A major factor with inflammation caused by diet is making the wrong choice of foods.  You may not be surprised that the worst offenders are processed, refined, and/or fried. But apart from avoiding food preparation techniques that cause inflammation, we can choose foods themselves that calm joint swelling and inflammation anywhere in the body.

Fifty top anti-inflammatory foods:

Herbs
We sometimes forget that a natural diet includes plenty of herbs and spices to calm irritated tissues and relieve swelling.  

•    Basil
•    Chamomile
•    Cinnamon
•    Garlic
•    Ginger
•    Nutmeg
•    Parsley
•    Rosemary
•    Thyme
•    Turmeric

Fruits and Vegetables:
Anti-inflammatory foods are often found among produce, where more color means a higher vitamin content.

Fruits:
•    Blueberries           
•    Blood Oranges   
•    Cherries
•    Cranberries
•    Papaya   
•    Pineapple
•    Purple Plums
•    Purple Grapes
•    Red Pears
•    Strawberries

Vegetables:
•    Broccoli Florets
•    Brussels Sprouts
•    Eggplant
•    Purple Cabbage
•    Purple Potatoes
•    Purple Peppers
•    Radicchio
•    Radishes
•    Red Peppers
•    Rhubarb

Omega-3 Rich Foods:
The anti-inflammatory foods found in this category are rich in Omega-3:

•    Flaxseed Oil
•    Grape seed Oil
•    Linseed Oil
•    Olive Oil
•    Walnut Oil
•    Almonds
•    Pumpkin Seeds
•    Soybeans
•    Sunflower Seeds
•    Wheat Germ

These fatty fish provide anti-inflammatory food protein:

•    Anchovies
•    Blue Fin Tuna
•    Bluefish
•    Herring
•    Mackerel
•    Salmon (wild)
•    Sardines
•    Sturgeon (Atlantic)
•    Trout (lake)
•    Whitefish (lake)

Beverages:
The easiest way to get your daily supply of anti-inflammatory foods is through raw-juice beverages such as the anti-oxidant rich choices below:

•    Acai/Blueberry Juice
•    Apple Juice
•    Grava Juice
•    Green Tea
•    Noni Juice
•    Pomegranate Juice


BIO:  Dr. Mundorff is a Registered Nurse and Board Certified Naturopath, and not a medical doctor.  Dr. Mundorff is the author of several books. Her latest book, Take Control: a Guide to Holistic Living is an innovative health guide, which helps the reader learn how to regain control of their health by discovering the practical effectiveness of combining alternative and modern medicine.  Contact her at bridges2hlth@aol.com