Tart Cherries May Help Millions Reduce Inflammation to Manage Pain, According to New Research

LANSING, Mich., May 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Tart cherries may help reduce chronic inflammation, especially for the millions of Americans suffering from debilitating joint pain and arthritis, according to new research from Oregon Health & Science University presented today at the American College of Sports Medicine Conference (ACSM) in San Francisco, Calif.(1) In fact, the researchers suggest tart cherries have the "highest anti-inflammatory content of any food" and can help people with osteoarthritis manage their disease.
In a study of twenty women ages 40 to 70 with inflammatory osteoarthritis, the researchers found that drinking tart cherry juice twice daily for three weeks led to significant reductions in important inflammation markers – especially for women who had the highest inflammation levels at the start of the study.

"With millions of Americans looking for ways to naturally manage pain, it's promising that tart cherries can help, without the possible side effects often associated with arthritis medications," said Kerry Kuehl, M.D, Dr.PH., M.S., Oregon Health & Science University, principal study investigator. "I'm intrigued by the potential for a real food to offer such a powerful anti-inflammatory benefit – especially for active adults."

Often characterized as "wear and tear" arthritis, osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis. Athletes are often at a greater risk for developing the condition, given their excessive joint use that can cause a breakdown in cartilage and lead to pain and injury, according to the Arthritis Foundation.

The inflammation benefits could be particularly important for athletes, according to Kuehl's previous research. In a past study he found that people who drank tart cherry juice while training for a long distance run reported significantly less pain after exercise than those who didn't.(2)

Go Red Instead to Manage Pain

Along with providing the fruit's bright red color, the antioxidant compounds in tart cherries – called anthocyanins – have been specifically linked to high antioxidant capacity and reduced inflammation, at levels comparable to some well-known pain medications.(3)

Previous research on tart cherries and osteoarthritis conducted by researchers at Baylor Research Institute found that a daily dose of tart cherries (as cherry extract) helped reduce osteoarthritis pain by more than 20 percent for the majority of men and women.(4) And the same compounds linked to cherries' arthritis benefits have now shown promise for athletes and sports recovery to help relieve muscle and joint soreness.

According to Director of Sports Nutrition at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center for Sports Medicine, Leslie Bonci, MPH, RD, CSSD, LDN, who has incorporated tart cherries into the training menu of both her professional athletes and active clients as a natural and easy way to manage pain that also tastes great, "Why not eat red when there's so much science to support the anti-inflammatory benefits of this Super Fruit? And for athletes whose palates prefer the tart-sweet flavor profile of tart cherries, it's the optimal ingredient."

Available every day of the year in dried, frozen and juice forms, tart cherries are a versatile ingredient to include in any training or inflammation-fighting diet.

To learn more about the body of research supporting tart cherries' pain-fighting properties, visit www.choosecherries.com to download The Red Report. There, you can also reference The Red Recovery Routine, a guide to help people train to manage pain with tart cherries.

The Cherry Marketing Institute (CMI) is an organization funded by North American tart cherry growers and processors. CMI's mission is to increase the demand for tart cherries through promotion, market expansion, product development and research. For more information on the science supporting the unique health benefits of cherries and for cherry recipes and menu ideas, visit www.choosecherries.com.

Carrot Juice to Fight Inflammation (Healing Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS): )

Carrot Juice to Fight Inflammation:

inflammation is the cause of restless legs syndrome

As I've mentioned throughout this website, I found carrot juice to be a fantastic anti-inflammatory that compliments the daily intake of herbs, vitamins and minerals. When I started taking it instead of my daily glass of orange juice (which turns out to be inflammatory), the last faint tinglings of my RLS disappeared. I take 3 or 4 gulps with each meal.

Carrot juice has an IF Rating of +424, which is amazing when you compare it to most other foods. For more information about the IF Rating for foods, visit the Inflammation Factor (IF) in Foods web page.

If you can find purple carrot juice, give it a try. It's said to be 28 times more powerful than regular carrot juice.

Berry juices show anti-inflammatory and heart health benefits

Berry juices show anti-inflammatory and heart health benefits: "Berry juices show anti-inflammatory and heart health benefits"

http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Research/Berry-juices-show-anti-inflammatory-and-heart-health-benefits

Top 50 Anti-Inflammatory Foods - Disaboom

Top 50 Anti-Inflammatory Foods - Disaboom:

Top 50 Anti-Inflammatory Foods

by Dr. Linda Mundorff

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A major factor with inflammation caused by diet is making the wrong choice of foods. You may not be surprised that the worst offenders are processed, refined, and/or fried. But apart from avoiding food preparation techniques that cause inflammation, we can choose foods themselves that calm joint swelling and inflammation anywhere in the body.

Fifty top anti-inflammatory foods:

Herbs
We sometimes forget that a natural diet includes plenty of herbs and spices to calm irritated tissues and relieve swelling.

•    Basil
•    Chamomile
•    Cinnamon
•    Garlic
•    Ginger
•    Nutmeg
•    Parsley
•    Rosemary
•    Thyme
•    Turmeric

Fruits and Vegetables:
Anti-inflammatory foods are often found among produce, where more color means a higher vitamin content.

Fruits:
•    Blueberries
•    Blood Oranges
•    Cherries
•    Cranberries
•    Papaya
•    Pineapple
•    Purple Plums
•    Purple Grapes
•    Red Pears
•    Strawberries

Vegetables:
•    Broccoli Florets
•    Brussels Sprouts
•    Eggplant
•    Purple Cabbage
•    Purple Potatoes
•    Purple Peppers
•    Radicchio
•    Radishes
•    Red Peppers
•    Rhubarb

Omega-3 Rich Foods:
The anti-inflammatory foods found in this category are rich in Omega-3:

•    Flaxseed Oil
•    Grape seed Oil
•    Linseed Oil
•    Olive Oil
•    Walnut Oil
•    Almonds
•    Pumpkin Seeds
•    Soybeans
•    Sunflower Seeds
•    Wheat Germ

These fatty fish provide anti-inflammatory food protein:

•    Anchovies
•    Blue Fin Tuna
•    Bluefish
•    Herring
•    Mackerel
•    Salmon (wild)
•    Sardines
•    Sturgeon (Atlantic)
•    Trout (lake)
•    Whitefish (lake)

Beverages:
The easiest way to get your daily supply of anti-inflammatory foods is through raw-juice beverages such as the anti-oxidant rich choices below:

•    Acai/Blueberry Juice
•    Apple Juice
•    Grava Juice
•    Green Tea
•    Noni Juice
•    Pomegranate Juice

BIO: Dr. Mundorff is a Registered Nurse and Board Certified Naturopath, and not a medical doctor. Dr. Mundorff is the author of several books. Her latest book, Take Control: a Guide to Holistic Living is an innovative health guide, which helps the reader learn how to regain control of their health by discovering the practical effectiveness of combining alternative and modern medicine. Contact her at bridges2hlth@aol.com

The Daily Dietribe: Anti-Inflammatory Juice Cocktails

The Daily Dietribe: Anti-Inflammatory Juice Cocktails:
http://www.thedailydietribe.com/2011/05/anti-inflammatory-juice-cocktails.html

Anti-Inflammatory Juice Cocktails

Since Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer, I wanted to give you a couple of juice recipes that will cool you down and keep you feeling your best. The first is the juice I drink when I'm feeling a headache coming on, or my stomach feels particularly inflamed. The second contains a shot of glutamine from a hefty portion of cabbage. As I mentioned in my post on healing, glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the body, and is used by the cells of the gastrointestinal tract to help repair your gut. Beef, chicken, fish, beans, and dairy products (i.e. high protein foods) are all good sources of amino acids, but I find that a vegetable juice serves the dual purpose of calming inflammation and repairing the gut at the same time. Beets are also a good source of glutamine, so you could replace one of the carrots in the cabbage recipe with a beet, but the sugar content of beets is pretty high, so you don't want to have beet juice all the time. In addition, both of these juice recipes are made with the newbie juicer in mind, and contain a good portion of sweetness from carrots or apples. If you've been juicing for a while, and can handle a more bitter juice from greens, feel free to reduce the amount of carrots and apples and add in a green vegetable of your choosing.

Why these ingredients?

Apples: You know the saying, "an apple a day keeps the doctor away?" While that may be an exaggeration, apples are a miracle fruit in my mind. Studies have linked the consumption of apples to a reduced risk of a variety of cancers, cardiovascular disease, asthma, and Type II diabetes. They are strong antioxidants, and contain a number of phytochemicals, including quercetin, which I mentioned last week as being particularly anti-inflammatory.

Ginger: Ginger ale is historically the tonic of choice for stomach unrest. However, with all the high fructose corn syrup or sugar in ginger ale, your best bet is making your own tea or including a chunk of fresh ginger in your juice. In addition, ginger is known to alleviate migraine symptoms, and my own experience with ginger juice has proven that to be true. Whenever I feel a headache coming on, I make a ginger juice - the worse the headache, the more ginger I add. If you've never used ginger in your juice, it can taste pretty strong, so start with a 1-inch chunk and increase the amount over time.

Cucumber: Do you remember putting cucumber slices over your eyes to reduce morning puffiness (or seeing women do it in movies)? Well, imagine cucumber doing the same thing for your gut. It contains vitamin C and caffeic acid, both of which may help reduce inflammation and swelling.

Fennel: Fennel is a carminative, and can aid in the prevention of gas. Its antispasmodic properties are also useful for calming your stomach down. As an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory vegetable, it contains vitamin C, beta-carotene, anethole and limonene (phytochemicals).

Carrots: Carrots are the dieter's best friend for a reason. They taste good raw or cooked, and are high in a number of nutrients, especially beta-carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, and potassium. I like to use them in juice partially because they I love the taste, but also because they have antioxidant properties.

Cabbage: As I mentioned, cabbage is a good source of glutamine, which is my main reason for including it in my juices. However, it's also a great source of vitamin K, vitamin C, and various phytochemicals with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Different types of cabbage will contain unique amounts of micronutrients and phytochemicals, so I recommend using a variety of cabbages. Perhaps red cabbage one week, green the next, and savoy the third.

Parsley: The inclusion of fresh herbs in your diet can be especially beneficial, as many of them are strong antioxidants. Parsley contains beta-carotene, vitamin C, and a number of phytochemicals with antioxidant properties. It also tastes great in carrot juice!

Anti-Migraine Juice
Ingredients:
1 apple
1-3 inch chunk fresh ginger
1/2 cucumber
1 stalk fennel

Makes approx 12 ounces (1 1/2 cups).

Gut Repair Tonic
Ingredients:
2 carrots
large handful of fresh parsley
1/2 head cabbage

Makes approximately 8 ounces (1 cup).

If possible, buy all your juicing vegetables organic. In general, I follow the dirty dozenlist to pick which fruits and vegetables to buy organic, but if I'm planning on juicing it, I always buy organic. It's more expensive, of course, but it seems counterproductive to drink a juice for its health benefits if it's also full of pesticides.