Fatty Fish

Most varieties of fresh fish are packed with healthy fatty goodness. This is largely owing to the Omega 3 content. Humans used to consume Omega 3 and Omega 6 to a ratio of around 1:1, but in the modern day diet, the ratio is now more like 1:10, in favour of Omega 6.

Both Omegas are essential to a healthy body, but since Omega 6 is present in vegetable oils that are often used in processed, they tend to cause some inflammation. Consequently, Omega 3 oils reduce inflammation, so it makes sense to try and up the intake of fatty fish and other supplements, so put down those crisps!

Nuts

Nuts are packed with antioxidants, which help your body fight off inflammation, and recover from any damage done. Tasty almonds are particularly good, thanks to their high fibre, calcium and vitamin E content, as are walnuts, which contain a type of Omega 3 fat which is a great puffy-muscle fighter.

Recipe: Inflammation Fighting Smoothie 

Kale, Spinach, Broccoli

Seen that ‘Kale’ jumper around, but not sure you know your Kale from your Yale?

Kale (we’ll stop saying it now!) and other leafy green vegetables, like Broccoli and Spinach, contain heaps of Vitamin E – which protects the body from cytokines – molecules which can contribute to – you guessed it – inflammation!

See – your mum was right about eating your greens – try this spinach and chocolate frozen yoghurt to get your dose alongside something yummy..

Berries

As well as tasting amazing and looking beautiful, berries fight inflammation thanks to their high levels of antioxidants, and the ‘anthocyains’ that give them their colour.

So – pop some blueberries in your morning porridge, or whip up a protein berry smoothie to calm those angry muscles down. Or, try this amazingly scrummy frozen berry yogurt…

Tart Cherries

These tasty little red fruits are just full of surprises. Not only do they have a whole host of body boosting benefits, but studies have shown that drinking highly concentrated juice made from tart cherries (not sweet cherries) can have a significant effect on pain and swelling associated with inflammation.

Recipe: Yummy cherry scones

In fact, tart cherry juice drinkers were found to lose 22% less strength as a result of muscle damage than placebo drinkers – and it’s believed in adequate doses and quality can be equally effective as medicines such as ibuprofen.

Avocado

The creamy fruit is high in carotenoids – which fight inflammation. They also provide you with a healthy source of fat, which consumed in optimum quantities, can help encourage your body to use more fat as fuel.

Avocados also have a high quantity of Vitamin E which can help strengthen your hair and nails – bonus! If you’re not so keen on eating avocado, then you can buy avocado cooking oil for a little flavour kick in your meals.

Chia Seeds and Flaxseed

Both chia seeds and flaxseeds contains plenty of those healthy Omega 3’s, and you can sprinkle them on salads, porridge, or anything really, to add a lovely nutty flavour, a little texture, and some inflammation fighting power.

You could even try this Cherry-Chia energy gel, to prevent the damage whilst you’re on the move…

A high number of the foods that are known to reduce inflammation are found in the Mediterranean diet – and copying the eating habits of our tanned, toned fellow Europeans has been shown to be effective in the battle against muscle soreness. Read more about the menu here… 

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