This post is written in partnership with New Chapter vitamins. Thanks for supporting partnerships that allow me to speak about topics I love and make Nutrition Happen!
If there’s one thing we all occasionally struggle with, it’s probably stress. Stress is a normal response from our bodies, regardless of whether it’s physical or psychological. In fact, if you exercise in any way or enjoy workouts that involve high intensity interval training, stress on the body is inevitable. As a result of the physical stress, inflammation kicks in to help rebuild tissues that help the body get stronger. I know inflammation often has a negative connotation but it’s technically a natural (and healthy) response by the body to protect us. Inflammation is not necessarily negative because it’s usually temporary and clears up quickly once the stress subsides. However, stress that builds up over time can contribute to the type of inflammation that leads to injury or pain.
In recent years, we’ve seen an emphasis from physicians on the importance of proper nutrition when it comes to stress management. While there are many lifestyle changes we can make to reduce the complications of stress on our bodies (like sleep and rest) one of the best places to start is with the right foods and supplements. Taking a close look at what we’re consuming can greatly reduce the impact of stress and, ultimately, decrease risk of chronic inflammation. Today, I’ll be sharing my go-tos for creating a healthy balance for inflammation, including foods that are high in those good-for-you antioxidants, as well as New Chapter’s Zyflamend – which is a whole-food, herbal supplement designed to balance the body’s natural inflammation response.*
While being mindful about our nutrition is not the sole solution to reducing the risk factors from chronic stress and inflammation (exercising, resting, and taking time to just BREATHE all play a part in creating a healthy lifestyle!), choosing antioxidant-rich supplements and foods help to support our body’s ability to recover and care for itself. An antioxidant-rich diet is particularly important if you work out or train with goals of improving physical endurance, strength, mobility or flexibility. After intense workouts, we tend to feel sorer or even experience pain – so recovering with the rights foods and supplements is crucial.
Foods that naturally help fight inflammation:
(look for foods high in antioxidants)
- Berries
- Oily fish (tuna, salmon, mackerel)
- Broccoli, Beets
- Leafy greens (kale, spinach, collards, arugula, microgreens)
- Nuts
- Green tea
- Bone broth
- Ginger
- Turmeric
- Chia seeds
When it comes to giving your body additional support for its inflammation response, a supplement like Zyflamend can be a great option.* Zyflamend is formulated with inflammation-balancing ingredients like turmeric, green tea, rosemary and ginger. These herbs individually contain antioxidants to drive the benefits of healthy inflammation on our bodies and when blended together, they become more potent and provide an herbal approach to soothing aches and pains relating to exercise.* Zyflamend is also specially formulated to enhance mobility, flexibility and joint function (again, a great option to consider especially for those who do high impact workouts or are very active from day to day).*
I’ve chatted before about vitamins for supporting healthy skin and how vitamins can be a helpful part of your lifestyle as well as New Chapter’s whole food approach to vitamins and supplements. Their vitamins are made without synthetic fillers, artificial colors, or added sugars. The New Chapter Zyflamend formula is no different!
If you’re interested in trying Zyflamend and you’ve chatted with your healthcare practitioner about taking a supplement, use the code NHTRYZYF for $5 off a 60 count or larger on New Chapter’s shop page (shipping is always FREE!)
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
