6 Simple (Low-Stress) Ways to Add More Anti-Inflammatory Foods to Your Routine

If you’re in mid-life and feeling the effects of nagging aches & pains or joint stiffness, your eating habits could be playing a bigger role than you think.

While food choices play a big role in pain-relief, injury recovery & managing overall inflammation in the body, there’s no need to stress about eating perfectly or buying everything organic. Small, consistent changes - like adding in more natural anti-inflammatory foods and cutting back on ultra-processed options - can make a noticeable difference over time.

Beyond supporting pain relief and injury recovery, anti-inflammatory foods can also

• Support your body through mid-life hormone shifts

• Lower your risk of chronic diseases

• Promote long-term health and longevity

Here are six simple (and low-stress) ways to start incorporating more anti-inflammatory foods into your routine - without overhauling your entire diet.

1. Add Herbs & Spices to Your Cooking

Boost flavor and fight inflammation with natural anti-inflammatory spices like turmeric, ginger, and cinnamon.

TURMERIC & GINGER

These well-studied spices help reduce inflammation from a variety of health conditions including arthritis, diabetes and heart disease, as well as helping to decrease knee pain in those with osteoarthritis. 

Easily incorporate these spices into your routine when making a cozy soup, weeknight skillet meal or roasting salmon. There are so many good recipe options out there, but a few of my favorites include

• Healing Chicken & Rice Soup from Pinch of Yum

• 20-Minute Creamy Turmeric Chicken from 30seconds.com

• Sesame Ginger Salmon from Damn Delicious

CINNAMON

Cinnamon contains a high amount of polyphenol antioxidants that not only help to manage inflammation, but also help to manage blood sugar and protect against heart disease (by reducing blood triglycerides and total cholesterol). 

For these health benefits, as well as a warm flavor boost, incorporate cinnamon into your daily routine (up to 1-2 tsp per day) by adding it to your morning coffee, overnight oats, or homemade granola. 

**If you're planning to consume cinnamon on a regular basis, purchase a quality (possibly organic) option to minimize risk of lead contamination.  This article from Consumer Reports highlights the best brand options as well as brands to avoid.  My favorite option is the Whole Foods 365 store brand cinnamon.

2. Enjoy Seasonal Produce

Fruits and veggies are rich in polyphenols and antioxidants that help to naturally reduce inflammation.

• Fall favorites: Snack on apples after your trip to the orchard or give cranberries a rough chop before adding to salads or mixing into your favorite muffin recipe.

• Winter staples: For a crunchy burst of color and flavor, try adding pomegranate seeds to salads, Greek yogurt bowls, or smoothie bowls.  Including Vitamin C-rich citrus fruits in your diet, like oranges & kiwis, can help improve collagen synthesis, which is critical for healing tendons, ligaments, and skin.

• Spring options: Roast asparagus with olive oil, salt & lemon zest for a super quick & easy veggie dinner side.  Another option is adding fresh peas to your pasta for an extra protein & nutrient boost. 

• Summer staples: Zucchini is a versatile summer produce option as you can roast it for a quick & easy veggie side, make lower carb noodles aka “zoodles”, or add it to baked goods for extra moisture without changing the flavor.  My favorite summertime option though is simply snacking on crisp & juicy watermelon slices for a natural hydration boost.

3. Keep Year-Round Produce Staples on Hand

BROCCOLI

This cruciferous veggie not only supports detoxification, the sulforaphane compound it contains also has anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. To easily get more broccoli in your life, roast it for an easy weeknight dinner side, or add it to your next pasta night.  Simply add a bag of pre-chopped florets to boiling pasta water during the last few minutes of cooking your noodles.

DARK LEAFY GREENS

Spinach, kale, Swiss chard and arugula are nutrient powerhouses. Take a few minutes to saute a handful of your favorite greens before adding to egg bites or scrambled eggs in the morning. Another option is to add a handful of greens to a sandwich or wrap to make a quick nutrient-dense lunch. For the ultimate easy option (and if you’re tired of finding a soggy bag of half-used greens in the fridge), consider having a high-quality greens powder on hand to add to smoothies. 

FROZEN FRUIT

Frozen berries, cherries, and pineapple are just as nutritious as fresh options and are perfect for adding to smoothies or Greek yogurt bowls. They’re also often more affordable than fresh options!  While berries & cherries have both antioxidant & antiinflammatory properties, pineapple has a proteolytic enzyme called bromelain which can help improve digestion as well as inflammation.

4. Choose Anti-Inflammatory Cooking Oils

Use extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and avocado oil as your primary cooking oils. Both oils are rich in monounsaturated fats that support heart and joint health as well as helping you manage an optimal ratio of Omega 6 - Omega 3 intake.

• Avocado oil is great for high-heat cooking and baking.

• EVOO shines in salad dressings, marinades, and low-heat sautéeing. 

5. Prioritize Omega-3s

Omega-3 fatty acids play a key role in reducing inflammation as well as supporting brain and joint health.

FATTY FISH

Wild-caught salmon and canned tuna are excellent sources of EPA and DHA. Try mixing canned tuna with guacamole and diced cucumber for a quick, protein-packed lunch (bonus points for a drizzle of chili crisp!). Or try this simple baked salmon recipe, which is super tasty & takes only 15 minutes in the oven. 

NUTS & SEEDS

Walnuts, chia seeds, flax seeds, and pumpkin seeds add crunch and anti-inflammatory benefits to salads, oats, homemade granola, yogurt bowls or smoothies.

AVOCADO

Swap mayo for mashed avocado or guacamole on sandwiches and wraps for healthy fats and fiber.  If using pre-made guacamole, look for an option with whole-food ingredients only.

6. Enjoy Healthy Dessert Swaps

You don’t have to totally give up sweets when working on pain-relief or health goals! Enjoy guilt-free indulgences occasionally and other times make smart swaps that satisfy your sweet tooth while also respecting your health goals!

Add dark chocolate chips (70% or higher cacao if possible) to energy bites or muffins for antioxidants and satisfaction. Or melt a handful of quality dark chocolate or dark chocolate chips and mix with plain Greek yogurt for a high-protein treat. 

If you’re like me and can’t get enough chocolate flavor, try adding unsweetened cocoa powder to energy bites or using in a healthy brownie recipe. 

**Dark chocolate has amazing health benefits, but unfortunately can also often have high levels of lead and other heavy metals.  If consuming on a regular basis, consult this article from Consumer Reports to learn which brands are safest (don’t worry, there are a few Ghirardelli options :)

Start Small & Stay Consistent

You don’t need a complete diet overhaul to start supporting pain-free movement, long-term health & simply feeling better. Try adding just one or two of these ideas each week, and gradually learn what foods best support your function, work for your specific goals and feel good for YOUR body.

If you want to learn more about sensible, evidence-based strategies that decrease inflammation and support your pain-relief and health goals, check out my Anti-Inflammatory Diet & Lifestyle Guide, where I teach you

• Exactly what foods to prioritize & what foods to minimize to manage inflammation

• The top supplements that help decrease chronic inflammation (backed by research, so you don't waste money on things that don't work)

• The lifestyle habits to focus on for optimal health, function & longevity  

As a bonus, you'll also get 6 delicious & simple anti-inflammatory recipes to help kickstart your anti-inflammatory eating habits as well as an Anti-Inflammatory Weekly Habit Checklist to help track your progress.

If you’re not ready to commit to a purchase, that’s okay! Get started with my free Pain-Relief Grocery Shopping Checklist to help align your eating habits with your pain-relief & health goals.

Here’s to feeling & moving better!

-Emily

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