This week I met with a chiropractor for the first time in my life. I’ve had some pretty severe hip pain during and since my last pregnancy, and I found out it was all due to a rotated joint up in my neck! It was causing my entire body to twist up- so much to the point that my left leg was actually shorter than my right one, and causing pain through my lower back and hip. I’m hoping after a series of adjustments we’ll be able to get it all back to normal; I’ve only had one adjustment and can already feel a major change!

With that being said, I have to make sure I’m doing my part too, and part of that is a healthy diet, of course. But not just any healthy diet- I want to make sure I’m eating plenty of foods that have anti-inflammatory benefits!

You may not have a twisted spine, but there are many conditions that can benefit from an increase in anti-inflammatory food:

*Rheumatoid arthritis

*Diabetes

*Obesity

*Asthma

*Metabolic syndrome

*Psoriasis

*Inflammatory bowel disease

*Crohn’s disease

And these are just some! Eating a healthy diet full of anti-inflammatory food can also help prevent cancer, depression, heart disease and Alzheimer's. While some inflammation is a good thing (it’s our body’s response to help the healing process), we want it to stay under control before it gets out of hand and leads to more serious complications like arthritis and diabetes.

With that said, here is a list of foods that are most helpful with inflammation:

*Berries (especially blueberries!)

*Chia seeds

*Walnuts

*Tomatoes

*Cherries

*Salmon

*Almonds

*Spinach

*Kale

*Olive Oil

*Avocado

*Dark Chocolate (in moderation)

*Cinnamon

*Turmeric

*Blackberries

*Broccoli

*Garlic

*Ginger

*Swiss chard

*Arugula

*Beets

*Red peppers

*Black beans

*Pineapple

*Rosemary

When combating inflammation, you want to avoid fried foods, refined carbs, soda, red meat, alcohol, and unhealthy fats like shortening and vegetable oil.

Many times we hear about special diets and ways to combat diseases and it can sound overwhelming at first- “How do I incorporate anti-inflammatory foods in my diet when I’m already focusing on Keto or Whole 30 or building muscle, etc?” But it really comes down to having a healthful diet with a variety of fruits and vegetables (and plenty of them!) and limiting the stuff we know is really not good for us ;). Make it a goal to try to incorporate at least one of these anti-inflammatory foods into your diet this next week- and then try 2, and then 3! You might even come across a new combination of flavors that you love!