Cooling Down the Fire
- Drink more water – no… soda, coffee, beer, energy drinks and juice do not count! Herbal tea? Sure! But start with at least four 8 ounce glasses of fresh, clean water a day and work up to at least 8 glasses. If you are exercising, working outside or recovering from some dietary indulgences, drink a little more! While it is possible to drink too much water, you would have to drink several gallons very quickly to truly harm yourself.
- Eat foods high in Omega-3 fatty acids – fishes such as salmon, tuna, trout, mackerel and herring… walnuts, pecans, and ground flaxseed are also good sources. While soy is also rich in Omega-3, many people are sensitive to soy and more and more research is showing soy can cause inflammation.
- Eat more antioxidant rich foods – embrace those fresh fruits and veggies! Go to your local farmers market and indulge in their bounty, making sure to choose a wide and colorful variety. Legumes, whole grains, and green tea, also fall into that category of being high in antioxidants, but also may contribute to inflammation, so pay attention to your body’s response when you eat these things and adjust accordingly.
- Take supplements – while it is always best to get your nutrition from good, organic whole foods, the fact is that sometimes the body needs a little boost. As a standard practice, make a habit of speaking to your physician, dietician or nutritionist, and pharmacist before taking ANY new supplement. There have been far too many people that have taken supplements, only to discover that they had a bad chemical response when taken with their current prescriptions or aggravate symptoms for another condition they are challenged with.
- Curcumin (found in turmeric) – I like to treat myself to “Golden or TurmericTea” each night to help me relax, get a good night of sleep, and soreness and tenderness. Recipes for this delightfully spicy cup of comfort can easily be found on the interwebs.
- Bromelain – found deliciously pre-packaged in pineapple, reduces bruising and swelling. Too much can upset the stomach and digestive system though, so start with a half a cup and eat more as your body tolerates.
- Melatonin – produced by the brain to help regulate sleep, which is integral to healing. Commercial melatonin is produced in laboratories and is sometimes used to help relieve pain for people battling chronic pain symptoms.
- Probiotics – Good bacteria the keep your digestion working well. Gut health is so important to overall health, so pay attention to what’s happening at the back end! Eat fermented foods such a sauerkraut, kimchi and yogurt. If you go the round of supplements, look for a product that has 15 billion microorganisms or more and has a wider sampling of at least four different types of critters in the formula.
- L-Glutamine – specifically helps your gut heal and thus, the rest of your body. I like to use a powder that I dissolve in water to make it easier to take.
- Vitamin D – With a reputation for supporting bone health, more and more research is showing that this vitamin is an integral part of auto-immune health and emotional stability. While the body does produce vitamin D naturally, the fact is that those of us in northern climates simply do not get enough sunlight to produce the levels needed for optimal health.
- Exercise – regular and gentle exercise are important to combating inflammation. Swimming, walking and yoga are all wonderfully gentle exercises. If you are not ready for that, start where you are… walk around the house… dance in your chair to your favorite music… park one spot further away from the store each day.
- Sleep – Good sleep is highly under-rated until you are deprived of it! Make changes in your lifestyle to promote better sleep habits: Unplug from technology a couple hours before bed. This includes your cell phone! Drink a full glass of water before bed. Take a warm bath or shower. Sleep in a cooler room. Turn off all the lights.
- Spiritual connection – What? Did you think we wouldn’t touch on this? We are the Web, after all! Meditation, journaling and spiritual connection are all found to contribute to good health and wellness. If you are feeling a little lost, lonely or disconnected, reach out to your Web family