Tagged with 'anti-inflammatory'

There are many natural, nutrition-related remedies to reduce bad inflammation, and here are some of our favorites.

These paleo and AIP-friendly gummies are easy to prepare and full of health benefits.

Nature’s Gift for Fighting Inflammation

What is Boswellia serrata?  

Believe it or not, Boswellia serrata’s anti-inflammatory properties have been compared to those of NSAIDs used by many for inflammatory conditions (3).

How does Boswellia serrata work as an anti-inflammatory?

How does it inhibit leukotrienes?

Animal studies and pilot clinical trials support the potential of Boswellia serrata gum resin extract for the treatment of a variety of inflammatory diseases like inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and asthma (4).

A clinical trial conducted at UC Davis has shown Boswellia serrata extract can reduce pain, considerably improve knee-joint functions, and in some cases provide relief even within seven days (5).   

A breakthrough study found that Boswellic acids used topically are just as effective as when taken orally as an anti-inflammatory treatment (6).

Bottom Line:  Research on the use of Boswellia serrata as an anti-inflammatory are abundant.  It’s worth taking to your health care provider if you think Boswellia serrata is something you may benefit from.

In Health and Happiness,

Kelly Harrington, MS, RD

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for Healthy Goods

References:

1.  Ammon HP.  Boswellic acids (components of frankincense) as the active principle in treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases.  Wien Med Wochenschr.  2002;152(15-16):373-8.

2.  Siddique MZ.  Boswellia serrate, a potential antiinflammatory agent:  an overview.  Indian J Pharm Sci.  2011 May;73(3):255-61. 

3.  Safayhi H, Mack T, Saieraj J, et al. Boswellic acids: novel, specific, nonredox inhibitors of 5-lipoxygenase. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 1992;261:1143–6.

4.  National Products Foundation:  Boswellia.

5.  Raychaudhuri S, et al.  Indian herb hope for arthritis relief. The Telegraph Calcutta, 4 August, 2008. p. 7.

6.  Singh S, Khajuria A, et al.  Boswellic acids:  A leukotriene inhibitor also effective through topical application in inflammatory disorders.  Phytomedicine.  2008 Jun;15(6-7):400-7.  

Start your new year off right with this invigorating morning beverage. It delivers a quarter of your daily goal for immune-boosting vitamin C, along with turmeric and ginger, which help quell inflammation. Ginger also helps promote the growth of gut-healthy bacteria, according to new research.

1 Tbsp thinly sliced fresh turmeric

1 Tbsp fresh mint leaves

1 tsp thinly sliced fresh ginger

¼ tsp grated lime rind

Dash of salt

Pinch of crushed red pepper (optional)

½ cup fresh pineapple juice

1½ Tbsp fresh lime juice

1/3 cup seltzer water

Lime slices and mint leaves (optional)

1. Muddle turmeric, mint, ginger, sugar, rind, salt, and red pepper (if using), in a cocktail shaker. Add juices and 5 ice cubes; cover and shake for 15 seconds.

2. Strain into a highball glass filled with ice. Add seltzer; stir. Garnish with lime slices and mint leaves, if desired.

If you’re a fan of cherries, now’s your short window of opportunity to buy these super fruits fresh at your farmer’s market or in your grocery store. More than likely, you’re eating sweet cherries because tart cherries (aka: sour cherries) are too fragile to ship very far, so most people never get to taste a fresh one. The one exception might be if you live in Michigan, which grows about three-quarters of the country’s supply of tart cherries.

Some varieties of tart cherries you may have heard of are Montmorency, Morello, Acerola, and Amarele. Tart cherries in particular are being studied extensively for certain health benefits.

Anti-Inflammatory

Tart cherries are extremely high in anthocyanins and flavonoids, which is the primary reasons they’re so effective at reducing inflammation. We’re talking as good as ibuprofen in terms of pain reduction. All cherries contain anthocyanins and flavonoids, but tart cherries have much higher amounts. These cherries may have benefits for people suffering from arthritis, gout and fibromyalgia —   all inflammatory related conditions. 

Recovery Process for Athletes

Tart cherry juice appears to help with muscle recovery after strenuous exercise by reducing inflammation and other cell damage naturally caused from exercise. If you’re an elite athlete or weekend warrior, drink tart cherry juice within 30 minutes after a workout or following a strength training session.

Decreased Muscle Damage and Strength Lost

In various studies on male athletes, drinking tart cherry juice did improve recovery of isometric muscle strength after an intense workout. Athletes who drank tart cherry juice also found strength loss and pain were significantly less in subjects consuming cherry juice vs. placebo.

Tart Cherry Juice

One ounce (2 tablespoons) of cherry juice concentrate contains all the goodness of about 100 tart cherries!

Since tart cherries are hard to come by, tart cherry juice is rapidly gaining popularity, especially among elite athletes and weekend warriors as a drink that helps speed the recovery process.   

What Can You Do?

1) Try drinking tart cherry concentrate on workout days for less pain and inflammation. Drink10 fl. ounces pre-workout and an additional 10 fl. ounces within 30 minutes after a workout.

2) Carry some dried tart cherries in your bag.

3) Try a tart cherry smoothie – blend tart cherry juice or cherry powder with Greek yogurt and frozen tart cherries.

Tart cherry juice may be a safer way to treat muscle pain and inflammation than over-the-counter pain relievers. Dried or fresh, it doesn’t matter—it’s worth a try!

In Health and Happiness,

Kelly Harrington, MS, RDN

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for Live Superfoods

I’m jumping on the pumpkin everything bandwagon this Fall season, and here's another delicious way to incorporate it into your life.

The nutrition in this recipe is great for supporting your immune system and reducing inflammation. It also contains a lot of heart healthy fat.

Pumpkin spice granola is full of immune-boosting antioxidants! Pumpkin is known for being packed with beta-carotene, which is converted to Vitamin A in your body. Vitamin A not only maintains a healthy immune system overall, it also keeps mucous membranes in top form. The Vitamin E in the sunflower seeds is also a powerful antioxidant and plays an important role in the prevention of cardiovascular disease. 

The ginger and cinnamon in the pumpkin pie spice pack a nutrition punch. Cinnamon is studied for its numerous health benefits, including helping blood glucose levels. Ginger is high in antioxidants and known to reduce inflammation. 

Ingredients

½ cup sunflower seeds  

½ cup pumpkin seeds   

2 Tablespoons chia seeds   

1 cup of unsweetened coconut flakes

1/3 cup coconut oil  

½ cup pumpkin puree

¼ cup maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (to stay Paleo, use non-imitation vanilla or vanilla bean powder)

1½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or ½ teaspoon each ground ginger, nutmeg, cloves)

½ teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of sea salt  

½ cup dried apples or dried mangos (chopped into pieces), dried cranberries, or goji berries

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

2. Combine the seeds and coconut flakes in a large bowl.

3. Melt the coconut oil over low heat in a small saucepan. When coconut oil is melted, remove from the heat and add the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, vanilla, spices, and sea salt and whisk together until smooth.

4. Pour the spiced pumpkin mixture over the dry ingredients in the bowl and mix until well coated.

5. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Spread the granola evenly on the baking sheet and bake for 40-50 minutes.

6. Stir every 15 minutes or so to be sure the granola is cooking evenly and not burning. Remove from the oven and let the granola cool completely.

7. Once cool add the dried fruit and transfer to an airtight container until ready to serve. 

Enjoy this delicious, Paleo-friendly recipe!

In Health and Happiness,

Kelly Harrington, MS, RDN

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for Healthy Goods

Recipe courtesy of Natural Grocers Healthy and Delicious Recipes.

Spirulina is great for an overall healthy lifestyle, particularly if you want to detox or cleanse because it aids the liver in detoxifying toxins.

The Aztecs discovered spirulina, a type of blue-green algae, thousands of years ago and soon made it a staple in their diet. Now days, spirulina is considered a “superfood.” The bright green color of spirulina indicates it is full of antioxidants and also contains many elements necessary for a healthy functioning immune system and nervous system. Give it a try!

11 Health Benefits of Spirulina

1.  Spirulina is rich in protein. In fact, amino acids make up 62% of spirulina and provide 4 grams per 1 Tablespoon.

2.  Spirulina is high in B-vitamins: vitamins B-1 (thiamine), B-2 (riboflavin), B-3 (nicotinamide), B-6 (pyridoxine), B-9 (folic acid).

3.  Spirulina is high in other vitamins and minerals, including vitamin E, manganese, zinc, copper, iron, and selenium.

4.  Spirulina contains gamma linolenic acid, an essential fatty acid. It has amazing anti-inflammatory properties especially when taken with other quality Omega-3 supplements.

5.  Spirulina can be used for increased exercise performance. In one study, taking spirulina for 4 weeks was associated with a significant increase in exercise performance and fat oxidation.

6.  Spirulina has potent antioxidant activity, particularly phycocyanin and beta carotene—antioxidants that can help protect cells from damage.

7.  Spirulina was clinically effective on managing allergic rhinitis through its anti-inflammatory and/or antioxidant properties.

8.  Dried spirulina contains 8 mg calcium per 1 Tablespoon serving, which is more than raw spirulina.    

9.  Spirulina contains chlorophyll which is used for “detoxification” by helping remove toxins such as heavy metals and other pollutants from the blood.

10. Spirulina is often alternated with chlorella for detoxifying the body. 

11. The very high concentration of bioavailable iron makes it excellent during pregnancy and for those with anemia.

How to Eat Spirulina

When choosing Spirulina, make sure to choose a product that is organic, as others can have nitrate compounds as additives.

Some common ways to take Spirulina include: 

• Add spirulina to a smoothie or fresh juice
• Add spirulina to a small amount (1/4-1/2 cup) of organic apple cider
• Mix spirulina with organic applesauce
• Simply mix spirulina into water and drink it straight, though many people have trouble with this. Some would go as far as saying it tastes horrible! You can decide for yourself. If you ask me, the nutrition punch spirulina provides makes it worth it!

How Much Spirulina

Recommendatins vary, but start with a small amount of Spirulina, maybe ½ tsp. at a time and slowly increase your intake until you are eating 2 teaspoons per day. Take more—2 or more tablespoons—during illness, after radiation exposure, or during pregnancy. 

Precaution

If you have an autoimmune disease, such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid  arthritis, or lupus, you should avoid spirulina. Theoretically, it could  stimulate your immune system and make your condition worse.

What are your favorite ways to incorporate Spirulina into your life?

In Health and Happiness,

Kelly Harrington, MS, RDN

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for Healthy Goods

References:

1.  Kalafati M, et al. Ergogenic and Antioxidant Effects of Spirulina Supplementation in Humans.  Med & Sci in Sports & Ex. 2009 DOI: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181ac7a45

2.  Spirulina.  University of Maryland Medical Center.

3.  USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference; Seaweed, spirulina, dried

If where you live is anything like Bend, Oregon right now, it’s oozing with the feeling of Fall. Pleasant days, chilly nights, and best of all, the colors! The leaves on the Aspens, Maples, and Oaks are red, orange, golden, and hazelnut--intermingled between all the wonderful evergreens, it’s a bright and beautiful sight!   

This weather also lends itself any excuse to eat everything pumpkin---granola, bread, ice cream, soup, and any other pumpkin laced food! Pumpkin’s such a guiltless pleasure--low in calories and fat, high in vitamins and phytochemicals--making it even more enjoyable. 

The nutrition in this recipe is great for supporting your immune system and reducing inflammation. 

Pumpkin and butternut squash are famous for being packed with beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant which provides your body a huge immunity boost! Beta-carotene is converted to Vitamin A in your body, and Vitamin A not only maintains healthy immunity overall, it also keeps mucous membranes in top form.   

Another perk, the ginger in the recipe is a powerful spice, high in antioxidants and known to reduce inflammation. 

Enjoy!

Ginger Pumpkin Butternut Squash Soup

vegan, makes about 6 cups

1 cup canned organic pumpkin (or use fresh roasted if you have on hand)
4 cups butternut squash cubes
1 Tbsp ginger powder
1/3 cup grade B maple syrup
2 Tbsp vegan buttery spread (add more for a richer, more buttery soup)
1/2 tsp pink sea salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
4 leaves fresh sage, torn
1/2 cup+ plain soy milk (or other non-dairy milk)

To Make:

1.  Add 4 cups of water to a large pot. Bring to boil. Add in butternut squash cubes and a pinch of salt. Boil until squash is tender - but not falling apart.
2.  Drain the squash and add to a Vitamix or high speed blender. Add in the pumpkin, spices, and all the remaining ingredients. For the soy, start with 1/2 cup and keep adding until your soup reaches your desired thickness.
3.  Blend. Serve immediately - warm. Or you can simmer on the stove until ready to serve. Garnish with fresh sage leaves.]

In Health and Happiness,

Kelly Harrington, MS, RDN

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for Healthy Goods

Recipe courtesy of lunchboxbunch.com

It's fairly common to experience some type of inflammation in some part of your body on a fairly regular basis, even if you don't realize it, such as what happens during exercise. As it turns out, there are some natural remedies for helping, and it may just take some small tweaks in your diet!