5 Ways To Beat Inflamation

 I hear and read a lot of about inflammation. In fact one of our readers sent this to me:

“I hear about inflammation and am wondering what inflammation is and what foods cause inflammation?”

I thought today I would answer this very common question for you especially since we are in Holiday season and tend to deviate from our normal eating habits.

I personally always know when I have not eaten well or have deviated from my regular healthy eating as I  get sore, achy and usually have an upset stomach. Yesterday I was out for lunch and dinner(the time of year)  and did not stick to my regular eating pattern(I was using my 20% rule of deviating from my plan). I could tell that I had inflamed my system as I did not sleep well because my stomach was upset so I had a very restless sleep. This morning I awoke and could tell I was inflamed as my muscles and body were achy and sore.

The best way to think of inflamation is that it is similar to a bruise but it is on the inside of the body. One of the largest systems in the body is our digestive organs and when you eat certain foods that don’t agree with you, you become inflamed. A sure sign of inflamation is bloating, gas, digestive upset and achy or sore body or muscles. Another sure tell tale sign for me is very tired or mucous in my eyes the next morning.

5 Ways to Avoid Inflammation – I wanted to share 5 ways you can avoid inflammation:

1.Have A Morning Water with Freshly Squeezed Lemon or Apple Cider Vinegar – This is a great way alkalinize your system and start the day off by cleansing your liver and kidneys. This is the first things I do when I roll out of bed in the morning and it is a great healthy way to start the day in a Alkaline state.

2.The Morning Shake – For those of you that read my blog regularly, you know that this is the single most important healthy thing you can do for yourself to avoid inflammation. It is a great way to fill your body and cells with an assortment of amazingly healthy items all at once. Even if you deviate from your plan other parts of the day, at least you have started the day off in a very healthy way. For my recipe of the morning shake you can see it here:http://kevinbradyhealth.ca/the-morning-shake/

3.Have a day filled with Plants, Fruits and Vegetables  – I find the best way to avoid inflammation is to have a day filled with healthy seeds, nuts, fruits and vegetables. These are all foods that are very easy to digest and therefore don’t use a lot of energy to digest and therefore do not cause inflammation. It makes sense that if you are not using a lot of energy to “digest” your food then that will result in you having more energy all day long.

4.Avoid Foods That Inflame Your System – If you pay attention to your system you know which foods “Inflame” your system so it makes sense to avoid those foods and or drinks. An easy way to tell if foods inflame your system is if you experience any of the following symptoms: indigestion, bloating, gas, stomach upset, or achy muscles and joints.

5.Have A Food Intolerance/Inflammation Test – A great way to determine foods you should try to avoid is to have a food intolerance test. I have had this done twice now over the past few years by my nutritionist and the results were enlightening. It is an easy “prick” blood test that provides you with a comprehensive list of the foods you are fine with and the ones you should avoid if possible. One of the reasons I decided to cut dairy out of my diet this year was because it was one of the foods for me to avoid.

What Is the best remedy if you have Inflamed your system?

What if you have been out or eaten foods you shouldn’t and need to calm down the inflammation? This was the situation I was in last night as I went out for dinner and had some items that I know inflame my system(My 80% Rule –http://kevinbradyhealth.ca/the-80-rule-towards-balanced-health/. I find the best remedy is to have a few Digestive Enzymes. This assists in the digestion of food and helps calm the system down. Having said that, the best way to avoid inflammation is to avoid the foods that cause inflammation in the first place(I know this is easier said that done).

I hope some of these tips help you avoid inflammation as we approach the holiday season.

Wishing you a very healthy day,  Kev