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HEALTH FOCUS

as possible. The less processed your food is, the more likely it is to be healthy, with reduced sugar, salt and saturated fats. Keep moving: Try to find opportunities during the day when you can move. Walk when you can (so long as it is safe), dance to your favourite song, and remember, even household chores count as moving! Try new recipes: Experiment with beans, legumes, whole grain foods and other healthy ingredients. It will stimulate your creativity and taste buds. Breathe and manage stress: Exercise, chat with friends, and get enough sleep to help process and manage difficult times. Find what works for you and proactively take care of your mental health.

THE BEST FOODS TO EAT TO FIGHT INFLAMMATION

Nuts: From almonds to cashews, pistachios and walnuts, you can choose your favourite when designing an anti-inflammatory diet. In a review of a study published in the Journal of Hygienic Engineering and Design in 2020, researchers found that people who ate 30 to 65 grams of nuts, such as walnuts, per day had lower levels of inflammatory biomarkers, like C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 in their blood. Add nuts into your pesto, sprinkle them over a salad or enjoy them on their own.

Cherries: These pack a wallop of antioxidants that help temper inflammation, including anthocyanins (an antioxidant found in red and purple fruits and vegetables) and vitamin C (well-known for its immune-supporting properties). In a 2018 review published in Nutrients of 29 studies looking at both tart and sweet cherries, 80% of the trials showed that cherry consumption decreased markers for oxidative stress and 70% showed that it lowered inflammation. In the research, people were advised to consume whole fruit, juice or powder in an amount equivalent to 45 to 270 fresh cherries per day, but you don’t need to eat that much every day to reap some benefits. Incorporate more cherries into your diet with smoothies, as a yogurt or oatmeal topper, in sorbet or simply on their own for an easy, naturally sweet snack.

Avocado pears: Packed with healthy monounsaturated fatty acids that help to keep our hearts happy, avocados are also an excellent source of fibre - one-half offers 5 grams of the 25 to 38 grams of recommended fibre per day. Fibre makes losing weight and maintaining a healthy weight easier, which in turn helps ward off weight-related inflammation. Additionally, fibre is what keeps our gut microbiome happy and healthy, which we now know plays a critical role in chronic disease development.

Dark leafy greens: A smart goal to up your nutrition game should be a salad a day. Aim for dark leafy greens, like kale, spinach and collards, all of which pack nutrients, most notably lutein, folate and vitamin K that slow the simmer of inflammation. It’s for that reason that a 2018 study in Neurology found that eating just one serving per day of greens was associated with slower cognitive decline in aging adults. A 2018 study published in Biomedicines showed that every green offers unique anti-inflammatory properties, so mix things up and get a variety in your diet for the biggest range of benefits. ■ (Sources: www.unicef.org/ www. eatingwell.com

Fatty fish: Eating wild-caught salmon or other fatty fish, like sardines and mackerel, at least twice a week delivers healthy omega-3 fatty acids, which have been found to turn off pro-inflammatory genes in your body and increase cells’ ability to scrub themselves of harmful components, according to a 2020 study published in Molecular and Chemical Biochemistry. Don’t like fish? Eat one to two tablespoons of chia seeds, ground flaxseed or walnuts to get plant-based omega-3 fats.

Beets: Just like cherries contain anthocyanins, beets contain different phytochemicals, called betalains that act similarly in the body to fight off inflammation. Whether you add beets to your juicer or roast them as a salad topper, you’ll get a healthy dose of helpful nutrients. See all the tasty ways you can enjoy beets with these healthy recipes.

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The Script Pharmacy Magazine