My top 6 foods to calm the fires of inflammation
Delicious, inflammation-busting foods to get you jumping out of bed with less pain.
You’ve probably seen that social media is abuzz with talk about inflammation… but no one has been able to shed any light on whether you are suffering with inflammation… although you do wake up in the morning with sore joints. What are the key signs to look out for, the most frequent triggers and how to test for it? Is all ‘inflammation’ bad, what does it really mean for us and our health and how can we take control of it ourselves with diet? Read on to get a clearer path to living life without the pain.
I see you, I know what it’s like to wake up in the morning with sore joints or fall off the ‘healthy’ wagon for a few weeks and pay the price with debilitating fatigue and a general sense of being unwell. I’ve lived with a chronic inflammatory condition for over 20 years, and I’ve been on that roller coaster too. So let me help cut through some of the noise out there and decipher this for you.
First things first, no, inflammation is not bad for you, it’s a key tool in our immune arsenal for keeping us healthy, but yes excessive, uncontrolled inflammation is absolutely something we all want to avoid.
What is inflammation anyway?
The word inflammation comes from the Latin term ‘inflammare’ which means ‘to set on fire’. This creates the perfect imagery for what’s going on when inflammation is running rife in our bodies. We have associated the term with redness and swelling of the body for hundreds of years and I think of it very much like an internal fire.
I’m sure you’re familiar with a typical sprained ankle, that picture of redness, heat and swelling accompanied by pain and the need to hobble around or try to master the art of crutches. This is classic ‘acute’ inflammation – part of our body’s immune response – designed to protect and repair by sounding the alarm for different immune ‘fixing’ cells to move in temporarily for 24-48 hours and help clean up the mess.
This is all fantastic. The problem arises when these previously helpful guests outstay their welcome, decide to have a bit of a party and ‘chronic’ inflammation ensues in the party hangover.
The sprained ankle is an extreme example, because in reality, chronic inflammation is pretty quiet, in fact it’s eerily quiet, even silent at times. The process of chronic low-grade inflammation can be ongoing in the body for years without significant signs (I’ll get to what those are in a minute) – think of it more like the smouldering embers of a fire slowly and steadily eating away at whatever it comes into contact with, before igniting into a blaze.
When we’ve got those smouldering embers active in our bodies, they gnaw away at our body tissues and this is the point where many chronic conditions start. In fact, research suggests inflammation is one of the biggest drivers of disability and mortality worldwide, contributing to the development of conditions such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and autoimmune and neurodegenerative conditions. [1]
What signs should you look out for?
Joint aches
High blood sugar
Fatigue
Mood disorders (e.g. depression, anxiety)
Skin issues (e.g. eczema, psoriasis, rashes)
Allergies
Digestive issues
Brain fog
These can all be potential early warning signs, and a possible indication of the ‘weak link’ in your own unique chain, so they are always worth taking notice of and taking action.
Testing options…
Testing for hsCRP, ERP, Lp-PLA2 and homocysteine can be very helpful to get a clearer picture as these are good measures of the levels of inflammation that might be going on throughout the body.
Now for the good news. We can help to control all of this … but ‘how’ you ask?
The widespread use of anti-inflammatory medications in our current medical systems highlights the importance of controlling and resolving inflammation, but we need to get to the root of the problem and work at putting out any embers or emerging flames and not just wafting away the smoke.
The key drivers of inflammation
The key is to work out what your underlying trigger is. This could be any one, or several, of the following:
Poor sleep
Chronic stress
Toxin exposure (e.g. alcohol, pollutants, heavy metals)
Imbalances of omega-6:omega-3 in the diet
Hormonal imbalances
Poor diet / nutrient deficiencies
Infections (e.g. Covid)
Metabolic syndrome - a combination of high blood sugar, excess body fat around the middle, elevated cholesterol and high blood pressure
Allergens (e.g. pollen, foods)
Exercise - too little or too much
Circadian rhythm disruption (e.g. shift work, irregular sleep patterns)
Imbalance in gut bacteria
It’s possible there may be more complex drivers such as mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) or electromagnetic sensitivities but the above are generally a good place to start looking.
Diet has a HUGE role to play here, which is great news because it means you have the power to influence this change. Analysis in the British Medical Journal[2] showed how some simple food changes to a more Mediterranean-style diet could reduce the risk of heart disease through their dampening effects on inflammation. The heart disease risk decreased by 75%, total life expectancy increased by 6.6 years and life expectancy free of heart disease increased by 9 years! Just take a moment to absorb those numbers… if there was a medication out there that could make those expected changes it would be handed out like smarties! However, we should be able to see those kind of changes through a well-planned diet … shopping lists at the ready…
What foods pack the biggest anti-inflammatory punch?
If you’ve heard me speak before you will know that I always emphasise that there is no ‘one’ magic ingredient or food, it’s all about balance and diversity. That said, there are some foods that I would actively recommend you try to work into your diet regularly.
1. Turmeric & ginger – nature’s golden healer & the soothing spice
My favourite inflammation suppressing power couple is turmeric and ginger. Turmeric contains a compound called curcumin which is highly anti-inflammatory (blocking NF-kB, if you want the detail) and a potent antioxidant, mopping up damaging free radicals, as well as switching ‘on’ our own internal antioxidant production lines (the Nrf2 pathway). Now, as much as I love turmeric, she can be a little pernickety and resist being well absorbed, so match her up with some black pepper and you’ll get a whopping 2000% more! [3]
Ginger is a gorgeous warming spice, its main active compound is something called gingerol, which has been shown to help stop the production of inflammatory molecules and actually works in a similar way to things like ibuprofen without the side effects. It also acts on our pain receptors and is a potent antioxidant (that’s the clean up crew again) mopping up all the free radical damage alongside turmeric.[4]
For a simple way to incorporate these two into your daily routine, try this delicious golden latte recipe.
2. Berries - nature's antioxidant gems
Despite their small size, berries pack a powerful punch against inflammation. Loaded with antioxidants – vitamin C, anthocyanins, ellagic acid – these little gems also help to regulate blood sugar, enhance your heart health and protect against our ageing brains. One study found that overweight adults who regularly consumed strawberries had lower levels of inflammatory markers associated with heart disease than those who did not consume strawberries [5] …permission to dig in. 🍓
Don’t be shy, try and include as wide a variety as possible, blending into smoothies, perched atop your porridge or even thrown into your favourite salad.
3. Green tea – a pot full of power
While from the same plant as other teas, the way that green tea is processed moves it onto another level when it comes to its inflammation-suppressing activity. These active components (EGCG) help to clear up those damaging free radicals and reduce associated inflammation. If you want to increase the benefits even further, try it in the form of matcha, where the leaves are ground into a fine powder mixed directly into the tea – sending all these powerful flavanols directly into your body together with their beneficial fibre. [6]
4. Oily Fish - the omega-3 powerhouse
Oily fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines offer abundant omega-3 fatty acids. These healthy fats wield the ability to suppress inflammation by influencing immune responses and reducing the production of inflammatory molecules. The beneficial fats in fish oil (EPA & DHA) have demonstrated anti-inflammatory effects.
Omega-3 is referred to as an ‘essential’ fatty acid - the clue is in the name - it is essential as we cannot make this and must get it from food. It is particularly important for brain health with omega-3 (in the form of DHA) comprising almost 60% of our brains! If you are vegan or vegetarian, or have children who don’t eat fish, this is something you should absolutely look at supplementing.
5. Greens - the nourishing elixir
Dark leafy greens like spinach, kale and Swiss chard are brimming with vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. These nutrients, such as vitamins C, K, folate and magnesium along with beta-carotene and various antioxidants, collaborate to combat inflammation and oxidative stress. Incorporating these greens into your diet daily provides essential components for overall well-being.
6. Medicinal mushrooms – immune modulators
Chaga and reishi are the real stand out mushrooms here, although all mushrooms possess immune benefits and ones such as shiitake or maitake are easier to find in shops or farmers’ markets. Celebrated in traditional medicine, mushrooms have potent anti-inflammatory and immune balancing effects. Chaga's betulinic acid and reishi's triterpenes have shown promise in suppressing inflammation and supporting immune responses. [7]
In summary
A great way to think of an anti-inflammatory diet is a traditional Mediterranean diet. The focus is on foods which have a nurturing, balancing, healing and calming effect on the body. With these foods we work to cool the inflammation which can ignite the flames of many health conditions. The foods we eat can have a really positive and powerful impact on our levels of inflammation and associated symptoms. My top 6 inflammation-busters to include are: turmeric & ginger, berries, green tea, oily fish, dark leafy greens, medicinal mushrooms.
But as powerful as food can be, you need to work to establish and remove the underlying trigger(s) alongside, otherwise you are pouring fuel on the fire while simultaneously trying to battle with the fire extinguishers – it’s going to be very tough!
I hope this blog has given you some pause for thought in where your key triggers may lie and how to approach chronic inflammation.
Having read this, if you’re thinking:
Some of these symptoms resonate and I’d like to dig deeper
I would love to wake up without pain everyday and enjoy all that life has to offer
I’d like to do some testing
I’m still feeling bewildered and don’t know what to do next
How do I apply any of this?
Please drop me a line at hello@tinahancocks.com or book a free 20min call to learn more, I’d love to chat.
My practice is all about helping people like you get to the bottom of your symptoms, identifying and eliminating the key triggers and working together to support you with a bespoke health plan bringing you back to your best and brightest self. If you fancy a quick, no-obligation chat to learn more, book in today.
References:
1. Furman, D. et al. (2019) ‘Chronic inflammation in the aetiology of disease across the lifespan’.
2. Franco, O.H. et al. (2004) ‘The Polymeal: a more natural, safer, and probably tastier (than the Polypill) strategy to reduce cardiovascular disease by more than 75%’.
3. Shoba, G. et al. (1998) ‘Influence of piperine on the pharmacokinetics of curcumin in animals and human volunteers’.
4. Grzanna, R. et al. (2005) ‘Ginger—an herbal medicinal product with broad anti-inflammatory actions’.
5. Afrin, S. et al. (2016) ‘Promising health benefits of the strawberry: a focus on clinical studies’.
6. Pang, J. et al. (2016) ‘Green tea consumption and risk of cardiovascular and ischemic related diseases: A meta-analysis’.
7. Fordjour, E. et al. (2023) ‘Chaga mushroom: a super-fungus with countless facets and untapped potential’.