Anti-Inflammatory On-The-Go

How can we reduce inflammation?

By Sarah Citrin

Inflammation - we've all heard of it, but what can we do about it? As usual when it comes to staying healthy, what we eat has a lot to do with it. But can we be conscious anti-inflammatory eaters without upending our entire lifestyles? My answer is yes.

Like most people, I'm too busy for complicated diets. I'm also too busy for backaches and digestive issues. My compromise has been to be aware of what triggers inflammation in my body. I give it the old 80/20 rule. 80% of the time I am conscious (but not obsessive) about keeping the bad stuff out. I am a dirty cheater 20% of the time. Even as someone with a diagnosed problem with inflammation, this works.

I have found that fighting inflammation is about the sum of what you eat, and not about that one cheat. You want to avoid binging and purging. Make your diet anti-inflammatory overall. I like to consider what I eat in a week as opposed to obsessing over every meal. It's more sustainable than being militant.

I keep two questions in the back of my mind at all times: what causes inflammation and what relieves it? Let's break that down.

What Causes Inflammation?

Inflammation is one of your body's natural help mechanisms. When you stub your toe or get an infection, your body sends help in the form of blood and fluid. Internal inflammation is much-the-same. Doctors have found that the American lifestyle triggers this response. Sitting too much, stress and certain foods can keep us in a perpetual state of inflammation. Our joints and digestive systems take the brunt of it.

Fried foods, sugar, and gluten tend to cause an overactive inflammatory response. Yes, even if you don't have a gluten allergy. Studies show that too much gluten is inflammatory for everyone. When I talk about the 80/20 rule, this is what I'm cheating on. It's not that I have cut the culprits out completely. I'm aware of how they add to the problem. This helps me eat unhealthy foods in moderation. Doughnuts, for example, are the inflammatory trifecta. Once in awhile, they're heaven. Once a week, they hurt. Moderation gives you the best of both worlds — a world where doughnuts don't hurt.

So, what relieves inflammation?

Some foods help your body calm its inflammatory response. Yes, you can eat other foods and still see the benefits. My goal is to get five anti-inflammatory meals in a week. I'll highlight a few of my favorite options. Shortcut: the easiest way to do it is to eat a diet rich in fiber and color.

Berries

Berries are some of the easiest (and most delicious) options. They calm the response you're dealing with now, and break the cycle of inflammation. Ensuring less of response next time. In Austin, you can even pick your berries at Berry Pickins at The Old Thyme Store.

Leafy Greens and Broccoli

Leafy greens and broccoli are great because they add fiber to your diet and keep your gut bacteria happy. Your gut houses both good and bad bacteria. Your body uses good bacteria to regulate every organ system you can think of. What happens when the ratio of good-to-bad is out of whack? You guessed it, inflammation. The bad bacteria tend to thrive on those culprit foods. The good bacteria love foods rich in fiber and low in sugar — foods like leafy greens and broccoli.

Omega 3's

Foods high in omega 3's like fatty fish (think salmon), avocados, walnuts, and chia seeds are great to keep in your diet. In clinical trials, people with diets rich in Omega-3's have calmer inflammatory responses. I sneak chia seeds into my yogurt and try to eat salmon every other week. And yes, avocados. Here is your permission to eat avocado toast whenever you want!

Probiotics

IIf you're like me, you feel it when you cheat too much. The next day is full of joint pain, acid reflux, and brain fog. All things I very much do not have time for. What is my quick fix to take the edge off? A probiotic supplement called Blue Majik. The good people over at Juiceland Smoothies turned me onto it, and I'm a believer. It is a special version Spirulina that contains something called phycocyanin. It is clinically proven to relieve inflammation, especially in your joints. Spirulina is a notorious good bacteria.

You can add Blue Majik to any of their smoothies, take it in their Blue Dream Shot, or order capsules of it online.

It seems like more people every year are dealing with the inflammation. The good news is we do not have to upend our entire lives to reduce it. There are plenty of simple, delicious ways to sneak healthy foods into our busy lives. In Austin, there are even on-the-go options to reduce inflammation in a pinch. If you are experiencing the symptoms of inflammation, don't panic. You can help yourself a long way by focusing on these anti-inflammatory foods (80% of the time).