Inflammation has received a lot of bad press lately and for very good reason. Inflammation may be a good thing in some cases and even a sign that your body is successfully fighting an infection… but when it is allowed to persist it can also cause a wealth of problems.
Inflammation is one of the body’s acute responses to an infection by bacteria or a virus. It also occurs in response to an injury. Its aim is to protect the area, to rush important nutrients to it and to stem the movement of invading pathogens.
The problem is that a great many things can cause inflammation and in some case, this results in ‘chronic’ inflammation. Meaning in other words that the inflammation isn’t going to go away once the healing is over and you’re going to be stuck with it.
At this point, inflammation can actually be a bad thing and can start to cause pain and discomfort, even potentially leading to tissue damage. This is the case in some forms of arthritis and other inflammation-related disorders.
But moreover, inflammation can also damage our cells and make us more likely to get ill. And through the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, it can actually impair our cognitive functioning and leave us confused and foggy.
Think back to the last time that you were ill. Perhaps you remember that you didn’t just feel ill but were also generally sluggish. Maybe you couldn’t hold your attention on anything for very long and you struggled to watch TV and read books. Maybe you got cabin fever. Perhaps you just felt depressed.
This is caused by inflammation. And if chronic inflammation is allowed to go on then it can prevent you from functioning at your mental best while at the same time increasing your risk of developing a number of health conditions. Chronic inflammation has even been linked with depression.
So, what can you do to prevent this? Whether you suspect that inflammation is making you feel groggy, or whether you’re struggling with pain and discomfort in your joints, this post is going to examine your options and hopefully help you to find a solution to your pain and discomfort – by changing your diet. Read on for 20 foods that are naturally anti-inflammatory.
1. Coconut Water
Coconut water is incredibly good for you and has a number of amazing effects in the body. The main benefits of coconut water come from the simple fact that it offers the perfect balance of electrolytes. Electrolytes include the likes of sodium, potassium and calcium and are among the things that our muscles and nerves use in order to communicate.
When you drink coconut water, it can help to improve that communication and this boosts your energy. At the same time, it also helps to encourage and enhance the body’s natural self-repair functions and thereby prevents inflammation!
