Losing weight over age 30 seems daunting – you get less sleep, feel stressed by responsibilities and your metabolism is slowing. Ugh. Fight these weight gain factors by eating a particularly healthy anti-inflammatory food.
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But first, how do anti-inflammatory foods work? Dr. Charles Passler, nutritionist and founder of Pure Change, says it has to do with blocking free radicals and adding healthy fats. “When left unchecked, free radicals can create inflammation in your body and inhibit your ability to convert calories into energy,” he says. That means your body retains fat instead of burning it. Anti-inflammatory foods have antioxidants to reverse this activity.
“Second, some anti-inflammatory foods also contain healthy fats that directly inhibit inflammation,” says Dr. Passler. And for a bonus side effect, reduction in inflammation could raise your levels of serotonin. That’s the hormone that helps you get good sleep, which is a big factor in maintaining a healthy weight. “Studies have shown that people who don’t get enough restful sleep put on the pounds and find it harder to lose them,” he says.
So the unpleasant equation in your 30s is: less sleep + stressing about everything = high levels of cortisol in your body that lead to weight gain. Dr. Passler says, “chronic, excessive production of cortisol can inhibit the production of important thyroid hormones that play a crucial role in your ability to burn calories.”
The answer is salmon. Pan-seared, baked, mixed with quinoa or flaked into a salad - any way you eat it, salmon is the anti-inflammatory food that will keep your weight on point. It’s rich in omega-3 fatty acids (healthy fats!) and literally hundreds of studies have been done that attest to salmon’s anti-inflammatory benefits. Plus it’s an excellent source of protein.