Inflammation is the body’s natural response to injury or infection. It often causes localised swelling, pain, heat or redness and may cause loss of function in the involved tissues. Stress, inflammatory foods, and low activity levels can make inflammation even worse. On the flip-side, inflammation can be good, it helps your body defend itself from infection and injury.
What causes this inflammation in our body? Studies have linked our diet and lifestyle factors to reducing, or promoting inflammation. Consuming high amounts of sugar, high-fructose corn syrup and refined carbohydrates may contribute to inflammation in the body. Processed and packaged foods that contain trans fats have are also culprits of the promotion of inflammation in the body. Imbalances in omega’s 3 and 6 have also been linked by scientists along with excessive alcohol intake, sedentary lifestyle, and processed meats with inflammatory effects on your body.
So how do we fight and prevent inflammation? If we want to reduce inflammation in our body, we should eat fewer inflammatory foods and more anti-inflammatory foods. Our diets should be based on whole, nutrient-dense foods that contain antioxidants including:
- Vegetables such as kale, cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli,
- Fruit, especially berries, grapes and cherries,
- Heathy fats such as olive oil, avocados and coconut oil,
- Fatty fish like salmon, sardines, and mackerel
- Herbs such as green tea, ginger, turmeric and hemp have also been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties and are all found in our Balance Hemp Tea.
Taken daily, Hemp Oz Relieve Tea can assist in relieving the symptoms and discomfort associated with inflammation. It is infused with anti-inflammatory ingredients like:
Turmeric
Used as a medicine for centuries, turmeric has been used to treat wounds, infections and colds. Studies have found that curcumin, a compound in turmeric, has been found to reduce inflammation in the body. In the right dose, curcumin may be a more effective anti-inflammatory treatment than common inflammation fighting medicines such as aspirin.
Ginger
Ginger has long been praised for its anti-inflammatory properties. Studies have identified ginger as a medicinal herb that shares pharmacological effects with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin. It’s also been shown to help ease the severe inflammation associated with rheumatoid arthritis.
Hemp Seeds
Rich in healthy fats and essential fatty acids, hemp seeds have a host of health benefits including anti-inflammatory properties. The omega 3’s found in hemp seed can reduce inflammation. Additionally, hemp seeds contain Gamma linolenic acid, an anti-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acid.
Green Tea
Tea’s are known for having antioxidants, called catechins, which reduce inflammation. Green tea contains EGCG, the most powerful type of catechin, making green tea the most beneficial tea to drink for anti-inflammatory purposes.
The foods or supplements we choose to put into our bodies can fight against inflammation. There is no single anti-inflammatory diet, but a diet that consists of plenty of anti-inflammatory foods, and supplements that assist with the reduction of inflammation is beneficial to our health and wellbeing.
