How food can help or hinder your body's healing

I’m a firm believer in the power of food in supporting the healing process.

Having dealt with two bouts of pain and injury following two different car accidents over the years, I’ve learned how important it is to pay attention to what we eat and the environment we create for our bodies if we want to support its efforts to heal.

As I've had several questions and comments regarding this topic, I want to share with you how following an anti-inflammatory protocol can help with healing and injury recovery. And you guessed it, you can do that with food.

Inflammation is a natural response by the body to injury and infection. It's also the root cause of all disease. When you get a cut, for example, your body sends white blood cells to the site of the injury to fight off harmful pathogens and repair tissue. This is a normal, healthy response. But when inflammation becomes chronic, it can actually hinder healing, prolong recovery and promote disease. That’s when it's beneficial to adopt an anti-inflammatory protocol.

An anti-inflammatory food protocol is designed to reduce inflammation in the body. It’s based on the principles that foods all have an impact on inflammation levels and, by eating the right foods, you can lower that inflammation and support your body in its efforts to heal.

So which foods help bring down inflammation? Well, the list is quite extensive but some of the most powerful include leafy greens, nuts, fatty fish, berries, and turmeric. These foods are high in antioxidants and essential fatty acids, both of which are known to have anti-inflammatory effects in the body.

Leafy greens, such as spinach, kale, and Swiss chard, are high in vitamins A and C, both of which have antioxidant properties. They’re also high in magnesium, which has been shown to have a positive impact on inflammation levels. Nuts, such as almonds and walnuts, are rich in healthy fats and full of antioxidants as well.

Fatty fish, like salmon and mackerel, are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which is something many are lacking and have been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects as well. Berries, like blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries are high in antioxidants and have also been shown to reduce inflammation levels in the body.

Turmeric, a spice commonly used in Indian cooking, is high in a compound called curcumin, which has been shown to have powerful anti-inflammatory as well as immune effects.

Finally, adding a bio-available antioxidant supplement to your daily regimen can also help boost results.

In addition to eating these anti-inflammatory foods, it’s also important to reduce or eliminate foods that trigger inflammation. As you might have guessed, that includes processed foods, refined sugars, artificial sweeteners and vegetable and seed oils.

Processed foods are often high in added sugars, preservatives and unhealthy fats, all of which can contribute to inflammation in the body. Refined sugars are quickly absorbed into the bloodstream causing insulin spikes and triggering an inflammatory response, while vegetable and seed oils, due to the extraction process, can be toxic and therefore increase inflammation levels.

By incorporating anti-inflammatory foods into your diet and reducing or eliminating inflammatory triggers, you’re giving your body the resources it needs to function optimally and repair itself.

The benefits of an anti-inflammatory diet go beyond just supporting physical healing. It can also improve overall health and well-being, as well as help to manage chronic conditions such as arthritis, heart disease, and type-2 diabetes.

One of the great things about adopting an anti-inflammatory protocol is that no matter where you are in your health or healing journey, making these small changes will be beneficial. Take it from me, after having doctors and health practitioners tell me I had healed almost twice as quickly as they expected, it's definitely a step in the right direction and a great way to support your body in its efforts to heal.

It’s also important to note that an anti-inflammatory diet is not just about what you eat, but also about how you eat. Eating food in the right portions and in the right frequency regularly throughout the day, as well as taking the time to sit down and enjoy your meals, can also have a positive impact on both stress and inflammation levels.

Stress can also trigger inflammation, so finding ways to manage stress, such as through meditation, yoga, or exercise, can also help to reduce inflammation levels in the body.

Following an anti-inflammatory food protocol can be a powerful tool in supporting the healing process and reducing recovery time. By eating nutrient-dense foods, reducing inflammatory triggers, and finding ways to manage stress, you’re giving your body the resources it needs to function optimally and repair itself.

The best part is, by incorporating an anti-inflammatory diet into your routine, you’ll not only be supporting your body in its efforts to heal, but you’ll also be improving your overall health and well-being as well.

For more information on how to eat balance and support a healthy inflammatory response, check out Tania's free 15 min training.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.