The quality of your health depends upon many pieces that not only include the health of your bodily systems, but also include a healthy diet, exercise, and spirituality.

Diet. Treatment of inflammation may center on developing general healthy dietary guidelines, in addition to making some key adjustments in your relationship with food.

Dietary recommendations for inflammation include:

• Eat foods that are rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids, such as ground flax seed, fish oil, wild-caught salmon, minimal-mercury albacore tuna, and sprouted walnuts.
• Add saturated fats to your diet that have antimicrobial properties such as organic virgin coconut oil. Read more about good fats and bad fats in the Healthy Diet article.
• Choose complex carbohydrates that have a low glycemic index such as brown rice, raw apples, and winter squash.
• Eat more monounsaturated fats found in raw almonds, cashews, and avocados.
• Choose organic cage-free eggs.
• Eat hormone- and antibiotic-free beef and poultry.
• Eat dark green, leafy vegetables.
• Eat nutrient-dense, unprocessed raw foods, such as nuts and seeds.
• When consuming alcohol, use moderation and preferably choose wine, which has anti-inflammatory properties.
• Drink purified water throughout the day.

Foods to AVOID include:

• All simple or refined carbohydrates (sugar, white bread, pasta, cookies, cakes, crackers, etc.) – Read more about good carbs and bad carbs.
• All foods containing refined sugar or synthetic sugar-substitutes such as aspartame, Splenda^®, etc. Choose a natural sweetener like Xylosweet instead.
• Grains and starches, especially processed types
• Vegetable oils (soybean, corn, safflower, and sunflower), which contain pro-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids.
• Excessive caffeine intake – While moderate amounts of caffeine may be beneficial, excessive consumption can disrupt the body’s systems, causing insomnia and digestive irregularity (constipation or diarrhea).
• Carbonated soft drinks that are acidic and alter the pH level of the blood
• Hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils (trans fats) found in many processed foods, deep-fried food, fast food, and junk food – Read more about good fats and bad fats.
• Bottom crawlers such as oysters, clams, and lobster that may contain toxic levels of mercury
• Deep-sea fish such as tuna, mackerel, and swordfish that may contain toxic levels of mercury. Choose minimal-mercury albacore tuna instead.
• Farm-raised fish that contain PCBs and not enough omega-3 essential fatty acids, due to their land-based diets. Choose wild-caught salmon instead.
• Yeast and wheat products (breads, crackers, pasta, etc.) that contain gluten
• Sodium nitrite found in processed foods such as hot dogs, lunch meats, and bacon
• Monosodium glutamate (MSG) found in many foods as a flavor enhancer

Exercise. Exercise is extremely beneficial to anyone with an inflammation-related illness. A recent discovery has shown that exercise lowers the level of CRP (an inflammation marker) in the blood. Aerobic exercise — anything that increases the heart rate — is also strongly linked to improvement in immune function and reduction of inflammation. Walking, running, swimming, bicycling, and active sports are all excellent options for exercise. Strength training is also an important part of exercise.⁴

Other tips for sufferers of inflammation:

• Heavy metal toxicity can produce vague symptoms that sometimes are mistaken for other chronic conditions. Discuss heavy metal toxicity with your healthcare professional before receiving any diagnosis or treatment for a serious chronic condition. Read more about heavy metal toxicity.
• If you have “silver” dental fillings, get an evaluation from a mercury-free dentist who specializes in the safe removal of mercury amalgam fillings. Mercury is a neurotoxin that can cause wide-spread damage throughout the body, impairing the immune system and causing chronic inflammation. Find a mercury-free dentist in your area now!

Additional Information about Inflammation

1. Inflammation Overview
2. Common symptoms of inflammation
3. Common causes of inflammation
4. Natural and alternative treatments for inflammation
5. Conventional or prescription medications used in the treatment of inflammation
6. Cited Sources and Additional Reading for inflammation

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