When IT hurts...to do anything.

Chronic inflammation is when your body is constantly trying to  repair and heal an injury or infection over a long  period of time.  It may be months or years that you suffer with the pain from inflammation.   You may suffer from an autoimmune disorder or have old injury. 

Speaking for myself, my inflammation is something that I have dealt with since 2005 when I was hit head on by a woman on a two lane country road. Our SUV bounced several times into the air and landed out in a pasture. My husband had to be removed with the jaws of life.  To this day we deal with ongoing chronic inflammation.   

So how do we handle the flare-ups and the episodes of weeks of pain? 
There is no "diet" to follow or certain pills to take, it is a lifestyle change - a permanent life change. 
When you have an autoimmune disorder, your body’s immune system actually fights and works against your own body - damaging the tissue instead of repairing it.  Redness, swelling and pain set in. 
In the case of joints (painful arthritis) our body may at first be working to heal the injury, but it turns and begins to  wear the cartilage down.   

To keep inflammation under control & reduce flare-ups you must  do a few things. 

1. To reduce chronic inflammation, you must begin to try to find the cause of your inflammation. Such as if you are sensitive to gluten, you must remove gluten foods from your diet.  Have you had blood work done to check your C-reactive protein level?  You should.    
2. To reduce chronic inflammation, you must change your diet - for life.   Are you eating a high sugar diet along with too many breads, pasta, sodas,  and cereals?​
3. To reduce chronic inflammation, you must give your body "help" in the form of gentle stretching such as Somatic stretch and proper anti-inflammatory supplements. 

Good food:   

Colorful, live food is what your body desperately needs! 
Plenty of water - water with lemon throughout the day. 

The list below is some anti-inflammatory foods that you NEED to include in your "new" eating habits. 
​May I strongly suggest NO  red meat -  chicken or  fish only.  

• Leafy green vegetables: Kale, spinach, bok choy
• Cruciferous vegetables: Cauliflower and broccoli
• Fatty fish: Wild salmon only , mackerel, and tuna - never farmed fish
• Berries: Fresh strawberries, blueberries, cherries (tart cherry capsules are great)
• Legumes: Beans and lentils
• Nuts: Walnuts, pistachios, almonds
• Herbs: Garlic, ginger and especially tumeric
•  Oils: Virgin olive oil and coconut oil only
• Teas: Green tea and peppermint tea 
• Sweeteners:  use honey or pure maple syrup

Bad food...

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• Processed meats: Sausage, deli meat, pepperoni, fast food meat
• Processed meat alternatives: Tofu burgers, vegan nuggets or ground beef
• Trans-fat: Fried foods and some packaged foods such as chips and crackers
• Refined carbohydrates: White bread, white pasta, baked goods
• Sugary drinks: Soda, sweetened teas, flavored coffees
• Excess alcohol: Particularly sugary cocktails and mixers
• Desserts: Cookies, candy, ice cream​
• Got sugar?  Don't eat it!   
• Come in a box?  Don't eat it!
• Forget the chips, pretzels and candy

Sure you will desire and crave sweets but your body will adjust. 
You will find that as time goes by, you do not have a desire for the sweet and "empty" food that was causing you so much harm.   

​ALSO you must add some great supplements that help fight inflammation, such as: 

Lipoic acid - researchers found that lipoic acid has a profound anti-inflammatory effect.  It also contributed to weight reduction.  Obese people are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, kidney disease and sleep apnea along with pain and nerve damage. 

Curcumin - I never fail to take this daily.   It has been a tremendous help.   Turmeric is the spice that gives curry its yellow color. ... Curcumin is the main active ingredient in turmeric. It has powerful anti-inflammatory effects and is a very strong antioxidant. 

Tart Cherry - my husband swears by Tart Cherry - he has a bar in his lower left leg from our accident and tart cherry is one supplement that he takes twice a day.  I began this a year ago also and it HAS made a difference. 

 I know that if you just begin with the "3" supplements I have mentioned, you will be on the road to controlling your inflammation.   Give your body what it needs to help it heal.   

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The information provided on this site is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional or any information contained on or in any product label or packaging. You should not use the information on this site for diagnosis or treatment of any health problem or for prescription of any medication or other treatment. You should consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem. You should not stop taking any medication without first consulting your physician.