Who doesn’t love soups to warm our bods in the cool Winter time? LOL, I pretend it’s “Winter,” even though I reside in the fun sun of South Florida. Hey, when it gets down to 77, Iam the first to grab my boots and sweater of the shelf. Hey, don’t complain, we all get to choose where we live… and, we get to choose our foods too, don’t we? YAPPER. So how about choosing foods that are anti-inflammatory so you can keep your arthritis, colds and more serious diseases away from you. Up you chances of living a healthier life… which is definitely one road that will lead to a happier life— agree?

The biggest factor that we have control over when it comes to inflammation, is our diet. While there are food types that are infamous for causing unnecessary and dangerous inflammation, there are others that have been proven to have the opposite effect. One of these foods is turmeric. I recommend turmeric to all of my clients. It’s one of those things, like brushing our teeth, I believe (yup my opinion) we should all do— so much yummy science-backed research behind this 1000’s of year old spice.

Turmeric benefits

Turmeric has long been used as a part of traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic medicine for its anti-inflammatory properties. It’s being widely adopted in western culture for the same reason. A 2011 study tested its effects on arthritis in rats, and found that turmeric decreased the production of inflammatory cytokines while increasing the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines in the body. These researchers also compared turmeric to ginger, and found that it was an even better anti-inflammatory than ginger is.

Turmeric is also used to promote digestive health. Specifically, it can help to treat Crohn’s disease, ulcers, and inflammatory bowel disease. Also, turmeric is an anti-oxidant, so it helps prevent cancer. One study testing 3 different types of turmeric root found that it was able to reduce breast cancer, colon cancer, leukemia, and melanoma cancer!

Black pepper benefits

Eating turmeric along with black pepper will totally maximize its effects. There is a substance in black pepper called piperine that increases your body’s absorption of turmeric (bioavailability) by 2000%! Even on its own, black pepper can fight oxidation in your body, and can stimulate healthy digestion.

Apple Cider Vinegar benefits

Apple cider vinegar can help detox your home, but it can also detox your body. It can help promote circulation and detoxify the liver. The acid in ACV can also bind to toxins which can assist in removing toxins from the body. Apple cider vinegar’s potassium content helps to break up mucus in the body and clearing the lymph nodes. This also aids in the removal of toxins. Add apple cider into your diet and check out these other ways to detox.

Tomato benefits

Tomatoes are full of lycopene; it’s what gives them their vibrant red color!  It’s also what makes them powerful anti-oxidants. Not only will these reduce your risk of cancer, but consuming lycopene can also help guard against heart disease by lowering cholesterol levels in your body and keeping your blood pressure low. The bioavailability of lycopene (how well our bodies can absorb it during digestion) is significantly increased when we eat cooked tomatoes vs. raw tomatoes.

I love this recipe I found on Healthy Holistic Living and thought you would too! Try it and let me know what you think by commenting below. Oh and it’s super fast and easy to make.

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup cherry tomatoes, rinsed and cut in halves
• 1 can diced tomatoes (don’t drain the sauce)
• ½ cup low-sodium vegetable stock
• 1 minced onion
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp coconut oil
• ½ tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (ACV)
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Sauté onion and garlic in coconut oil over medium heat for 1 minute.
2. Add turmeric, cherry tomatoes. Cook until tomatoes are soft.
3. Add canned tomatoes, stock, ACV, and basil. Bring to boil on medium-high heat, then cover and let simmer on low heat for 5 minutes.
4. Blend using a blender or hand mixer until creamy.
5. Season with salt and pepper.