Health: Learn More About Anti-Inflammatory Foods by Dr. Cynthia Bye

Happy New Year 2018!

I would like to start this New Year by sharing some easy to use foods that reduce inflammation. If you are one of my patients, you know after your first visit, that inflammation is the cause of all disease. Your first visit was all about going through every system of the body to ferret out the causes of inflammation. So to start the New Year, I wanted to share some information on a few anti-inflammatory foods for you to incorporate into your diet.

Here are a few examples
1. Blueberries – these little packets of nutrition are one of mother nature’s amazing gifts to us. Dark berries, in general, contain lots of antioxidants. In particular, there is one class called flavonoids. One flavonoid, in particular, is the anthocyanins that contribute their anti-inflammatory effects by effectively turning off inflammatory processes. Berries also contain resveratrol which are great antioxidants as well. Back before we started growing food or domesticating animals, we ate berries from spring to fall.

2. Ginger is an amazing anti-inflammatory herb. I frequently put fresh ginger in my morning smoothie. It makes it taste refreshing. Ginger has an ingredient called gingerol. Gingerols have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties. Grate some up and make some ginger tea. It is also great for nausea.

3. Green tea: I think we all know that organic green tea has some amazing health benefits. Not only is it a good anti-inflammatory but it also reduces growth factors which promote proliferation of cancer cells.

4. Dark Chocolate. Yep have to include something fun here. You must get the 70% cocoa or higher to get the benefits. It has antioxidant properties and it turns out your gut bacteria like it too. They actually ferment the chocolate into anti-inflammatory compounds.

Happy new year, and don’t forget our motto: Live every minute of every day.

Cynthia Bye, ND, FABNO
Board Certified in Naturopathic Oncology

To learn more, visit www.cynthiabye.com