If you’re on a mission to lose weight, sleep better or have more energy; there’s one place to look first. Inflammation is at the root of many health issues including rheumatoid arthritis, Chron’s disease, asthma, IBS, mood disorders, colitis, psoriasis, migraine headaches and more.
This is why we are so incredibly passionate about Clean Eating! The food we eat can make a world of difference in our lives, not just in how we look, but in how we feel, and our long-term health.
Here are 5 Ways to Fight Inflammation and Feel Better
1. 20 Minute Sauna Sessions
Heat stress can reduce inflammation and promote brain health. Studies show that just 20 minutes in the sauna or a hot bath 3-4 times a week can increase anti-inflammatory bio-markers. Saunas are an excellent way to support weight loss and can serve as a supplementary support when you’re nursing an injury or aren’t as mobile as you’d like to be.
Action Steps: You don’t have to have your own sauna to make this work! Find a local recreation center, or run a hot bath at home and try heating up for 20 minutes, 3-4 times per week. Do this before bed to get an extra deep sleep.
2. Omega 3-Fatty Acids
Omega 3 fatty acids act as mediators, inhibiting the inflammatory response in the body. They support optimal brain health, slow down aging and keep inflammation levels low. Omega 3’s need to come from food or supplements as the body doesn’t naturally produce omega 3.
The ideal ratio of omega 6 & 3 is 1:1, however, the typical American diet carries a ratio closer to 20:1 which can cause major inflammation and lead to disease in the body. This is due to the high consumption of fast foods, fried foods, and sugar in the standard American diet. Good news: studies also show that fish oil can support weight loss by having an impact on muscle mass, strength, and aging!
Action steps: Remove processed foods, fried foods, and vegetable oils. Replace them with fatty fish, fish oil or algae oil supplements, and grass-fed meats.
3. Heal Your Gut
An imbalance of bad bacteria in the gut can lead to weight gain and chronic inflammation. Cleaning up your diet with an anti-inflammatory protocol is important if you want to see results. Probiotics have shown to increase good bacteria in the gut and promote weight loss. Here are 5 ways probiotics help you lose weight.
Action steps: Reduce your intake of low-quality grains, alcohol, sugar, and conventional dairy. Increase your intake of probiotic-rich foods, opt for Greek yogurt, supplement with probiotics, eat sauerkraut and focus on a Clean Eating diet – low to no sugar, lots of veggies, and high-quality protein.
4. Broccoli Sprouts
These little sprouts are power packed! Broccoli sprouts are a rich source of sulforaphane. Sulforaphane is being studied for its ability to decrease a species of bacteria found in that gut that’s responsible for inflammation. It’s also shown to increase the regeneration of cells and decrease inflammatory biomarkers in the body!
Action steps: If you have the time and the right kind of environment (not too hot, decent lighting) you can sprout at home. If not, you can purchase sprouts at your local grocery store or even purchase a sulforaphane supplement online, like this BroccoGen on Amazon.
5. High-Intensity Exercise
Research shows that exercise at higher intensity bursts may prove to be more effective long-term for overall health. Exercise also improves the gut biome, independent of diet! Combine quick HIIT style workouts with the 30 Day Clean Eating Challenge and you’re bound to see results.
Among the many benefits of high-intensity exercise is brain health. Memory retention and focus are both improved while brain aging is reduced by working up a sweat for short bursts at a time.
Action steps: Find a HIIT workout on Youtube to exercise from your home a few times per week, join a gym, or find a nearby park to get your exercise!
Ready to make it happen? The 30 Day Clean Eating Challenge may be just what you need to reduce your inflammation and get your lifestyle on track!
Resources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29682518
https://www.foundmyfitness.com/ebook/importanceofomega3.pdf
https://microbiomejournal.biomedcentral.com/track/pdf/10.1186/s40168-018-0494-4
https://www.foundmyfitness.com/news/s/ttwfpw/sulforaphane_found_in_broccoli_sprouts_causes_20_fat_loss_by_changing_gut_bacteria_increasing_mitochondria_in_fat_in_mice
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/12/171204144757.htm
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811917309138
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