Are you experiencing inflammation?
27/04/20 | Tamara Brown, Real Food Coach
Every other person seems to be talking about having symptoms of inflammation right now. Why is that?
The topic of inflammation has become so common nowadays, with many people experiencing debilitating inflammatory symptoms every single day. If we have an ailment, we're told it's inflammation - without understand what that even means or how it occurred in the first place.
Inflammation is the way our body responds to injury and disease - in other words, when the body's immune response is activated. This response can be activated by scraping your knee (literally a daily occurrence for my 7 year old!), to inhaling or ingesting harmful bacteria. This will issue a swift response from your immune system, resulting in inflammation while your body's immune cells are hard at work.
The most common signs of inflammation are:
If you're experiencing one or more of these symptoms, read on. Let's tackle this together.
Studies have consistently observed a connection between higher omega 3 and reduced inflammation. Clinical trials examined the effects of omega-3 on several inflammatory and auto-immune diseases (including rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease and lupus). Many of the trials noted a significant reduction in inflammation, and reduced the need for anti-inflammatory drugs.
A study of 500 people with rheumatoid arthritis found those who took omega-3 supplements had a reduction in joint pain.
Another study of 68 medical students found those who took omega-3 had a 14% reduction in inflammatory cells. Interestingly, the students showed a 20% reduction in anxiety symptoms (another huge plus!!).
So where do we get omega 3 from?
Inflammation is the way our body responds to injury and disease - in other words, when the body's immune response is activated. This response can be activated by scraping your knee (literally a daily occurrence for my 7 year old!), to inhaling or ingesting harmful bacteria. This will issue a swift response from your immune system, resulting in inflammation while your body's immune cells are hard at work.
The most common signs of inflammation are:
- Mystery aches and pains
- Skin issues - redness, eczema, rosacea, etc
- Steady weight gain
- Extreme tiredness
- Recurring allergies or infections
- Frequent colds and flu's
If you're experiencing one or more of these symptoms, read on. Let's tackle this together.
Studies have consistently observed a connection between higher omega 3 and reduced inflammation. Clinical trials examined the effects of omega-3 on several inflammatory and auto-immune diseases (including rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease and lupus). Many of the trials noted a significant reduction in inflammation, and reduced the need for anti-inflammatory drugs.
A study of 500 people with rheumatoid arthritis found those who took omega-3 supplements had a reduction in joint pain.
Another study of 68 medical students found those who took omega-3 had a 14% reduction in inflammatory cells. Interestingly, the students showed a 20% reduction in anxiety symptoms (another huge plus!!).
So where do we get omega 3 from?
Plant based omega foods include flax seeds, chia seeds, walnuts and hemp seeds. There are all great sources of ALA omega 3 fatty acids... but not the potent anti-inflammatory omega 3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. These omega fats are typically found in oily fish (like salmon and sardines).
Without EPA and DHA omega 3 fatty acids, there's a good chance you might not be experiencing the true anti-inflammatory benefits of omega 3. While it's possible for your body to convert ALA omegas to EPA and DHA, the conversion rate is very low. This means that you would need to eat so much more plant omegas to get the full benefit of all three types of these fatty acids. I experienced this myself, living a vegan lifestyle for 2 years. I started to see deficiencies and signs of inflammation - because I was never getting in enough EPA and DHA!
But surely there are plenty of vegans out there who are perfectly healthy? Vegans who don't eat fish, but get in enough omega 3 daily (in all 3 varieties?)
There is a way... and I only discovered it after my reign as a vegan.
It's algae.
It's where the fish get alot of their omega 3 from - and it's where we can get it too! Fish has been known to contain high levels of mercury (a poison), and we can by-pass fish when we go straight to the source of where the omegas are coming from. Seaweeds of all varieties are extremely beneficial for the body, but they aren't the most common varieties of food found at your local super market.
Luckily, there are a few simple ways you can get algae into your body, in a way that's nourishing, well balanced and simple.
I recommend eating nori, spirulina and dulse regularly. These are sea vegetables that add in many beneficial minerals to your body... including omega 3. I also recommend adding in a good quality omega based supplement.
I take a plant based omega blend, made out of the beneficial oils from algae, tomato seeds, pomegranate seeds and other nutrient dense plants. These little capsules contain not only omega 3 - but omega 5, 6, 7 and 9 (yes, all of them!)
Rather than stocking up on mountains of nuts, seeds and fish in your diet (all of which are high in fat and could be inadvertently clogging up your liver - more on that in my latest Facebook Live on Liver Health), you can simply add this in.
Taking these omega capsules daily has reduced all my cravings for fish. If you've ever heard me talk about my vegan experience, you'll know that part of the reason why I stopped being a vegan was in part due to the insane cravings I was having for fish - which became more intense the longer I resisted. Now though, I can easily go months without any cravings for fish... because I'm getting a balanced variety of EPA and DHA omegas daily.
If you've ever wanted to know what goes on inside my inner circle, now is the time to find out. For under $14 per week, you'll get your omega blend and my entire 16W2W Lifestyle Program for FREE. This includes access to meal plans and recipes (1000's of them - all gluten free, dairy free and refined sugar free), access to my support group and invited to tune into the fortnightly modules that I run with other health professionals within my Tribe.
I see my clients transform here, every single day. Over the past 8 years of working as a food coach, I know what works - and that comes down to education and application. I teach my clients about how their body works (gut health, immune health, mindset etc...) - and work on adding in as much nutrition into their diet as I can. When they understand the how and the why, the actual DOING is so much easier.
Without EPA and DHA omega 3 fatty acids, there's a good chance you might not be experiencing the true anti-inflammatory benefits of omega 3. While it's possible for your body to convert ALA omegas to EPA and DHA, the conversion rate is very low. This means that you would need to eat so much more plant omegas to get the full benefit of all three types of these fatty acids. I experienced this myself, living a vegan lifestyle for 2 years. I started to see deficiencies and signs of inflammation - because I was never getting in enough EPA and DHA!
But surely there are plenty of vegans out there who are perfectly healthy? Vegans who don't eat fish, but get in enough omega 3 daily (in all 3 varieties?)
There is a way... and I only discovered it after my reign as a vegan.
It's algae.
It's where the fish get alot of their omega 3 from - and it's where we can get it too! Fish has been known to contain high levels of mercury (a poison), and we can by-pass fish when we go straight to the source of where the omegas are coming from. Seaweeds of all varieties are extremely beneficial for the body, but they aren't the most common varieties of food found at your local super market.
Luckily, there are a few simple ways you can get algae into your body, in a way that's nourishing, well balanced and simple.
I recommend eating nori, spirulina and dulse regularly. These are sea vegetables that add in many beneficial minerals to your body... including omega 3. I also recommend adding in a good quality omega based supplement.
I take a plant based omega blend, made out of the beneficial oils from algae, tomato seeds, pomegranate seeds and other nutrient dense plants. These little capsules contain not only omega 3 - but omega 5, 6, 7 and 9 (yes, all of them!)
Rather than stocking up on mountains of nuts, seeds and fish in your diet (all of which are high in fat and could be inadvertently clogging up your liver - more on that in my latest Facebook Live on Liver Health), you can simply add this in.
Taking these omega capsules daily has reduced all my cravings for fish. If you've ever heard me talk about my vegan experience, you'll know that part of the reason why I stopped being a vegan was in part due to the insane cravings I was having for fish - which became more intense the longer I resisted. Now though, I can easily go months without any cravings for fish... because I'm getting a balanced variety of EPA and DHA omegas daily.
If you've ever wanted to know what goes on inside my inner circle, now is the time to find out. For under $14 per week, you'll get your omega blend and my entire 16W2W Lifestyle Program for FREE. This includes access to meal plans and recipes (1000's of them - all gluten free, dairy free and refined sugar free), access to my support group and invited to tune into the fortnightly modules that I run with other health professionals within my Tribe.
I see my clients transform here, every single day. Over the past 8 years of working as a food coach, I know what works - and that comes down to education and application. I teach my clients about how their body works (gut health, immune health, mindset etc...) - and work on adding in as much nutrition into their diet as I can. When they understand the how and the why, the actual DOING is so much easier.
Attend an online workshop
The Raw Food Girl's workshops are now being converted to online courses - which means you can tune in from anywhere in the world!
I run workshops on Gut Healing, Alkalising, Quitting Processed Sugar and other health topics. Participants receive recipes, meals plans and access to my
The Raw Food Girl's workshops are now being converted to online courses - which means you can tune in from anywhere in the world!
I run workshops on Gut Healing, Alkalising, Quitting Processed Sugar and other health topics. Participants receive recipes, meals plans and access to my
