4 Anti-Inflammatory Foods to Make Life Less Painful: Turmeric, Wild Salmon, Blueberries, and Nuts

At Healthy Holistic Living we search the web for great content so you don’t have to. This article was shared with permission from our friends at mindbodygreen.com.

To understand the role of anti-inflammatory foods, it’s important to understand inflammation and the role antioxidants play in our bodies. There’s a strong link between free radicals and inflammation, with signs of inflammation often suggesting the presence of free radicals.

Free radicals can be thought of as a by-product of us being alive, as a car produces fumes when burning fuel, we produce free radicals. Different cars produce toxic fumes depending on a range of factors such as age, state of the engine, quality of the fuel. If we put processed foods and other toxins in our bodies, we, too, will create more harmful free radicals.

The rate of free radical production increases dramatically with a poor diet, smoking, alcohol, toxic pollution, or even strenuous exercise. It’s these free radicals that cause havoc in our bodies, damaging and killing cells, resulting in inflammation and pain.

When we give our body adequate levels of antioxidants, we can neutralize most harmful free radicals and reduce inflammation throughout the body. With lower levels of inflammation, we may experience a significant reduction in pain and an overall increase in well-being.

1. Turmeric (Curcumin)

Turmeric is a yellow root often ground into a spice, containing one of nature’s most potent anti-inflammatories, curcumin. Historically used in Chinese and Indian medicine, the Western world is slowly understanding the real benefits of turmeric.

In some studies, its anti-inflammatory abilities have surpassed over-the-counter prescription anti-inflammatories, all without the toxic side effects. As a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, many people with joint pain find relief when they use this spice regularly.