

Compression clothing improves circulation and reduces swelling.

Is Your BodyANGRY?Infammation comes in many orms. The good news is oods and supplements

can help. Conversely, certain oods could be aggravating your symptoms.

PLUS:More ways to ght infammation.


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Top 5Inflammation-Fighting Foods

Supplement It!Probiotics In additionto eating cultured foods, agood probiotic supplementcan yield many of the samebenets. Look for a brandcontaining at least 6 strains oflive bacteria, with at least two

Nuts and SeedsChoose types that have higher amounts o omega-3 versusomega-6 ats. Pumpkin seeds and ax seeds are among thehighest omega 3-rich seeds, while walnuts and macadamiaare great nut sources or omega-3. By eating 1 oz. o nutsor seeds a day, you will also enjoy the benefts o reducedrisk or chronic disease and illness. Nuts and seeds alsoadd protein and fber to the diet, helping with eelings o

ullness and satisaction, and aiding in weight management.Eat a handul o nuts or a snack, and add seeds to

oatmeal, stir-ry dishes or resh salads.

Ginger and TurmericThese tasty spices help fght o attacks by ingredientscalled gingerols and curcumin, respectively. Turmericproduces a mild, spicy avor and a bright yellow colorand pairs well with cinnamon and cumin. It tastes great oncooked squash, brown rice or quinoa, or on poultry as parto a tagine-style dish. Fresh ginger can be added to any-thing rom stir-ry meat and vegetables to hot tea.

Onions and GarlicThese super meal enhancers boast nutritionalbenefts to boot. They contain quercetin, an

antioxidant that fghts inammation. Cook yourmeats and vegetables with some chopped

onion and minced garlic. Add raw onion to

resh salads. Onion and garlic are also greatadded to soups, stews and slow cooker dishes.

Oily FishSalmon, sardines, mackerel, trout, herring andtuna are rich in omega-3 ats, which are knowninammation fghters. In general, wild caught fshis healthier than arm raised. Farm raised fsh have

been given antibiotics, contain 10-15 percent moreat versus protein, and have more omega-6 and lessomega-3 atty acids. Add oily fsh to your diet twice aweek. Pregnant or nursing women should avoid Kingmackerel due to its high mercury content.

Cultured or Fermented FoodsThe most common examples are plain

yogurt and kefr. Other oods ermentedby the probiotic group lactobacilli includesauerkraut, pickles and kimchi. However,most commercially prepared versionso these oods are not lacto-ermentedand have been prepared with vinegarinstead. Look or versions that specifcallysay they have been made through lacto-ermentation to make sure youre gettingthese good bacteria aplenty. Or, opt ormaking your own yogurt or sauerkraut.These powerhouse bacteria provide manybenefts to the body, and chie among themis boosting the immune system and fghtinginammation. They also allow the vitaminsand nutrients rom the oods you eat to bebetter digested and utilized by the body.These oods should be eaten every day,preerably multiple times a day, or themost beneft.

Honorable Mentions: Apples (contain quercetin), broccoli (high amounts of vitamin C, folate and betacarotene) and cranberries (rich in antioxidants).

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from the Lactobacilli group and twofrom the Bidobacteria group.

Bromelain This ghter comes frompineapple, and in addition to anti-inammatory properties, it acts as adigestive enzyme for proteins.

Fish Oil In addition to including oilysh in your diet, taking a daily sh oil

supplement will provide a consistentamount of omega-3 fatty acids.

Glucosamine This supplementhelps in joint and cartilage repairand growth. Its been shown to beeffective in treating multiple typesof arthritis and inammatory boweldisease.


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Highly-Allergenic FoodsSome individuals, due to weak immune systems, nutrient defciencies, low stomach acid,lack o benefcial bacteria, or other reasons, are allergic or intolerant to oods that mostpeople can easily digest and enjoy on a regular basis. The most common among theseare wheat and other grains containing the protein gluten, dairy due to the protein, casein,or the milk sugar, lactose; soy, corn, nuts and eggs. I you suspect ood intolerance, thebest course o action is to tr y a ood elimination diet or two weeks. Upon reintroductiono each ood one at a time, it should be airly easy to tell i you have a reaction to it.Reactions will include allergy and immune type responses. Keep a ood diary, see how

you eel, note your mood and digestive system health.

Food AdditivesThis includes trans-ats, aspartame, MSG,sulftes, nitrates, artifcial colorings and

preservatives. Processed oods,restaurant and ast oods are theworst sources o ood additives.Avoid or limit dining out to oncea week or less. Create your own

home-cooked versions o your avorites,

such as sesame chicken and pizza. Choosebreakast and processed meats that arenatural, uncured and do not containhormones, antibiotics or nitrates/nitrites.

Commercially-Raised Meat

All grocery-store and restaurant meats, unlessotherwise specifed, come rom animals ed adiet high in omega-6 grains and eed. They alsocontain toxins in the orm o pesticides, hormonesand antibiotics. While pricey, your best bet is toacquire a source or grass-ed, arm raised meat,poultry and eggs. Check your local armersmarket or visit EatWild.com.

Polyunsaturated Fats (PUFAs)Because these ats are unsaturated, many peoplethink theyre healthier options. However, PUFAs(ound in vegetable, grape seed, saower and

sunower oils) are extremely high in omega-6but nearly void o omega-3, a combination thatpromotes inammation and breeds inammatorydiseases. The weak and vulnerable structure oPUFAs makes them susceptible to structural changesthrough hydrogenation, processing and cooking.Even extra virgin olive oil is susceptible to heatdamage during cooking. When these ats get oxidized,they prohibit inammation and have been l inked to various chronicdiseases, including cancer. The best ats or cooking are stable andsaturated, such as coconut oil, butter or ghee and animal ats.

Refined SugarsAs i there needed to be another reason toavoid sugar, here it is. Sugars contribute toinammation in a major way. Non-sweetoods that cause a high insulin responsecause inammation, too. So in addition torefned sugars and high-sugar sweeteners, becareul o eating high-glycemic oods suchas processed and refned grains, high-starchvegetables and potatoes. Read ood labelsto be sure youre not getting them rom

a hidden source. Instead, opt or lower-glycemic, natural sweeteners like raw honeyand Stevia.

Misdemeanor Oenders: Alcohol (irritates esophagus, larynx and liver and can lead to cancer) and red meat(some people are sensitive to high amounts of arachidonic acid, a fatty acid rich in red meat).

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Top 5Inflammation-Causing Foods

For additional inormation on ghting infammation, consider liestyle nutrition

coach and registered dietitian Evelyn Triboles book, The Ultimate Omega-3

Diet, as well as The Body Ecology Dietby Donna Gates and Linda Schatz.

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"is your body angry?" (joint inflammation)

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