Foods That Rid Inflammation to Keep You on a Weight Loss Path

July 22, 2018 Ashley 0 Comments

Absolutely not.

I mean, really. Work out? Right now?

At 5 A.M. when the alarm’s going off and a five alarm fire’s going off in your body?

Sure, you want weight loss. But exercise seems impossible right now. And it won’t feel any better by 5:30 PM. Yeah, I hear ya, girl. Waking up achy. Unwilling to move. Feeling lethargic. The symptoms of chronic inflammation are no joke. The worst part? Most of us don’t even realize that we have it. We assume we’re just getting too old. (When our second high school reunion hasn’t even arrived.) Meanwhile, the all-organic granny next door can beat you up and down the stairs each day with her hemp grocery bag full’ve foliage, fresh from the farmers market. Why? Well, there’s a science behind why our hypothetical neighbor is so spry in her seventies. Because, while inflammation’s got plenty’ve causes, it also can being diminished – if not extinguished – by making some changes when it comes to what we munch or chug. (And what we don’t, for that matter.) Here’s just 7 examples of stuff that we should be adding (and subtracting) when inflammation’s detracting from our fitness mission.

1. Cherries

Wait… You’re telling me that something both capable of making me fall asleep, while basically being the dessert of the fruit world… can also combat inflammation? Indeed, studies show these little crimson bobbles can take down pain – ranking highest on the anti-inflammatory food list. We almost don’t need to look any further. But we will…

2. Avos

Holy guacamole, batman. You can’t be serious. Another top fave food that doubles as an ache eradicator? Be still, my basic white girl heart. Not only do these bad boys serve as a sub for the bad fats that cause inflammation (see #5); they also are so high in antioxidants that they can even compensate for that post breakup weekend where you demolished silo sized amounts’ve Doritos and Ghiradelli bars and gargled Vodka to clear your palate of Patron. (Again, see #5. And maybe a counselor.)

3. Good grains

I know. The starchier the carb, the warmer your heart.

But, if you wanna avoid inflammation, it’s said that wonder bread’s not your friend.

Instead, try grains like barley, brown rice, or farro, or anything else on this list:

4. Turmeric.

But we wanna pop some flavor on that rice, right? Good news again, there: because this nice, golden spice can smite inflammation so well, it’s called the Motrin of the foods. (Okay, maybe only I call it that; but I feel it’ll catch before too long.) And, if you’re not a fan of the way it tastes, but love its beneficial effects, they sell it in capsule form too.

5. Cinnamon

Much like cherries, cinnamon’s definitely a dessert spice. We put it on pancakes. On cooked apples. On the foam of those pumpkin lattes we’re only a couple of months away from seeing at Starbucks. (Although they start earlier every year, so we should be expecting them by the beginning of August, I predict.) And while our tongues love it, toxins don’t. This spice spars body invaders and repairs any issue in our tissues. So stock up on this stuff.

6. Avoid alcohol (at least in excess)

And, finally, for the finger wagging. If you love your evening drink, I feel you. Just know that it might be what’s causing your inflammation. Why? Because alcohol is shown to inhibit liver and gut function. This is a problem because we need both of those guys to manage inflammation. If they’re outta commish, those symptoms can overtake us, unchecked. Don’t think the beer is to blame? Then prove the pros wrong. For someone who doesn’t have a dependency, removing alcohol for a week or two (just to test how much better they do or don’t feel), shouldn’t be an issue. Give it a try, if you like.

7. Fats to avoid

As hinted above, not all fats’re bad. But bad fats to avoid do include trans and saturated fats. It’s unfortunate, because a lot of them are in the addictive processed foods that rank high on the “feeling eating” list. Unlike alcohol which inhibits the damage control organs, though, this stuff has a more direct effect – straight up causing an inflammation response in your cells themselves.

The good news? While those bad fats are savage AF, we still got guac on our side to give us the healthy fats we need. (Nuts are great as well – packing a protein bonus.) And, as for alcohol, we don’t hafta quit – just limit it. And, once our bodies feel good enough to start moving again (thanks to eating the other anti-inflammatory food on this list), we won’t need a special potion to numb us as often, anyway.

So, set that alarm early, girls n boys.

‘Cause once you maim that inflammation, you’ll want to maim your weight weight loss goals, too.