Back pain, knee pain, shoulder injury, arthritis, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and even autoimmune diseases are all conditions rooted in inflammation. Addressing inflammation with anti-inflammatory foods is the long-term solution to this debilitating condition.
If you are part of my free and private community, you know that I injured my hip recently (to be precise my right S.I. joint). To treat my injury, I created the 5 step anti-inflammatory protocol: including food, nutrient supplementation, and homeopathic and herbal therapy. Last but not least, is the importance of connecting the mind and body for complete and long-term healing. I practice and believe in a holistic approach.
I could have run to the pharmacy and bought Robaxacet or Tylenol but I know far to well the consequences that such medications have on the body . A holistic approach is what I teach and believe in.
5 step anti-inflammatory program
Anti-inflammatory foods
Focus your food choices on anti-inflammatory foods. For 3 days following my injury, I ate only these foods:
- Omega-3 containing food such as salmon or fat source from a grass-fed animal is an excellent source of essential fatty acids and considered one of the best Omega-3 foods. Omega-3s are some of the most potent anti-inflammatory substances that show consistent relief of inflammation and reduction of the need for anti-inflammatory medications.
- Turmeric’s primary compound curcumin is its active anti-inflammatory component. Documented for its effects against inflammation in numerous circumstances, the health benefits of turmeric prove to be invaluable in an anti-inflammatory diet. (I drank Golden Tea 2-3 times a day.)
- Dark leafy greens such as kale, spinach, collard greens, and Swiss chard contain powerful antioxidants, flavonoids, carotenoids, and Vitamin C—all of which help protect against cellular damage. Ideally, opt for locally grown organic veggies that are in season, and consider eating a fair amount of them raw.
- Blueberries contain one antioxidant in particular that stands out as an especially strong anti-inflammatory – quercetin. It is found in citrus, olive oil, and dark-colored berries. Quercetin is a flavonoid (a beneficial substance or phytonutrient that’s prevalent in fresh foods) that fights inflammation and even cancer.
- Fermented foods. Optimizing your gut flora is important for a well-functioning immune system, and helps ward off chronic inflammation. In fact, the majority of inflammatory diseases start in your gut as a result of an imbalanced microbiome. Fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchee, miso, tempeh, pickles, sauerkraut, olives, and other fermented vegetables will help ‘reseed’ your gut with beneficial bacteria.
Nutrients and Supplementation
Aside from eating anti-inflammatory foods, I supplemented with specific nutrients that are known to reduce inflammation and help the body to recover. I took curcumin daily because studies have demonstrated that the nutrient curcumin (also contained in the turmeric), is very effective in reducing inflammation in joints. I added the spice to most of my meals and also drank Golden Milk 2x / day for 3 days.
As well, I supplemented with 800 mg. of glycinate magnesium to reduce muscle tension that was created throughout my whole body because of a lack of proper movement and posture.
Homeopathy for inflammation relief
I used the UNDA Numbered Compounds, homeopathic and herbal based remedies that promote the drainage of inflammation from joints. For the first 48 hours, I took an acute dosage and on days 3-5, I took the regular dosage. Being certified in Biotherapeutic Drainage therapy sure helped me and it worked wonders!
If you would to find out more about Biotherapeutic Drainage and homeopathy, click here.
Connecting mind and body
The World Health Organization defines health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. We have the ability to contribute to our own healing process.
Our body communicates to us through symptoms, disease and what I call body messages. It’s like a knock at the door. Our body wants to make us aware that something in our life is not working or not in our best interest. It could be the food we eat, the movement we do, the thoughts we have or even words that we say.
To help connect my mind to my body, I laid down on my back and practiced deep breathing exercises by closing my eyes and focusing my breath on the area of my injury. My body slowly released tension, and my muscles relaxed from the tension accumulated due to the inflammation. I maintained my focus on my area of pain for 10-15 minutes for 2-3 times per day. Every time I felt more and more relaxed and more and more confident that I would heal quickly.
Eating anti-inflammatory foods is only part of the picture. We can never heal completely if we do not engage both our body and mind in the process.
Physical therapy
I visited with my osteopath who has been treating me now for 3 years. She knows my body very well. She performed adjustments with the soft tissue that allowed my bones to get back into proper position.
I also stretched (not only the injured hip area), but my whole body since the fascia net not only affected the hip area but the tension traveled through the entire line of fascia in my whole body. Although my injury was in my right hip, my upper back and left arm were very sore as well. While stretching, I engaged my mind in the process visualizing the actual inflammation leaving my right hip. Magic!
Results
Within the first 24 hours of this program, the inflammation in my hip was down by 50% and my range of motion was back to the same percentage.
Day 2 – the inflammation was down 85% and range of motion at 75%.
Day 3 – the inflammation was nearly gone and the range of motion was almost back to normal.
Day 4 – 95% back to normal!
Simply by using my anti-inflammatory program along with the power of the anti-inflammatory foods, it worked very effectively in calming down my body’s level of inflammation to allow for the S.I. joint to heal.
I encourage you to try to integrate your whole body when you suffer from inflammation. Discover the internal power you have to heal when you give your body everything it needs. This is just like our ancestors did until the last couple of hundred years so remember that we can heal naturally when we get out of the way!
Share your thoughts: What do you do when you suffer inflammation? Do you consume the anti-inflammatory food? What is your favorite recipe?