Inflammation is the body's totally healthy response to injury and infection. It is a way of defending ourselves by sending immune cells and key nutrients to the areas that need them most.
 
Acute Inflammation:
Is natural and necessary component of our immune function and is also part of a built-in protection and healing process for most tissues. It has a relatively short duration and it is a part of the 
body’s defensive response to bacterial and viral infections.

Chronic Inflammation: 
When our biochemistry gets out of balance, immune
 processes aren’t reined in, inflammation becomes continuous and long-
lasting. It known as “silent inflammation”
 because it does not have the same obvious characteristics as acute inflammation.
Chronic inflammation leads to the most deleterious and damaging effects on the body.



Causes of Chronic Inflammation: 

• Pro-flammatory diet
• Obesity 
• High stress
• Environmental toxicity 
• Smoking
• Lack of exercise
• Lack of sleep

Pro-Flammatory Foods:  
All artificial, processed, high sugar, and fried foods may cause inflammation in the body. Diary, gluten soy, corn and nightshades can contribute to inflammation. Below is a list of foods sources to limit and or avoid completely.
 
Bagels, breads, baked goods, candy, cake, cookies, sugary cereals, processed corn including: cornstarch, corn bread, corn muffins and high fructose corn syrup, crackers, croissants, doughnuts, egg rolls, fast food, French fries, fruit juice with added sugar, fried foods, flour, high sugar processed granola, gluten containing foods and products, most dairy products including yogurt, cottage cheese, hard cheese, honey, hot dogs, ice cream, frozen yogurt, Italian ices, jams, jellies and preserves, margarine, molasses, muffins, noodles, pancakes, pastry, pie, pita bread, pizza, pasta, popcorn, white potatoes, pudding, relish, white rice, sherbet, shortening, non-fermented soy foods, snack foods, including: potato chips, pretzels, corn chips, rice and corn cakes, soda, sugar, flour tortillas, waffles. Nightshades include; tomatoes, all peppers, white potatoes, and eggplant.
 
Anti-Inflammatory Foods:

• Tea
 -  2-4 cups per day, White, green, oolong teas.
• Herbs and spices- Unlimited amounts. Turmeric, curry powder ginger, garlic, cilantro, basil, cinnamon, rosemary and thyme.
• Cooked Asian Mushrooms
- Unlimited amounts. Shiitake, enokidake, maitake, and oyster mushrooms.
• Fish and Seafood (Low Mercury) -  Wild Alaskan salmon (especially sockeye), herring, sardines, and black cod (sablefish). You can supplement with a  molecularly distilled fish oil supplement that provides both EPA and DHA in a dose of 2-3 grams per day.
• Grass-Fed Beef – 4 ounces 1 or 2 times a week.
• Healthy Fats
 - 5-7 servings per day, (1 teaspoon of oil), 10 nuts or 1 tablespoon almond butter. Flaxseed oil, ¼ of avocado, coconut oil (for cooking), olive oil (for dressings), nuts (especially walnuts), avocados, and seeds – (including hemp seeds and freshly ground flaxseed). Omega-3 fats are also found in cold-water fish, omega-3 enriched eggs. Organic, expeller pressed, high-oleic sunflower or safflower oils, walnut and hazelnut oils in salads and dark roasted sesame oil as a flavoring for soups and stir-fries. Pumpkin and sunflower seeds.
• Vegetables
- 7 or more servings per day (one serving is equal to 1 cups salad greens, ½ cup vegetables cooked, raw or juiced).  Lightly cooked dark leafy greens (spinach, collard greens, kale, Swiss chard), cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale, bok choy and cauliflower), carrots, beets, onions, peas, squashes, sea vegetables and washed raw salad greens. 

• Fruits
- No more than 2 servings per day (one serving is equal to 1 medium size piece of fruit or ½ cup chopped fruit). Raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, peaches, nectarines, oranges, pink grapefruit, red grapes, plums, pomegranates, pineapple, blackberries, cherries, apples, and pears.

Anti Inflammatory Lifestyle Tips:
 

• Sleep at least 8 hours a night. 
• Exercise at least 30 minutes 3 times a week. 
• Limit or avoid sugar, caffeine and alcohol. 
• Take Epsom salt baths as often as possible.  
• Ice if you are in pain.  
• Receive chiropractic and massage weekly.