I had a conversation with an acquaintance who told me she was in good health because: 

• Her cholesterol was under control with Lipitor 
• Her blood pressure stayed right around 120/80 with atenolol 
• Nexium kept her acid reflux at bay 
• Metformin brought her A1C down to under 6% 

 

THAT'S good health?   

This woman is anything BUT healthy.   

Sadly, people like this uber-medicated woman are increasingly common in our society today, and that includes our children too.   

So why are we so sick? 

While there are many reasons for our abysmal states of health, the number one underlying cause is chronic inflammation. 

Chronic inflammation is a leading factor behind all these conditions: 

• Autoimmune diseases (Crohn’s disease, colitis, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.) 
• Heart disease; atherosclerosis 
• Elevated cholesterol 
• High blood pressure 
• Cancer 
• Accelerated aging 
• Type 2 diabetes; elevated blood sugar 
• Degenerative joint disease  
• Arthritis 
• Asthma and allergies 
• Eczema and other skin conditions 

According to the CDC, chronic inflammatory conditions are responsible for at least 7 out of 10 deaths in the US each year. 

Curb the fires of inflammation! 

Hopefully you’ve gotten the idea that controlling and minimizing your body’s level of inflammation would be a good idea.   

And the best place to start is with your DIET—by avoiding foods that are notorious for stirring up inflammation. 

Here are the 10 worst inflammatory foods that you should avoid at all cost, followed by how you can help reduce chronic inflammation safely and naturally. 

1- Sugar in all forms  

Sugar stirs up inflammation in your arteries, increasing your risk of heart disease.  Plus it feeds cancer cells.   

Especially dangerous is the highly used, cheap form of sugar known as high fructose corn syrup.  Your liver must break down all the fructose you, so consuming HFCS puts a tremendous strain on your liver.   

And it’s made from GE corn to boot! 

2- Refined carbohydrates 

Unlike good carbs like fresh vegetables, refined carbohydrates have little nutritive value and turn to sugar upon digestion.  This makes them no different than #1 above. 

Refined carbs have been shown to trigger inflammation in the gut, increasing your risk of inflammatory bowel disease and leaky gut. 

3- Vegetable oils 

Vegetable oils are unstable and very prone to damage by oxidation.  When heated they form dangerous compounds similar to deadly trans-fats.   

They also promote inflammation due to their high Omega-6 fatty acid content.   

So the fact that these oils are falsely marketed as “heart healthy” is outrageous. 

4- MSG 

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a flavor-enhancer most commonly found in prepared Asian food and soy sauce, but it can also be added to fast foods, soup mixes, salad dressings and deli meats.  

MSG can trigger two distinct pathways of chronic inflammation, plus affect your liver health. 

5- Factory farmed meats 

Instead of being allowed to freely graze in pastures rich in anti-inflammatory Omega-3 essential fatty acids, factory farmed animals are instead fed a grain diet which is high in inflammation-stirring Omega-6  
EFAs.   

6- Gluten 

Due to hybridization, we have created a gluten molecule that is more inflammatory than previous varieties.   

In addition, the amount of gluten in our wheat is double what it was just 50 years ago.   

Gluten is a very dense, sticky protein that is inherently hard to digest—and now our bodies must deal with a lot more of it, and a more inflammatory version of it.   

7- Soy 

Although it has long been touted as a “good-for-you” food, 93 percent of the soy produced in the US is genetically engineered as well as treated with glyphosate (aka Roundup). 

8- Soda 

Soda is the vilest, most disease-creating liquid you can drink, with an acid pH of about 2.3 – 2.5.   

When your body is inundated with too much acid day in and day out it becomes overwhelmed.   

And an excess of acid in your body over and above what it can eliminate can light fires of inflammation.    

9- Processed foods 

Processed foods provide little to no nutrients, they create loads of acid in your body, and they typically contain refined grains, sugar and/or chemicals.     

In addition, most (non-organic) processed foods are made with GE ingredients. 

10- Artificial sweeteners 

Studies have linked sugar substitutes to cancer, brain damage and premature delivery in pregnant women, insulin sensitivity, retinal damage and blindness, nerve pain, muscle weakness and memory lapses, to name a few. 

Plus they harm your gut microbiome, increasing your risk of inflammatory immune responses.  

Natural ways to help fight inflammation 

In addition to avoiding the inflammatory foods mentioned above, here are 5 ways to put the power of natural health to work against inflammation in your body: 

1) Quit smoking 

Smoking hardens your arteries and increases inflammation, in addition to all the other health atrocities it is associated with.   

But research shows you can reverse all the damaging effects to your arteries within 10 years of quitting!  Plus you’ll certainly be curbing lots of inflammation in the meantime. 

Take advantage of smoking cessation aids that are available but avoid Chantix.  The side effects read like a horror movie, and there are many other safer options.  

2) Embrace the anti-inflammatory power of turmeric 

Turmeric has emerged as a shining star in the anti-inflammatory world!  With over 10,000 published articles in peer-reviewed journals attesting to its effectiveness, turmeric has truly made its mark in the world of disease prevention and reducing inflammation. 

Turmeric has been shown to be helpful with reducing joint and back pain, supporting the cardiovascular system (including healthy cholesterol levels and blood pressure), enhancing brain and nervous system health, preventing cancer and Alzheimer’s, supporting the immune system and much more!   

But the amount of turmeric you’d get in your diet (from Indian foods) is far too little to make a measurable difference. 

That’s why a supplement like Optimal Turmeric Blend is the perfect way to embrace turmeric’s natural anti-inflammatory properties! 

Optimal Turmeric Blend contains 750 mg of soothing organic turmeric, plus BioPerine™ (black pepper extract) to enhance absorption of this awesome natural anti-inflammatory. 

3) Exercise regularly 

Studies show that exercise has powerful effects in reducing inflammation, which in turn can significantly lower your cancer risk, among other things.   

Plus exercise shrinks fat cells, which automatically fights inflammation by calming your body's immune system. 

Just be sure to get your doctor’s OK first. 

4) Reduce stress 

Stress triggers inflammation in the body by raising your blood level of cortisol. 

So do whatever you need to de-stress, keeping in mind that exercise (#3 above) is the best stress reducer there is. 

5) Concentrate on anti-inflammatory foods 

Here are 14 of the most potent natural anti-inflammatory foods and spices to incorporate into your diet: 

• Garlic 
• Strawberries 
• Blueberries 
• Cherries 
• Almonds 
• Walnuts 
• Olive oil 
• Spinach 
• Kale 
• Salmon (wild caught only) 
• Mackerel (wild caught only) 
• Cloves 
• Ginger 
• Rosemary 

Lower the inflammation in your body now and help keep deadly inflammatory diseases far away from you! 

To your health, 

Sherry Brescia