Saturday

3 delicious foods that FIGHT inflammation (and protect your body)

I could list a boatload of foods that protect your body from the ravages of inflammation, but we'll just quickly talk about a few today that you might not realize how powerful they really are... and they're tasty too!

1.  Artichokes -- I never used to eat these all my life, but just in the last couple years, I've grown to really love steamed artichokes!  Many people have only used the artichoke hearts that come in a jar, and those are okay, but I think the REAL taste and health benefits come from getting whole artichokes and steaming them yourself.  You can boil artichokes as well, but I prefer steaming them, and they take about 45-60 minutes in a steamer for a large artichoke.

Once we steam the artichoke, we like to make a dipping mix made of melted grass-fed butter, mixed with olive oil, and a little garlic and salt. Then we eat the "flesh" from the base of each leaf, and finally get to the anticipated grand finale... the artichoke heart, which is pretty scrumptious! 

A whole artichoke is a reasonably hearty meal for one person, or shared between 2 or 3 people can be a nice appetizer or snack.

Artichokes are loaded with unique antioxidants (more than almost all other vegetables tested) that have powerful health benefits and helps to fight inflammation in your body.  Some of the powerful antioxidants in artichokes are anthocyanins, cynarin, quercertin, rutin, luteolin, and silymarin.

This amazing vegetable is also purported to support healthy liver function, has powerful benefits for your digestive system, and also can improve your cholesterol ratios!  Consider adding a couple artichokes a week to your meals and your body (plus your taste buds) will thank you.


2. Pistachios -- these delicious little nuts are loaded with antioxidants, fiber, and minerals that all help protect your body and support good health.  Don't be fooled into thinking they are "fattening" as many people falsely think... remember those are good fats that help control your appetite and balance hormones.  I won't go into any more details on the health benefits of pistachios in this article, as we've already talked in full detail about health-protecting pistachios in this article.


3. Cherries (and tart cherry juice) -- The anthocyanins, queritrin, and quercetin as well as other antioxidants in cherries are powerful natural inflammation fighters.  Plus, the phytochemicals in cherries are known to help relieve arthritis and gout, and also help protect your joints from degeneration.

I like to get whole cherries as a daily snack when they're in season.  At other times of the year, what I do is get small containers of cherry juice or cherry juice concentrate, and I add some of this to my unsweetened iced teas daily.  My thought process is that this will help to protect my joints from damage over the years so that I'm still enjoying my skiing, hiking, and biking for decades to come.

Remember that most teas, onions, garlic, berries, and all herbs and spices all contain powerful phytonutrients that fight inflammation and protect your body from degenerative diseases, so don't be shy with these!

Speaking of inflammation...

While there are plenty of foods that can protect your body and help fight inflammation, there are also plenty of foods that CAUSE inflammation in your body... This video shows you the #1 WORST oil for your heart, brain, and skin (as well as certain fish to avoid!)

And while we're talking about superfoods...

Check these out:

5 Surprising power-foods that FIGHT high blood pressure (blood pressure reducing nutrients)


Here's some more powerful foods that fight inflammation throughout your body:

Ginger:  the powerful root that fights inflammation as well as turmeric

Onions:  for your gut health, cancer fighter, and anti-aging

Rosemary:  for brain health, inflammation, cancer-fighting, and more

To your health,

Mike Geary
Certified Nutrition Specialist
Certified Personal Trainer