De-Flame

Over the last two weeks we have discussed the dangers of inflammation in the body and the research that all disease begins with some level of inflammation.  We have discussed how oils (corn/vegetable) and all grains (even the healthier ones) contribute to this inflammatory process.  Today I’d like to talk about what you can and should be doing to reverse this process and “deflame.”

Turns out, Mom was right again – you need to eat your fruits and vegetables.  These are nature’s anti-inflammatories and eating them regularly will decrease your risk of nearly every disease.  To get the real value of these foods you should eat most fruits and vegetables raw or lightly steamed.  Cooking at high temperatures breaks down the enzymes and fiber that you are trying to get.  How much should you eat?  This recommendation has changed and they are now saying that you should have 5-13 servings every day!  If you are eating organically, you can likely get away with just five servings, but if you are eating traditional non-organic sources, you should eat more because the organic sources are much richer with the desired vitamins and minerals that promote health.

Before you panic at this amount, an apple is considered to be two servings.  This means that if you commit to having a raw, organic source of fruit or vegetable with every meal of every day you will be covered and on the pathway to better health.