There are healthy foods and “with the extra virtue of helping the body to reduce inflammation and reverse some small imbalances.They are ‘medicine’, products whose substances also help the body create its own anti-inflammatories.”

Let’s see what they are:

Berries

Especially, cherries and cranberries store large amounts of antioxidants and antiocianins, which are excellent allies to prevent chronic inflammation, which “favors the appearance and development of certain tumors, such as colon, liver, stomach or bladder, hepatitis C and infection by Helicobacter pylori . “Cranberries, of which Spain is the largest producer in Europe, are excellent for the prevention of ulcerative colitis and inflammation; while raspberries, specifically its extract, are excellent for preventing arthritis.

Herbs and spices

In nature we can find a good number of herbs and spices that, in addition to flavor the dishes, give us health, while helping to mitigate a long etcetera of evils. According to the Heart Foundation, “turmeric, ginger, cloves, pepper, oregano, sage, thyme, cinnamon and laurel are among the most potent antioxidants and natural anti-inflammatories.” For example, ginger and turmeric are excellent for reducing inflammatory processes. Likewise, generous herbs in thymol, such as lemon or oregano, mitigate dental problems and help in the healing processes of pharyngitis and bronchitis.

Green Tea

This variety, whose discoverers were the Chinese, who consume it for millennia, stands out for its anti-inflammatory power. In addition, it is an excellent ally when it comes to mitigating the effects of Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and arthritis. It may even help to prevent some types of cancer, because, as pointed out by the Heart Foundation, “there are encouraging studies on the effects of green tea in the prevention of some types of cancer, such as colon cancer.” To which is added that a recent study, published in the ‘Journal of Biological Chemistry’, has discovered the presence of a molecule that could contribute to reduce the coronary risks derived from atherosclerosis.

Garlic

The Heart Foundation defines this vegetable as “better than ibuprofen”. The reason is that it contains allicin, a compound with anti-inflammatory powers similar to the aforementioned drug, ideal for the treatment of conditions such as sinusitis, gastroenteritis or bronchitis. Of course, it only has an effect when the garlic is taken raw. In addition, it is a good antibiotic against bacteria and fungi, regulates cholesterol, blood pressure and, therefore, prevents cardiovascular diseases. It even “prevents the appearance of certain types of cancer, as it has been found that consumers of garlic reduce by 60% the chances of developing tumors in the stomach.”

Omega 3

Not all fats are bad. Omega 3, a polyunsaturated fatty acid, proves it. And it is that it provides energy to the body and intervenes in the functions of the heart, blood vessels, lungs and the immune and endocrine systems. Blue fish is one of the major sources of this fatty acid and it is advisable to consume it at least twice a week if we want to “reduce inflammation and protect cell membranes from adverse effects”. Also green leafy vegetables, such as chard, spines or cabbage, contain it. These also contain interesting amounts of vitamin E, “which protects the body from cytokines, molecules that cause inflammation.”

Fermented vegetables

Sauerkraut, scallions, miso, pickles and even beer or wine (yes, they are also fermented) are part of this healthy family, which is increasingly popular with consumers because of how much it does for our health . In particular, “they take care of the microbiota, reinforce the immune system and prevent chronic inflammation of the intestine, the origin of numerous diseases, but in order to preserve all their healthy properties, vegetables must ferment in sea salt, never in vinegar”, such as the Heart Foundation points out.

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