At risk for what?
It puts you at risk for heart disease, heart attack, stroke, Alzheimer’s, and more. It can even put you at risk for the coronavirus.
How?
By exposing your immune system. Inflammation is a sign of immune-system engagement, where two things are happening. One is that it is damaging existing tissue in your body. The other is that it is less available to fight intruders like COVID-19.
Understanding how to fight inflammation and limit its dangerous outcomes is still being understood, but thus far, we’ve learned that certain foods can help. These foods are typically known to promote heart health by lowering cholesterol and blood pressure, improving brain function and memory, regulating blood sugar, and more.
Put simply, they take some of the pressure off your immune system. They can also improve immune health.
And while it might seem like some kind of big dietary changes are in order or that it takes years of work, simply forming a few daily habits might be enough to improve your immune system and reduce the risk for severe health conditions.
Start Your Day with a Coffee: Polyphenols in coffee and flavanols in cocoa are believed to have anti-inflammatory properties. There is research to show that coffee consumption is associated with reduced risk of several conditions marked by inflammation.
Snack on Nuts and Seeds: Adding nuts and seeds to your breakfast, salads, or as raw snacks can also help control inflammation. Studies have shown that eating as little as a handful, twice per week, of nuts and seeds is associated with lower inflammation and less risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Snack of Fruits and Have Sides of Veggies: Most fruit and brightly colored vegetables have a tone of polyphenols and antioxidants that can limit inflammation and promote immunity.
These three things can help give you the tools you need to limit inflammation and promote immune strength.