Keep Inflammation Down with Nutrition
Shared by Dr. Bryan Stephens
As a Chiropractor, I know one of the best ways to avoid pain is to keep inflammation down with nutrition. That being said, the Standard American Diet (SAD) is not a healthy way to forge your eating habits. We have all seen the food pyramid and the levels it is based on. The lower on the pyramid, the more servings suggested for the day. Grains and breads on the first level with the most servings, vegetables and fruits on the level above it, dairy and proteins next, with fats and sweets on the top. A better way to think about it is 75-80% vegetables and fruits with 20-25% healthy protein. That’s it. The additional categories can add more inflammation to our body which adds to the pain and poor health in our community.
That being said, every now and then, a piece of toast can go a long way. I typically try to restrict the amount of breads, noodles, and grains in my diet as most are highly processed and contain a high amount of gluten in them, but there are ways to get the benefits while lowering the amount of antinutrients we take in. Ezekiel bread uses sprouted grains as a base versus refined wheat flour. The process of sprouting the grains helps open up a higher nutritional content for the bread and lowers the amount of antinutrients in the grain. Antinutrients are the defenses built into the seeds to dissuade animals and people from eating them. Gluten is one of these antinutrients. They typically prevent the absorption of nutrients or inhibit digestive enzymes in the gut.
By avoiding the things that take away from our nutrition and by adding things with higher nutritional value, we can keep inflammation down and give our bodies the chance to stay out of pain and stay healthy. I say “give it a chance” because there is more than just food required for health. Proper movement and stress management make up the other two focuses. Keep those three in mind when making health choices, and you’ll find yourself staying out of pain.
Resource
Koehler P, Hartmann G, Wieser H, Rychlik M. Changes of folates, dietary fiber, and proteins in wheat as affected by germination. J Agric Food Chem. 2007 Jun 13;55(12):4678-83. doi: 10.1021/jf0633037. Epub 2007 May 12. PMID: 17497874.
Ezekiel Avocado Toast
- 2 slices Ezekiel bread
- ½ Organic Avocado Sliced
- 2 Pasture Raised Eggs
Step 1
Toast the Ezekiel bread and cook the eggs to your liking. I prefer eggs over-easy.
Step 2
Add the avocado slices on top of the toast with the egg on top.
Our Message
When you are looking for a Chiropractor near you that you can trust, choose one who will not only help you with your back pain, neck pain, or headaches but who will also guide you to living a healthier lifestyle to keep you out of pain. Our St. Louis Park Chiropractors located in the West End, near the corner of MN-100 S & Lake Rd./Westside Dr., will teach you what the research says about how and why we should eat a better diet, move more and have more positive thoughts. By improving these areas of our lives we can restore motion and decrease stress while staying out of pain!