You may have heard me talk about inflammation before. And you’ll probably hear me talk about it again…because it’s that important. Chronic inflammation can be an indicator of many diseases — like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. It’s critical to try to mitigate chronic inflammatory response, and one of the most reliable ways to do that is by eating the right foods and adding in as many natural anti-inflammatories as possible.
But sometimes, you need a little boost.
Sometimes, an extra cup of green tea and sprinkle of turmeric just isn’t enough to get your body’s inflammatory response switched off. So that’s why we turn to anti inflammatory supplements. But which ones are the best natural anti inflammatory supplements? Which ones will give you the most bang for your buck?
Glad you asked — because in this article I’m going to break down my favorite natural anti inflammatory supplements and how to use them.
Turmeric For Inflammation
Turmeric is a classic spice that’s been used in India for centuries in making delicious curries. It’s also liberally used to reduce inflammation as a home remedy for cuts, and even as a dye since it has a very powerful golden color.
The omnipresence of turmeric in India is one of the reasons scientists believe there’s a historically lower incidence of inflammatory disease there.
However, this kind of societal dependence on turmeric is rather hard to duplicate here in the U.S. And while everyone loves a good turmeric milk latte once in a while, it’s probably not enough to drink one and think it’s going to help reduce inflammation.
Furthermore, turmeric is notoriously difficult for the body to absorb. So you have to eat lots and lots of it to see the anti-inflammatory benefits.
This is where supplementation comes in.
This can get a little tricky, since sometimes scientists separate turmeric into its active compounds, which are called curcuminoids. For this reason, you may see “curcumin” supplements rather than “turmeric” supplements. This allows the most active parts of turmeric to be absorbed by the body — so you get the most of its anti-inflammatory properties.
You may have heard me talk about inflammation before. And you’ll probably hear me talk about it again…because it’s that important. Chronic inflammation can be an indicator of many diseases — like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. It’s critical to try to mitigate chronic inflammatory response, and one of the most reliable ways to do that is by eating the right foods and adding in as many natural anti-inflammatories as possible. But sometimes, you need a little boost. Sometimes, an extra cup of green tea and sprinkle of turmeric just isn’t enough to get your body’s inflammatory response switched off. So that’s why we turn to anti inflammatory supplements. But which ones are the best natural anti inflammatory supplements? Which ones will give you the most bang for your buck?
Glad you asked — because in this article I’m going to break down my favorite natural anti inflammatory supplements and how to use them.
Omega 3 To Fight Inflammation
Another powerful anti-inflammatory to add to your diet is the Omega 3 fatty acid.
In fact, Omega 3 is such an effective anti-inflammatory, that it has been shown to reduce incidence of a wide range of diseases — from depression to heart disease,
While Omega 3 can be found in salmon, small fish like sardines and anchovies, and some nuts and seeds, most people aren’t consuming enough of these foods to really make a dent in their ideal daily Omega intake.
Which is why doctors love Omega 3 supplements.
Omega supplementation comes in a few different forms, which is good news for those who don’t eat fish. Here are a few ways to get in those Omegas:
Fish Oil
Fish oil is probably the classic Omega 3 supplement that comes to mind for most people. These supplements are made by extracting just the richest Omega 3s from fish, which means they are very potent and you can get in your daily dose of Omega without having to eat platefuls of fish.
Flax Oil
Flax oil supplements can come in both liquid and capsule forms. Which means if you don’t like swallowing pills, you can still get your Omega 3s in. And if you don’t like the taste of flax oil, you can get it in a capsule form and just swallow it. Either way, there are no excuses to forgo your Omega supplementation for the day.
Flax is one of those amazing supplements that not only helps reduce inflammation, but also helps balance hormones — so ladies, take note.
Algae
The newest way to supplement your diet with Omega 3 is algae. Sustainably sourced and ideal for vegans and vegetarians, algae supplements are a great way to get in extra Omega 3 without using fish oil.
Resveratrol
Found in foods like grapes, peanuts, and blueberries, resveratrol is a mighty antioxidant that helps reduce inflammation in the body. It’s shown great promise in animal studies for helping prevent skin cancer, high blood pressure, and even reduce blood pressure.
But to get enough resveratrol in your diet is tough — unless you eat pounds of grapes every day, you’re probably not getting near enough what would be required to see the health benefits touted in these studies.
So why not add in a little extra by taking a resveratrol supplement?
These supplements can be a great insurance policy to fill in the gaps in your diet and help you boost that anti-inflammatory action.
Quercetin
You may not have heard of quercetin, yet. But it’s an amazing natural anti-inflammatory that’s also an antihistamine. With spring right around the corner and the seasonal allergies and hay fever it brings with it…quercetin is almost heaven sent. It can lower inflammation, and keep allergic annoyances at bay without the side effects of many over the counter allergy medications.
Quercetin is found in onions, apples, and citrus but you can also find it in supplement form so you don’t have to eat bucketfuls of onions to enjoy the results quercetin can provide.
How To Make Your Supplements Effective
For many people, supplements can be a game changer for their health. When you hit on the one supplement that your body responds to, it can almost feel like magic.
But for the most part, supplements are only one part of a plan to create vibrant health. The best way to ensure that your supplement regimen can do its job is to combine it with a solid diet and exercise plan as well.
Often, I talk with people who are frustrated because they feel like they are doing all the “right” things — changing their diet, exercising, and taking supplements…but they aren’t feeling better or seeing the results they want.
If that’s you, I’d love to chat with you for a few minutes to see if I can help you design a plan to get you on the path to vibrant health. You can schedule a free call here.
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References
“Omega-3 fatty acids and cardiovascular disease – PubMed.” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25720716/.
“Omega-3 fatty acids in depression: a review of three studies – PubMed.” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19499625/.
“The therapeutic potential of resveratrol: a review of clinical trials | npj ….” 25 Sep. 2017, https://www.nature.com/articles/s41698-017-0038-6.
“Quercetin, Inflammation and Immunity – NCBI – NIH.” 15 Mar. 2016, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4808895/.
“Curcumin: A Review of Its’ Effects on Human Health – NCBI – NIH.” 22 Oct. 2017, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5664031/.
