7 Steps to an Anti-Inflammatory Life
Info from Mark Hyman MD
1. Whole Foods–Eat a whole foods, high-fiber plant-based diet, which is inherently anti-inflammatory. That means choosing unprocessed, unrefined, whole, fresh, real foods, that are high in powerful anti-inflammatory plant chemicals called phytonutrients. Lose the sugar from soft drinks, candy, cakes etc. & definitely say goodbye to transfats in pastries and fried foods.
2. Healthy Fats-Give yourself an oil change by eating healthy monounsaturated fats in olive oil, nuts and avocados, and getting more omega-3 fats from small fish like sardines, herring, and wild salmon.
3. Regular Exercise reduces inflammation. It also improves immune function, strengthens your cardiovascular system, corrects and prevents insulin resistance, and is key for improving your mood and erasing the effects of stress. Regular exercise is one among a small handful of lifestyle changes that correlates with improved health in virtually ALL of the scientific literature.
4. Relax -Learn how to engage your vagus nerve by actively relaxing. This powerful nerve relaxes your whole body and lowers inflammation when you practice yoga or meditation, breathe deeply, or even take a hot bath.
5. Avoid Allergens – If you have bloating, gas, fatigue, brain fog- find out what you’re sensitive or allergic to and stop eating those foods–gluten, soy, corn, eggs and dairy are the major culprits.
6. Heal Your Gut -Take probiotics to help your digestion and improve the balance of healthy bacteria in your gut, which reduces inflammation.
7. Supplement -Take a multivitamin/multimineral supplement, fish oil and vitamin D which help reduce inflammation.
