Inflammation happens for a reason, it is actually part of the body’s immune response to certain stressors, designed to protect us from acute physical trauma, stress, allergens, and even fever.  Through remodeling, the body is able to adapt (become stronger and more fit) until too much stress overcomes the inflammation response, inviting injury or illness.

Most runners are familiar with the term and have a negative association with inflammation. It typically means injury or pain while running. We’ve been conditioned to reach for NSAIDs or even go as far as getting cortisone shots in a worse case scenario. Maybe there’s a better way. Could our food be the answer? As more research is being done on this subject, we are beginning to find more answers.

Inflammation Factor Rating

So, is there anything we can do in regards to nutrition that might help aid in the inflammation process? Instead of taking a risk with over the counter pain medication, perhaps there is a safer, natural and more consistent way to help reduce these affects with our diet. The recommendations regarding anti-inflammation diets were limited to a relatively small group of foods until the introduction of the IF (Inflammation Factor) Rating.  The IF rating estimates the inflammatory or anti-inflammatory potential of individual foods or combinations of foods by calculating the net effect of different nutritional factors, such as fatty acids, antioxidants, and glycemic impact.  The higher the rating, the greater the food is at fighting inflammation.  Take a look below at a comparison consisting of common, similar healthy foods. Those on the left side will offer more anti-inflammatory properties, and according to Dr. Andrew Weil “Learning how specific foods influence the inflammatory process is the best strategy for containing it and reducing long-term disease risks.”  Look for these the next time you’re at the grocery store, and hopefully choosing foods with a higher IF rating will help you ward off inflammation.

If you’d like to look up more foods you can do so by visiting the Inflammation Factor Rating System website at http://inflammationfactor.com/look-up-if-ratings/.

strawberry photo credit