Fighting Summer Inflammation through Diet

Seasonal Tips from Our Holistic Wellness Center

Many of the patients who frequent our pain managment center here at Skocik Chiropractic find that their problems are worsened by chronic inflammation. Inflammation is a necessary response to injury or illness, but the chronic variety can create pain and damage your health. Many people indulge in eating habits that promote inflammation, especially in the summertime. Our holistic wellness center would like to offer some tips for avoiding this problem.

What kind of meat do you normally grill in the summer? Sausages and other processed meats -- and any red meat in general -- contains substances that promote inflammation in the body. Fish such as tuna and salmon, on the other hand, contain omega-3 fatty acids. These fatty acids counterbalance another type of fatty acid, known as omega-6, that appears in cooking oils and contributes to inflammation. You might even try grilling tofu or shiitake mushrooms instead of red meat.

Think about which oils you cook with when preparing meals for summertime occasions. As mentioned above, many common cooking oils encourage inflammation because of their omega-6 content. Animal fats will also have an inflammatory effect on the body. Stick with extra-virgin olive oil, canola oil, safflower oil or sunflower oil.

Do you plan on putting your grilled masterpiece between two pieces of bread? If so, choose your breads wisely. White or highly-processed bread tends to spike your insulin levels by converting rapidly into inflammatory sugars. Choose whole-grain bread with plenty of fiber, which digests more slowly and evenly.

Even the seasonings you spice your foods up with can help reduce inflammation. Garlic, for instance, has known anti-inflammatory properties. Turmeric, a principal ingredient in mustard, is a powerful anti-inflammatory. If you do not normally enjoy these ingredients, you can get both of them in supplement form.

Contact Our Pain Managment Center

If you suffer from chronic pain and/or inflammation, talk to Skocik Chiropractic. Our nutritional counseling, including high-quality Metagenics supplements, can help you fight summertime inflammation!

Do you have a guilty pleasure among summertime foods? What is it?

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Nutrition