Healthy Life: The Top 10 Anti-Inflammatory Foods

Chronic, low-grade inflammation almost always lurks beneath the surface of diabetes and excess weight. You can’t usually see or feel the damage, but this type of inflammation significantly increases the risk of coronary heart disease, the leading cause of death among people with diabetes. Low-grade inflammation has also been linked to an increased risk of cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. Your doctor can measure it with the “high-sensitivity C-reactive protein,” or CRP, test.

Processed sugars and other high-glycemic starches increase inflammation,
just as they raise blood sugar, according to an article in the March 2002 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Aspirin, ibuprofen, and many other drugs reduce inflammation, but they pose a risk of side effects and no doctor’s going to suggest taking these drugs on a regular basis because your CRP is elevated. However, many foods have anti-inflammatory benefits, and the only side effects are other stellar health benefits. Here are 10 of the best:

--> Salmon
--> Grass-fed beef and other animal foods
--> Olive oil
--> Salads
--> Cruciferous vegetables
--> Cherries
--> Blueberries
--> Turmeric
--> Ginger
--> Garlic
--> Green tea