Inflammation is the body’s way of signaling us that it’s lacking balance. And when we lack balance in our lives, the first things to address are our sleep, hydration, movement, and nutrition. 

How to Reduce Inflammation

It’s all about finding the perfect balance of lifestyle habits and food to awaken your body’s natural defenses and reduce inflammation. Let’s begin with the basics.

Sleep Deeply

Are you getting restful sleep? Consistent deep sleep throughout the night is crucial to reducing inflammation. We all know how difficult the day can feel when we have a bad night’s rest. Now imagine if this was almost always the case. 

Over time, the body’s norm becomes stress. While subtle for some and obvious for others, not resting well stresses the body. Therefore, when you try to reduce inflammation, developing a nightly routine before bed to ensure deep sleep is crucial. 

You can begin by turning off your phone 1-2 hours before bed, reducing any stimulation, and drinking a cup of tea. This way, you’ll train your body to calm down and wind down so you ease into slumber. 

Some herbs you can drink before bed are valerian, chamomile, lavender, chamomile, and peppermint.

Hydrate Frequently

Water is vital to the healthy functioning of our organs, digestion, circulation, absorption, and more. A rule of thumb for most adults is to drink between half an ounce and an ounce of water for each pound you weigh daily for optimal health. For example, for one who weighs 100 lbs, drinking 50-100 ounces of water is recommended.

Having a water bottle that you fill throughout the day makes it easy to remember to drink enough water.

Exercise Daily

There’s no need to go to the gym to be healthy. Exercise can be as simple as walking. In fact, a 30-minute daily walk is recommended by health experts to keep everybody healthy. 

Exercise also includes dance, yoga, or sports. Any activity that gets you up and moving should be prioritized as you work to reduce inflammation in the body. 

Remember that different activities work for different people. Therefore, it’s important you tune into your own voice and be honest about what you can commit to. Choose an exercise that feels exciting to you.

Eliminate Inflammatory Foods

Eliminating inflammatory foods from our diet takes dedication. This may be one of the most challenging tasks for those who are serious about reducing their inflammation. But the long-term result will far outweigh any instantly gratifying taste that ends up causing harm. 

Here’s a list of inflammatory foods.

• Refined Carbs: white bread, white rice, crackers, biscuits
• Processed Foods: chips, cookies, fast foods, cakes
• Fried Foods: fries, chicken, cheese sticks
• Processed Meats: bacon, ham, hot-dogs
• Sugar-sweetened Drinks: soda, sports drinks, artificial fruit juices

There are many additional foods to avoid, such as vegetable oils and frozen and packaged items, which fall under the category of processed foods. Any foods that contain added preservatives, nutrients, flavors, salts, sugars, or fats should be reduced, too. 

Foods That Reduce Inflammation

Let’s move on to foods that actually help reduce inflammation. The top ones include:

• Berries
• Fatty fish
• Avocados
• Green tea
• Green leafy vegetables
• Mushrooms
• Grapes
• Turmeric
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Cacao
• Cherries
• Citrus fruits

One easy way to incorporate a wide array of nutrient-dense anti-inflammatory foods is through cold-pressed green juice. Whether you’re ready for a whole cleanse or want to add green juice to your daily routine, Z.E.N. Foods can help.

Z.E.N. Anti-Inflammatory Drinks

Jumpstart your health journey with our Supreme Green cold-pressed green juice. By adding just one juice to your daily regime, you’ll begin to notice the difference in your energy and detoxification process right away. 

The Supreme Green juice ingredients include pineapple, lemon, ginger, celery, cucumber, and spinach. All organic, ethically sourced, and fresh, this blend was made to support everybody’s optimal functioning.

At Z.E.N. Foods, we deliver healthy, healing meals and cold-pressed juices right to your doorstep. A Z.E.N. consultant will work with you to meet your health goals. Check out the different meal plans and call (310) 205-9368 to speak with a Z.E.N. consultant. We’re always happy to answer any questions!