Inflammation. It’s a taboo word in the world of health and wellness. But here’s the thing: Sometimes, our bodies need inflammation. The right amount of inflammation at the right time plays a critical role in recovering from illness or injury. To help your body strike the right balance, it’s important to focus on incorporating more anti-inflammatory meals into your diet.
What Is Inflammation Supposed to Do?
There are two types of inflammation: acute and chronic. Acute inflammation is an important physiological response that protects and heals the body from damage. Think of it as your body’s friend. When you cut yourself or when your immune system is alerted to an invading virus, the body temporarily delivers extra white blood cells to the affected area. Although this might cause redness, swelling, or fever, this short-term immune response prevents minor cuts or illnesses from becoming deadly.
When a Good Thing Goes Bad: Chronic Inflammation
Those who speak of the dangers of inflammation are really referring to chronic inflammation. When your body is in the constant “fight” mode of chronic inflammation, it continues to produce an inflammatory response even when there is no need for one. Chronic inflammation can quickly lead to significant health issues like heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and even cancer.
Conditions like arthritis and autoimmune diseases can lead to chronic inflammation, but so can excessive stress and a poor diet, which may cause fat to build up in the body’s muscles, cells, and liver.
When your body is in a prolonged period of hypersensitivity as it is with chronic inflammation, it is likely to cause damage to your brain, your heart, and the rest of your organs. The presence of inflammation in your blood also makes it more likely to develop plaque, which is a significant risk factor for both heart attack and stroke.
How Chronic Inflammation Makes You Feel
On top of the serious health risks associated with chronic inflammation, it can also just make you feel bad. Inflammation can zap your energy levels; you’re tired all the time, even if you get plenty of sleep. Inflammatory brain fog makes it difficult to think. Chronic Inflammation might negatively affect your skin, your digestion, and your lymph nodes. Some people even experience joint pain and overall malaise.
Simple Lifestyle Changes that Fight Inflammation
If you think you are suffering from chronic inflammation, a few simple lifestyle changes may help reverse the condition. Even if you do not have chronic inflammation, these healthy habits will help you feel better than ever:
Eat Regularly
Don’t skip meals, and don’t replace them with subpar substitutes like coffee either. When you miss a meal, your blood sugar struggles for the rest of the day to find balance, which causes unnecessary stress on your system. Have a healthy snack like veggies and hummus or almonds every few hours to ward off these blood sugar blues.
Walk It Out
Moving your body is one of the best ways to reduce inflammation. Don’t have an hour to spend at the gym? No problem. If you can walk for at least twenty minutes a day, you can greatly reduce your risk of chronic inflammation. In fact, researchers at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine found that just twenty minutes of exercise lowers the amount of overactive immune cells in your system by up to five percent.
Add Some Spice to your Meals
Many cultures have used spices like garlic, cinnamon, and turmeric for centuries to add more flavor to meals. On top of being a tasty diner time addition, spices like these can also assist in decreasing chronic inflammation and providing antioxidants that can tackle free radical damage. For instance, cinnamon contains cinnamic acid, which can decrease damage to cells. For some anti-inflammatory flavor, add a pinch of cinnamon or a dash of cayenne to your meals whenever possible.
Decrease Alcohol and Caffeine Consumption
Abstaining from alcohol for a few days can help you flush out excess inflammation. Even just four alcoholic beverages a week could be enough to increase inflammation in your body. Meanwhile, if you find that caffeine is negatively impacting your sleep, that may also be a sign that your inflammation levels are on the rise. So as not to disturb your sleep and keep your body’s inflammatory response in good working order, consume caffeine wisely. As tempting as that late afternoon cup of coffee is, save it for the morning.
Anti-Inflammatory Meals to the Rescue
Stress and over-consumption of highly processed food, and perhaps more significantly the relationship between the two, make chronic inflammation a common problem in our society. Looking for the most impactful solution? Change your diet. Steer clear of inflammation-increasing processed foods. Instead, reverse stress signals in your body and lower inflammation with meals full of plant-based protein, vitamins, and minerals. Fill your plate with plenty of fruits and vegetables and foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids. The more you focus on a plant-based diet, the better you will feel inside and out.
Thistle’s Approach to Anti-Inflammatory Meals
At Thistle, we firmly believe that what you put into your body directly affects your overall health and wellness. The whole food ingredients from Thistle’s anti-inflammatory meal delivery service will help you combat chronic inflammation while making mealtime more exciting. Here are a few of our key approaches:
Be Bold with Colorful Produce
Colorful fruits and veggies are full of anti-inflammatory properties. Whenever possible, bypass bland-looking produce for brightly-colored options instead. Give these veggies a try:
- Beets: A fabulous option for fighting inflammation, electric blue-red beets provide antioxidants that can prevent damage to cells and tissues. We often pair them with kale, tomatoes, and mushrooms to provide even more inflammation-tackling nutrition.
- Carrots: Bright orange vegetables like sweet potatoes and carrots get their color from carotenoids, a plant pigment linked to reducing the type of inflammation associated with heart disease. At Thistle, carrots accompany almost all of our hummus varieties and many of our salads. And of course, they are the key ingredient in our 24 Carrot Gold Muffin
Pursue More Plant-based Protein Options
Study after study indicates that too much red and processed meat increases the risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Instead of meat at every meal, go for a plant-based entrée. Don’t worry—meatless meals can be just as tasty! Plant-based protein in Thistle’s plant-forward meals include:
- Garbanzo Beans: Healthy, delicious, and budget-friendly legumes like garbanzo beans are a great protein-packed inflammation-fighting pantry staple. Our garbanzo bean-centric meals often include garlic, Himalayan pink salt, lentils, coconut milk, and a wide range of other whole food ingredients to further help your body reduce its chronic inflammation.
- Black Beans: Yet another fiber-filled and well-loved legume to regularly include on your plate. As demonstrated in our black bean and plantain breakfast bowl, black beans pair perfectly with inflammation-fighting spices like garlic and cumin to deliver a one-two punch to stress levels that cause excess inflammation.
Make the Most out of Each Meal
Why go for just one anti-inflammatory ingredient when you can pack several into a meal? When you pile on the veggies, fruits, spices, nuts, and healthy fats, a simple dish becomes an anti-inflammatory feast. Consider these approaches:
- Make a Salad: With a menagerie of colors and whole ingredients like apples, sweet potatoes, quinoa, cranberries, and walnuts, Thistle’s salads are anti-inflammatory powerhouses. We aim to provide a fantastic mix of plant-based protein and Omega-3 fatty acids that signal to your body it’s time to calm down and say goodbye to chronic inflammation.
- Tired of Salads?Try Bowls Instead: The same inflammation-fighting power is found in Thistle’s bowls. With a plethora of whole foods, colorful ingredients, bowls like our Adobo Rice & Veg and Panag Peanut Stir-Fry will leave you feeling your best.
Let Thistle’s anti-inflammatory meal delivery service help you overhaul your diet with healthy, delicious meals that are good for your body and your spirit. All of our meals are full of important nutrients to help your body function optimally. Try one of our meal plans today to see how our meals can improve your life.
