Just when you thought that fruits and vegetables couldn’t get any better, we wanted to share some information about yet another powerful property from the Nutritarian Website.
Inflammation is the result of stress, whether it be physical or mental. Things like injury, stressful works/social environments, overeating, and poor diet quality all trigger the body’s stress response. Your body senses that something is wrong and attempts to protect itself by releasing protein messengers called cytokines. These perform a wide range of functions to ensure that the body is protected, but they also trigger inflammation.
While our body needs this function, too much of it can cause chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cancer, and hypertension.1
Poor diets are especially linked to increased inflammation. Foods high in refined sugars and carbohydrates, trans fats,and oils all have been associated with increased inflammation in the body.2
What can I do to reduce my inflammation?
The answer is simple: follow the Nutritarian diet by eating plenty of vegetables and fruits! Polyphenols are natural compounds found in fruits, vegetables, legumes, and seeds that fight inflammation in the body. They are also a type of antioxidant. Diets that are rich in fruits and vegetables provide great sources of these nutrients.
Because of this, a Nutritarian lifestyle is beneficial in helping lower your inflammation. Remember, that all or nothing thinking can be damaging as you try to make positive lifestyle changes. Acknowledge the good things from and renew your commitment to achieving your goal this week.
What foods are rich in polyphenols? cocoa powder (100% non-alkalized, unsweetened cacao powder)red raspberries strawberries apples beans artichokes spinach.
Mango Ice Cream
4 cups frozen mixed berries or mango & banana
1 cup coconut milk or favorite nut milk
1 or 2 dates pitted and chopped as needed for sweetness
1. Mix berries, milk, and dates in a food processor
2. Wait until smooth and then feel free to eat it right away!
3. If you would like to freeze it, put it into a metal tin pan in the freezer for two hours and stir occasionally during that time.
1. Snyder, B. The Good, The Bad and the Ugly of Inflammation. Vanderbilt School of Medicine. https://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/vanderbiltmedicine/the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-of-inflammation/. Accessed June 12, 2019.
2. Spritzler F. 6 Foods That Cause Inflammation. Healthline Website. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/6-foods-that-cause-inflammation. Accessed June 12, 2019.
3. Hussain T, Tan B, Yin Y, Blachier F, Tossou M, Rahu N. Oxidative Stress and Inflammation: What Polyphenols Can Do for Us? Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2016.