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Put An End to Sugar Cravings

Sugar in all its forms including fruit, milk, cakes, cookies, ice cream, sweets, and sports drinks, can be damaging when you eat a lot all at once. With the exception of whole, raw fruit, sweet foods tend to offer very little in the way of vitamins, minerals, healthy fats and protein. They are densely packed with calories but not much else. Sugar suppresses your immune system for about two to four hours after consumption. It is also one of the causes of chronic inflammation which is the root cause of most chronic health conditions.

In the long-term, sugary foods reduce your nutrient status because you use up your stores of vitamins and minerals to process these empty calorie foods. When you are low in vitamins and minerals your health suffers and you become more susceptible to colds and flu, have slower metabolism, poor hormonal balance and are fatigued. This addiction leads to a sick cycle of adrenal exhaustion, autoimmune conditions, digestive and mood imbalances, obesity, and diabetes. Sugar is also in almost all conventional and even many natural bread, canned vegetables, yogurt, pasta sauce, hummus, sauces, salad dressings, and unfortunately even baby food and baby formula. Educating yourself on all the different forms that sugar comes in on the ingredient list is a great start to build your road map of avoiding certain products. Remember there are many other names for sugar viz. sucrose, lactose, fructose, glucose, dextrose, maltose, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, sorbitol and barley malt.

If you’re ready to win the battle here are some tips to end sugar cravings:

Avoid Processed Foods.

Did you know that sugar and processed foods are as addictive as heroin or cocaine? Eating sugar artificially stimulates a region of your brain called the nucleus accumbens to produce dopamine, the pleasure neurotransmitter. Soon after eating sugar or processed foods dopamine levels drop, and you start to feel a bit “down.” You crave this “feel-good” feeling again and eat more sugary or processed food again and again, so sugar leads to addiction. . This addiction leads to a sick cycle of adrenal exhaustion, autoimmune conditions, digestive and mood imbalances, obesity, and diabetes.

Eat Fermented Foods

Fermented foods and drinks are one of the most important ways to reduce or even eliminate cravings for sugar and are particularly effective in this regard. The positive effects can be felt in as little as five. Remember, a fermented vegan protein can also help to stabilize blood sugar levels. You can also drink ready-made probiotic liquids for a quick cravings fix. Simply sip 2 oz. of your favourite probiotic liquid, any time a craving hits and you will be amazed at how the sour taste of fermented foods and drinks relieves the desire for sugar and processed foods. Here is another big benefit of fermented foods and liquids: If you do happen to eat something sweet, like a piece of fruit or a sweet potato, the probiotics in fermented foods and drinks will eat up the sugar, reducing the damage that sugar would do in your body.

Boost your serotonin. …
Serotonin, the hormone that affects your mood can be increased through diet, exercise, and the right sleep schedule. When you have plenty of serotonin, you are less likely to have cravings for sweets. Serotonin regulates your mood, curbs cravings and suppresses your appetite. You can boost your serotonin levels steadily with complex carbohydrate foods such as brown rice, sweet potato, plantain, nuts and fruits. These provide a more reliable energy supply and support better brain function. Serotonin also makes you feel less anxious, more emotionally stable and tranquil and even more focused and energetic.

Drink plenty of water. …

You may sometimes think that your body is asking for sugar, when in fact it’s dehydrated and really craving water. This is especially true as we get older and lose our taste for water, which manifests as hunger. Your body is mainly water and your organs need it to function properly. Lack of adequate water in your body leads to thicker blood and as a consequence, high blood pressure. We also suggest a warm cup of green tea with a little apple cider vinegar and a touch of lemon with your meals. This way, your sweet taste is satisfied.

Stabilize Your Blood Sugar

Keep your blood sugar stable by eating several small, healthy meals throughout your day instead of three large portions to avoid dips in blood sugar. Ideally you should eat your protein meals between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. as protein takes longer to digest than any other food. Your evening meal should be more digestible; that means less protein. If you do this, your body will produce more serotonin, you will feel happier, and you will sleep much better at night. Avoid foods labelled “fat free” or “low fat:” These foods usually contain more sugar than their full fat counterparts, because they have to make up for losing the flavour from fat by adding more sugar. Green drinks are loaded with nutrition, help boost your energy and reduce cravings for sugar and processed foods as well as helping hydrate the body. Drunk throughout the day these will also help stabilize your blood sugar.

Use Coconut oil

When you reduce or remove sugar from your diet, try using coconut oil and a little cinnamon to add flavour to your food, plus coconut oil is an extremely healthy fat which does marvelous things for your health. If you have a hard time leaving sugar out of your morning coffee, try blending coconut oil with your coffee for a rich-tasting energy boost.
Sweet potatoes are sweet and starchy and are a great snack when you’re craving a sugary treat. Ty are a complex carbohydrate and are best eaten later in the day. Try roasting a sweet potato and top it with coconut oil and a little cinnamon with a slice of avocado. This is one of the healthiest, low sugar snacks you will ever eat and you will get the benefits from three of the healthiest foods on the planet.

Drink Herbal tea

Keep some strongly flavoured teas like ginger or peppermint, or a naturally sweet one like licorice, at your work for a sugar-free pick-me-up during the day. Be careful with licorice if you suffer from high blood pressure. If your sugar cravings are brought on by stress or poor sleep, choose a tea blend that will help you relax and wind down before bed. Real cocoa with coconut milk and a little cinnamon is ideal. You may even add a teaspoon of black strap molasses for a slightly sweeter taste without aggravating your sugar cravings.

While any fruit can be considered nature’s candy, bananas are great. Use them to naturally sweeten smoothies or make banana ice cream. They are a great addition to the diet, helping you feel satisfied longer. They are also full of potassium which boosts your energy and help reduce blood pressure. Alternatively you can have some avocado for a delicious afternoon snack to help you power through the last bit of your workday. Dates are also highly recommended instead of most dried fruits because they are intensely sweet and rich, plus ground dates can be used in place of sugar in baked goods. Goodbye sweet tooth.


Health Benefits of Sugar Cane Juice

Sugarcane juice is considered an alkaline forming food because of the high concentration of calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, and manganese in it. Diseases like cancer cannot survive in an alkaline environment and that’s why studies show that it is effective in fighting cancer, especially prostate and breast cancer. It’s rich in iron, magnesium, calcium and other electrolytes so it’s great for dehydration. It helps cure the common cold and other infections and also fights fever as it boosts the body’s protein levels. Besides these, there are a few more great health benefits of sugarcane juice that you should know about.indexsugar-cane-with-arrows

Sugarcane juice has no fats. It is, in fact, a 100% natural drink and has only about 30 grams of natural sugar. Hence, you do not have to add extra sugar for sweetness. Sugar cane is a grass plant of the genus saccharum and has 36 varieties. A mature sugarcane plant can grow up to 30 feet tall and a single sugarcane plant can take 9-24 months to become mature, depending on the climate, variety of sugar cane and the type of soil. Sugar extracted from sugarcane juice contains only 15 calories and an 8-ounce serving of sugarcane juice without any additives has a total of 180 calories, which is quite low. Sugarcane juice is made up of sucrose, fructose, and many other glucose varieties, hence, it is sweet to taste. Raw sugarcane juice contains a total of 13 grams of dietary fibre per serving, which is essential in carrying out a lot of body functions.

Why Sugarcane Juice Is  so Healthy

Sugarcane juice can help in rejuvenating your skin within no time. Sugarcane juice is a good source of alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) like glycolic acid, which helps to increase cell turn over . Also, acne results from blocked skin pores that sugarcane juice helps to remove by exfoliating your skin and thinning down the accumulation of dead cells.indexsugar-cane-juice

Protect Your Skin from Aging

If you are worried about wrinkles that are making you look much older than your age you can delay the signs of aging with the help of sugarcane juice. The presence of antioxidants, flavonoids, and phenolic compounds makes sugarcane juice a good option to achieve glowing, soft, and moisturized skin. Sugarcane juice can help in rejuvenating your skin within no time. Sugarcane juice is a good source of alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) like glycolic acid, which helps to increase cell turn over. Acne results from blocked skin pores that sugarcane juice helps to remove by exfoliating your skin and thinning down the accumulation of dead cells.

Instant Energy Booster

If you are experiencing dehydration, sugarcane juice is one the best sources of instant energy. It is capable of lifting up your spirits and mood within no time leaving you all refreshed and charged. Imagine the benefits of adding it to coconut water. Sugarcane contains simple sugars (sucrose) that are easily absorbed by your body. These sugars are utilized to replenish the lost sugar levels in the body.

Ensures Safe Pregnancyimagescutting-cane

Sugarcane juice has been found to be a great addition to a pregnant woman’s diet. It facilitates quicker conceptions and safer pregnancy. This amazing juice contains trace amounts of folic acid or vitamin B9 that is known to protect from neural birth defects like spina bifida. Research has also discovered that sugarcane juice minimizes ovulating problems in women, thereby increasing chances of conception.

Prevents Bad Breath and Tooth Decay

Bad breath is a major cause for social embarrassment. If you have a history of tooth decay leading to bad breath, you should consider sugarcane juice as a home remedy. Sugarcane contains a host of minerals, such as calcium and phosphorus, which help build your teeth enamel. The consistent flow of nutrients prevents decay and strengthens your teeth. Also, bad breath is another symptom of nutrient deficiency that sugarcane juice helps counter. Hand a piece of sugarcane or a glass of tasty sugarcane juice to every growing child, and you can gladly forget teeth-related and bone-related problems. Sugarcane is an extremely rich source of calcium that helps build your skeletal strength, including bones and teeth. This makes it one of the best ingredients that contribute to a child’s growth.

Cures Febrile Disorder

Sugarcane juice is known to be extremely beneficial for curing instances of febrile disorders that are extremely common in growing kids. Febrile disorders are notorious for causing fevers with high temperatures. They cause protein loss, thus making it a risk for the body. Sugarcane juice is known to replenish this loss of protein.

Aids Liver Functioningimagessugar-cane-knobs

Sugarcane juice is regarded as one of the best treatments for liver-related sicknesses like jaundice. All you need is a glass of sugarcane juice and a dash of lime. Drink this twice a day. Jaundice occurs due to poor functioning of the liver as well as clogged bile ducts. Sugarcane juice maintains the glucose levels in your body and ensures speedy recovery. Also, being alkaline in nature, sugarcane juice helps maintain electrolyte balance in your body, and thus stops your liver from going into overdrive.

Acts as a Digestive Tonic

If you have been suffering from digestive distress, you should consider including sugarcane juice in your diet for a healthier and stress-free life. Potassium, present in sugarcane juice, helps balance the pH levels of your stomach and facilitates the secretion of digestive juices.

Combats Cancer

This might come as a surprise to you, but sugarcane juice can also be a comprehensive deterrent to fatal diseases like cancer, especially prostate and breast cancer. Recent research has discovered that the presence of flavonoids in sugarcane inhibits the multiplication of cancerous cells in the mammary glands, thus reducing risks of breast cancer.

Helps Control Diabetes

Is sugarcane juice good for diabetics? If you think sugarcane juice is a bad choice just because you are suffering from diabetes, then you are wrong. Sugarcane can, in fact, be consumed by people with diabetes, but in moderation. Sugarcane contains sucrose that has a low glycaemic index. This helps to keep your blood sugar levels in control.

Treats Sore Throat

If you feel a sudden itching or irritation in your throat, drink a glass of sugarcane juice with a dash of lime and black salt to soothe it. Vitamin C is found abundantly in sugarcane juice and is the main reason that makes it a good remedy for a sore throat. Sugarcane juice is also a rich source of antioxidants that ward off any viral or bacterial infections.index-young-cane-field

Heals Wounds

Other than boosting your immunity, sugarcane juice also helps in speeding the recovery of wounds. Sugarcane juice contains sucrose that is naturally capable of healing any kind of wound in a small span of time. You can also dab some sugarcane juice over the wound for better results.

Strengthens Body Organs

Regular consumption of sugarcane juice assists in strengthening the main organs of your body so that they can work in synergy with your other organs. Since sugarcane juice is full of essential sugars which help strengthen the sensory organs, reproductive organs, and the brain.

Prevents DNA Damage

Sugarcane juice can protect you from radiation-induced DNA damage that can affect your brain and all the cells in your body. It is full of antioxidants that prevent the oxidative degradation of cellular fats and lipids and control DNA damage. This is very important in these days of increased radiation.

Aids Weight Loss

Even though it is sweet, sugarcane juice can help you shed a few extra pounds. Sugarcane juice is known to reduce the bad cholesterol in our body, which is one the main reason for weight gain. It is also high in soluble fibre which helps manage weight and provide food for the good bacteria which make up a large part of our immune system.

Eliminates Toxins from Your Body

Having sugarcane juice on a regular basis helps in cleansing the body of harmful toxins and other foreign elements and boosts your metabolism. This detoxification process gradually leads to weight loss and improved liver function.

Beneficial In Treating UTI

Sugarcane juice helps maintain kidney health and prevents problems associated with Urinary Tract Infections (UTI). Drink a glass of sugarcane juice mixed with lemon and coconut water twice a day as an effective cure for UTI. Sugarcane juice is known to increase the protein levels in the body. This prevents many kidney-related diseases like stones, UTI, STDs, and prostatitis. It also relieves the burning sensation that accompanies these disorders.sugar-cane-20834122

Good for Nail Health

Do you have discoloured and brittle nails that need to be camouflaged with a variety of nail arts and paints? Try having sugarcane juice to combat this problem. The lack of nutrients makes our nails lifeless and brittle. Since sugarcane juice is full of nutrients, it nourishes your nails and makes them healthy.

Increases Muscle Power

Having sugarcane juice twice a day is known to increase your muscle power by providing much-needed glucose to the body. You may not know this, but sugarcane juice is actually helpful in treating fever. Drinking sugarcane juice can prevent protein loss, which may lead to weakness and pain.

Treats Acidity

Since sugarcane juice is alkaline in nature, it can soothe acidity and burning in your stomach and intestines. It also helps maintain the acid-base balance in our body.

Boosts Our Immunity

Sugarcane juice is full of essential antioxidants that help in strengthening our immune system. These antioxidants strengthen the immune system enabling it to fight against a number of diseases, including those of the liver and digestive system. These antioxidants also neutralize the bilirubin levels in the body.

One of the best parts of sugarcane juice is that it can be blended with any other juice to form a very tasty cocktail.
You can mix sugarcane juice with..pomegranate juice, watermelon juice, coconut water or musk melon juice


When you are purchasing large stalks of sugar cane, it is best to cut them into smaller pieces so that you can refrigerate them. Make sure you rinse the stalks thoroughly and wait till they are completely dry before keeping them in the refrigerator. Also, wrap each cut end of the stalks with a plastic wrap and securely fix it with an elastic band. This will prevent moisture loss from the stalks and keep them juicy fresh. If proper care is taken, they will be good to go for two weeks.

Consume freshly made sugarcane juice within half an hour as it can spoil fairly quickly. Also, avoid having un-refrigerated juice if it isn’t freshly made. Storing for more than a few hours in the fridge is also not advised.sugarcane-1

Un-sulphured Blackstrap Molasses Health Benefits

No article on sugar cane would be complete without mentioning molasses, a by-product of sugar cane refining. Molasses is considered a super-food due to the many health benefits it brings with it.

Super-foods are considered super because they are more nutrient dense than most other foods. One super-food, un-sulphured blackstrap molasses, is among numerous super-foods receiving little recognition when it should be in everyone’s home. Read on to learn about blackstrap molasses benefits and what this super-food actually is.

Ironically, molasses is the by-product or “waste” from processing sugar cane into un-healthy table sugar. Refined table sugar creates blood sugar and insulin instability while providing no nutrients. It actually robs nutrients, especially minerals, out of the body if consumed enough.

Once sugar canes are harvested, machines are used to press the juice out of the cane. Sugar cane roots go very deep into the soil allowing them to bypass nutritionally depleted topsoil, which has become the norm with mono-culture and chemically induced agriculture.

The juice is boiled then put through centrifugal machinery to convert it into sugar crystals. Sun ripened sugar cane is processed without using sulphur, which makes it ideal for human consumption as opposed to the sugarcane which is harvested early and sulphur is used in its refining. A third boiling is necessary to extract table sugar from sugar cane juice. This produces a thick dark substance known as blackstrap molasses, which is the most nutrient dense of all.
Blackstrap molasses has a low glycaemic index. This means the glucose and carbohydrates are metabolized slowly, demanding less insulin production and stabilizing blood sugar. This results in less lipids or fats being stored in the liver while reducing your risk factor for type 2 diabetes.

Because of its high iron content, many use blackstrap molasses to holistically overcome anaemia. Iron is essential in the creation of red blood cells. In addition to iron, blackstrap molasses contains folate, a natural source for folic acid, along with some other B vitamins, which all combine to form the synergistic mix that promotes red blood cell production.

imagesblackstrapmolasses-2Then there is magnesium in abundance, along with calcium. Magnesium is important for balancing calcium for bone production and energy and is necessary for the smooth function of our nervous system. It is also essential for over 300 metabolic processes and the synthesis of almost all the other minerals and vitamins. Magnesium is also helpful for maintaining heart health. Insufficient magnesium levels can result in muscle spasms, including the heart muscle, which of course relates to arrhythmia or even heart attacks.
Potassium is another mineral abundant in blackstrap molasses. A deficiency in potassium results in weak muscles and is considered a factor in causing arthritis. Potassium also helps maintain a calmly functioning nervous system, boosts heart health, maintains energy levels and reduces blood pressure.

Manganese, a trace mineral, is very high in un-sulphured blackstrap molasses. Manganese ions function with a number of enzymes, and are essential to combating free radicals. Like magnesium, manganese also supports cellular absorption of nutrients, and is beneficial to the nervous system. Other minerals that are abundant are copper and zinc. Zinc has been tagged as the male mineral because it helps support a healthy prostate. Working with zinc, copper helps eliminate oxidation damage.

All the minerals and nutrients of un-sulphured blackstrap molasses are in their natural, balanced form to create a bio-accessible, nutritional synergy unavailable from supplements that are not really food..

Taste Concernsindexmolasses

Un-sulphured blackstrap molasses can be incorporated with many food items as a sweetener despite its distinctive flavour. It works in teas or hot cereals, on pancakes and waffles or dessert items, or used as a glaze for cooking. Some people take right to it. Others, especially those who have taste buds conditioned for years by sugar and artificial sweeteners, find it lacking as a sweetener.

Just like any transition from unhealthy processed “tasty” foods to healthier real foods, taste can be acquired even to a point of wondering why the junk food was consumed with so much relish in the first place! Un-sulphured blackstrap molasses is easily managed as a tonic. Mixing a tablespoon or two of blackstrap molasses with a glass of warm water works well as a mineral tonic. Use this mix three times a day. Restoring or maintaining health through natural whole foods requires a sustained intake over time, but it’s still less expensive than medications or even synthetically derived supplements. And the results are real and permanent without side effects.

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Inflammation Down Good Health Up

Inflammation is part of the body’s immune response and without it we cannot heal. © Copyright 2012 CorbisCorporationWhen inflammation is out of control, however, it can wreak havoc with your health. There is a common link between all diseases and that link is chronic inflammation. Not the painful acute inflammation you experience if you cut your finger but low grade, insidious, ongoing inflammation that can undermine your immune system. This type of inflammation is at the centre of almost all diseases. (“thieves of good health”) and can be caused by stress, obesity, high blood pressure, vaccinations, surgery, bruises and viral or bacterial infections. Since about 70% of your immune system is in your gut and chronic inflammation can undermine your immune system, this means that there is a constant battle being raged in your gut and whatever you eat by way of food will determine which side wins: your immune system or inflammation. When you eat for low inflammation your diet becomes more plant based. This alkalizes your body, making it less acidic, puts more oxygen in your cells and reduces your risk of contracting disease. Firstly, let’s look at foods you should avoid and end the article on a positive note with foods that will boost your immune system and reduce inflammation.
Foods to avoid fall into four main categories.

I10796971-several-types-of-sugar--refined-sugar-brown-sugar-and-granulated-sugarn the “Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner” it was water, water everywhere, not a drop to drink. Nowadays it’s “Sugar, Sugar Everywhere” what’s left for me to eat. There is plenty left. Sugar is sugar is sugar is sugar, whether it’s white, brown, concentrated fruit juice, honey, maple sugar, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) or aspartame, which is an intense artificial sweetener said to be found in over 4,000 products worldwide but which is a neurotoxin, meaning it will affect the brain. If you eat as little as two teaspoons of sugar you can upset your body’s state of homeostasis, which is the balance in the body, which is needed for optimum health, repair, maintenance and even life itself. When an imbalance occurs inflammation sets in and can lead to disease. Diabetes is a case in point and don’t forget that sugar is also a major culprit in high blood pressure, more so than salt. A glass of apple juice, orange juice or grape juice contain as much sugar as a similar amount of canned soft drink and is just as detrimental.
Sugar is also found in chocolate, pasties, ice cream, sodas desserts and a host of other foods. It can go by other names but in nutrition any word that ends with “ose” denotes sugar (glucose, fructose, sucrose etc.). Sugar weakens the tissues of your body, your white blood cells and your immune system. This means that your body cannot fend off infectious or degenerative diseases. It also depletes the enzymes in your body that help you break down food into simple products that can then move from the digestive tract to the blood stream. When enzymes do not work well all of the protein in food is not digested and some partially digested protein gets into the bloodstream causing a condition known as “leaky gut syndrome”.

When we eat food we are either balancing the pro and anti-inflammatory compounds in the body or tipping the scale in favour of one or the other. Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine found that red meat contains a molecule that humans don’t naturally produce called Neu5Gc. After eating this compound your body develops anti-Neu5Gc antibodies and this response by your immune system can trigger chronic inflammation, which we already know is linked to cancer, heart disease and other degenerative illnesses.index.jpg Cuts of meat
The link between processed meat consumption and cancer is even stronger. By processed meats we mean ham, corned beef, salami, some sausages, bacon and hot dogs, to name a few. Harvard School of Public Health have found that eating processed meat was associated with a 42% higher risk of heart disease and a 19% higher risk of type 2 diabetes. Processed meat generates an even stronger inflammatory response by your immune system than red meat. The two reports below bear this out.
“There is strong evidence that … processed meats are causes of bowel cancer, and that there is no amount of processed meat that can be confidently shown not to increase risk …  Try to avoid processed meats such as bacon, ham, salami, corned beef and some sausages.” (World Cancer Research Fund)

Refined grains are almost the same as refined sugar, just empty calories. They have had all the fibre and vitamin B taken out and as a consequence have no nutritional value whatsoever. They are also high on the glycemic index meaning that they will spike your blood sugar by giving you a short term boost of energy and leave you flat after a short period of time. The effect of this is even worse if you are diabetic. Refined grains also can hasten the onset of diseases like cancer. Unfortunately, they are everywhere and the most common ones are white flour, white bread, white rice, pasta, noodles, biscuits and pastries. Refined grains are also loaded with excess sugar, salt, artificial flavours and partially hydrogenated oils.
Nothing causes more inflammation in the body than gluten from grains and grains cause more of a spike in blood sugar than chocolate or fruits that have a high sugar content. You should avoid wheat and any other grains that contain gluten, even if you do not suffer from Celiac disease. Other grains that contain gluten are barley, rye and oats.

Common cooking oils like sunflower oil, safflower oil and corn oil are used in many homes and restaurants but are not particularly healthy. The reason is that they are very low in the healthy omega 3 fats and very high in inflammation causing omega 6 fats which breed disease. The ratio between the two should be 1:1 but in many oils that ratio is 6:1 in favour of omega 6 and sometimes can be as high as 20: 1 in favour of omega 6. They have also been hydrogenated to give them a long shelf life. These oils are also used in most processed foods and take away foods.image001.jpg vegetable oils
Trans- fats trigger systemic inflammation and can be found in fast foods, crackers, margarines, fried products, doughnuts and processed snack foods. They are oils that have been hardened. They increase LDL “bad” cholesterol and reduce HDL “good” cholesterol. They not only promote inflammation but also insulin resistance and obesity. A study by Nurses Health on 80,000 women found that a 2% increase in trans-fats consumption increased a woman’s chance of heart disease by 93%.
Now that we have told you what to eliminate from your diet in order to reduce inflammation, we will point you in the direction of foods, spices and herbs that are anti- inflammatory.
Dark green vegetables have high concentrations of anti-inflammatory vitamins and minerals including vitamin E which protect the body from pro- inflammation molecules called cytokines. These vegetables include spinach, kale, collard greens and broccoli. Beet reduces inflammation and also protects against heart disease and cancer. Chilli and cayenne are rich in capsaicin that reduces pain and inflammation. Bell peppers do not contain capsaicin but have powerful antioxidants. All peppers are members of the nightshade family and are not suitable for anyone with rheumatoid arthritis. Tomatoes fall into this category. Ginger and turmeric are powerful anti-inflammatory herbs. So too are garlic and onions.

Sweet potato, bananas, coconut oil, mangoes, beans and legumes (especially lentils, black eyed peas and red kidney beans) are all anti-inflammatory. There are also some more exotic foods that are making their mark as healthy alternatives to wheat and these include millet, sorghum, teff and quinoa. These are all also gluten free and suitable for those with Celiac disease. New flour you may want to try which are also anti-inflammatory and gluten free are breadfruit flour, green banana flour and of course coconut flour which are all anti – inflammatory and deliver other benefits to the body. When it comes to fish, oily ones like salmon, mackerel, sardines and tuna are the best for fighting inflammation because they provide the body with omega 3 fatty acids. A study by the University of Hawaii in 2009 stated that men who ate boiled or baked fish as opposed to fried, dried or salted cut their risk of heart disease by 23%.
By eating for low inflammation you alkalize your body which creates less inflammation, boosts your immune system and reduces the risk of a degenerative disease getting hold.

Take Away
No, not that take away. That is pro- inflammatory. I mean what you are taking away from this article. Cut out sugars, trans-fats, hydrogenated cooking oils, processed meats and refined grains and add more vegetables, herbs and spices to your diet.
And here is something extra. If you fancy a non- fattening, tasty anti-inflammatory snack, mash a sweet potato (not the orange coloured one) and eat it with some grated coconut.

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