Calm Your Body | Foods That Help Prevent Inflammation

From being overstressed to consuming too much salt or sugar - there are a wide range of issues that can lead to inflammation. Whether it's swelling in the joints, headaches, bloating, or indigestion - inflammation in the body is, well, a pain.

Luckily there are plenty of foods you can incorporate into your diet that help calm swelling and reduce these types of issues. 

Foods that Help Prevent Inflammation:

• Leafy greens.
  A no-brainer when it comes to healthy foods, leafy greens contain tons of nutrients, minerals, and vitamins - all important for supporting a healthy body and reducing inflammation. It may be difficult to keep fresh greens on hand at all times, but a good tip is to keep your freezer stocked with plenty of frozen spinach, kale, and chard. Frozen greens retain a lot of their nutrients, and can be easily thrown into sauces, soups, and casseroles.
• Tea.
  Drinking tea supports the body in plenty of ways, including reducing inflammation. It is full of antioxidants, and will even help boost hydration - an added component to keeping everything in the body moving smoothly. We love any type of tea with a packet of True Lemon, of course!
• Rainbow veggies.
  An easy thing to remember: the more colors on your plate, the more nutrients. Vegetables that are rich in color offer a wide variety of antioxidants which help to reduce inflammation. Try rainbow chard, purple kale, radishes, carrots, and different types of tomatoes. See something you haven't tried before? Talk to the produce manager or farmer's market attendant about how to cook or use in recipes.
• Turmeric, ginger, and garlic - oh, my!
  Spices are a wonderful way to help reduce inflammation, and probably part of the resurgence of popularity (especially of turmeric). Garlic has an added bonus of supporting heart health and circulation, too. Consuming too much salt has been linked to inflammation, so boosting your spice game will keep foods so full of flavor you won't even miss it.
• Bright fruits and berries.
  Just like rainbow vegetables, richly-colored fruits are super dense in anti-inflammatory qualities. Pomegranates, blueberries, and blackberries are deliciously nutritious to name a few. Just be sure to get organic, as the delicate skin of these fruits can easily absorb pesticides which can lead to more problems.