- Coconut oil
Coconut oil has great benefits to the immune system and the digestive system. It’s also quite a heat stable fat, which means it tolerates well the high temperature cooking and does not become oxidized and damaged like many others vegetable oils.
Coconut oil is full with medium chain fatty acids, mostly lauric acid, which is so easy to digest and your liver uses it much easy for energy. The good fats that coconut oil contains have antimicrobial properties, and they help to promote a healthy balance of good microbes in the digestive tract. It is also very satiating; including coconut oil in your diet regularly can help to greatly reduce carbohydrate and sugar cravings.
- Avocados
Avocados are also rich in healthy fats. Here the fats are primarily monounsaturated. Monounsaturated fats don’t raise inflammation in the body such as some omega 6 rich polyunsaturated fats can. They are also beneficial for the health of the arteries, and they help maintain healthy blood pressure. Including some avocado in your salad for lunch can help you feel full longer, so don’t feel the need to snack on candy in the afternoons.
- Oily fish
Plenty of the best anti-inflammatory foods are rich in fat. Most natural fats are greatly anti-inflammatory, while processed vegetables oils high in omega 6 fats are very often pro-inflammatory.
Oily fish is high in omega 3 fats that promote the production of pain relieving prostaglandins (a type of hormone) in your body. That means fish oil might help to alleviate painful conditions like fibromylgia, menstrual cramps and arthritis. By reducing inflammation in your artery walls, fish oil will help to reduce atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and blood clots. Most fish is also a great source of the mineral selenium, which is excellent for people with autoimmune disease because it can help reduce the production of auto-antibodies. This mineral is also necessary for glutathione production, which is the body’s own powerful antioxidant. Selenium’sother benefit of is that it helps your body overcome viral infections. Chronic, low grade viral infections are a frequent cause of elevated inflammation and on going fatigue.
Examples of oily fish high in omega 3 fats and selenium include mackerel, wild salmon, trout, herrings, sardines, anchovies and mullet. If you do not consume these fish species frequently, you might wish to consider taking a selenium supplement and a fish oil supplement.
- Turmeric
Turmeric is a spice that has a bright yellow color. It has a very mild flavor and it’s responsible for the bright yellow color of curry powder. You might also find fresh turmeric sold in fresh foodstuffs stores.Turmeric can be added to stews, curries or even in vegetable juices. The active constituent of turmeric is curcumin that has powerful anti-inflammatory properties and it’s a fantastic natural pain reliever. Curcumin also has benefits to the digestive system, and will help to relieve indigestion and bloating.
- Dark chocolate
Dark chocolate with a good quality is definitely a health food. Good quality means 85% cocoa or even more. Dark chocolate like this is usually free of dairy products, and some brands are even free of soy lecithin, that is best avoided since it may be genetically modified. Chocolate with a high cocoa content is also in general very low in sugar. The intense flavor that this type of chocolate has usually prevents most people from overindulging. It’s just so rich in taste that you can’t consume too much.
The antioxidant polyphenols that chocolate contains help to neutralize free radicals in the body and can actually help to boost the levels of healthy HDL cholesterol in your body. Lot of people with insulin resistance or syndrome X, have abnormally low levels of beneficial cholesterol in their blood, and too much of the wrong type of cholesterol that can cause arterial plaques.
Healthy food doesn’t have to be tasteless and boring food. There are so many delicious ways to reduce inflammation in your body, and reap the health rewards.
SOURCE: MagazineForHealthy.com
