I work in a hospital and am surrounded by health experts—dieticians, physicians, nurses—who know a whole lot more about nutrition, losing weight, and healthy lifestyles than I do!

We are told in scripture that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, and so we should strive to take care of our bodies.

We read a lot about weight loss and exercise, but another area that is moving to the forefront of health concerns is inflammation, especially chronic inflammation.

According to Harvard Medical School, chronic inflammation can lead to numerous health problems, including heart disease, arthritis, depression, Alzheimer’s disease, and cancer.

The medical school recommends reducing foods that can “trigger” chronic inflammation including red meat, refined carbohydrate (like white bread), fried foods, and sugary drinks.

Instead, try to load up on foods that have anti-inflammatory properties. These include fatty fish (wild salmon, oysters, anchovies, etc.), healthy fats (olive oil), nuts and seeds, fermented foods, and certain drinks (coffee, green and black tea, and red wine) in moderation.

Here is what I do to try to incorporate these good habits in my diet:

When ordering food, I substitute the starch for an extra portion of vegetables.
I drink at least two cups of coffee each day..
I try to alternate between green and black tea.
I each oysters at least three times each month.
I eat fish twice each week (this is tough when you live in the Midwest!).
I have nuts on hand for a quick snack.
I order naturally fermented sauerkraut online and each some a couple of times each week.
I drink red wine in moderation

My grandmother used to tell me, “Do things in moderation, and you will be fine.” So, I don’t stress about inflammation, but I acknowledge that it damages cells and thus the whole body, and I try to make tweaks to my diet here and there to counter the damage.

What tips can you share? Jump in!

Peace and Joy!
Lisa